VA Beach Dermatology

08/04/2026

08/02/2026

WARNING ABOUT SCOPOLOMINE PATCH
Years ago I was the ship doctor for Norwegian Caribbean, the MS Starward, which was the first ship of NCL designed for cruising. It was finally scrapped in India a few years ago. The nurse and I stood at the gangway welcoming passengers and offering them Antivert (Meclizine), an anti-histamine used to prevent/treat vertigo and sea sickness.
It has largely been replaced by the more effective Scopolamine. Many people will purchase the Scopolamine patch and paste it behind their ear.
Scopolamine is an anti-cholinergic drug. Virtually all physicians can recite the mnemonic for anti-cholinergic drugs: mad as a hatter ( confusion, disorientation); hot as a hare (hyperthermia); red as a beet (flushed skin); blind as a bat (mydriasis; dilated pupils) dry as a bone ( thirst, decreased urine output).
It has long been known that those with angle-closure glaucoma should not use the patch, but the FDA has now warned those 17 and under and 60 years and above about a serious risk of hyperthermia (increased body temperature). Anti-cholinergics such asa scopolamine elevate the the core body temperature AND decrease sweating.
Since many of the people using these patches are on cruises to the Caribbean, Central America, Mexico, and South America, the danger is intensified.
While the FDA did not warn about this: absolutely SO NOT combine Antivert with Scopolamine. In fact avoid any anti-histamine with the patch as anti-histamines accentuate the effect of scopolamine, thereby increasing your chances of hyperthermia which can cause confusion, loss of consciousness, hospitalization and even death.

07/30/2026

Scrotal Dysthesia

07/29/2026

Sarcoid Great Masquarder of the skin

07/27/2026

DANGEROUS PILLS
If you are prescribed Erythromycin or especially its macrolide family members Zithromax, or Biaxin XL, be careful as there is a potentially dangerous interaction with a number of other medications.
All the Macrolide antibiotics can cause an increased risk of prolongation of the QT interval. This essentially does not allow the rhythm of the heart to settle. This can cause a fatal disturbance called torsades de pointes which can lead to cardiac arrest and sudden death.
There a number of oral medications when used concomitantly with erythromycin can further prolong the QT interval. Many of these are commonly used medications such as Verapamil, Sertraline (Zoloft), Imipramine ( Tofranil), Donepezil (Aricept), Hydroxychloroquine (Plaquenil), Diltiazem (Cardizem) Fluoxetine ( Prozac) and others.

07/27/2026

DINING WITH ALLEN GINSBERG
My friends Eric, Carleton and I were uneventfully dining in the Antioch Dining Hall. Carleton was a serious black student with glasses. Quiet, but when he had something to say it was of a contemplative nature. Erich was more vivacious ( an adjective meant for a girl more than a boy) and had a nice self-deprecating sense of humor. Out of the blue a familiar looking man loomed and asked if he could join us. After a few seconds I realized it was the highly recognizable face of Allen Ginsberg, the poet.
I did not know what to say. Should I mention that we studied his poem Howl in my high school literature class. Fortunately, he took the initiative and asked us our names and what it was like studying at Antioch. Each of us answered. I asked him whether he was going to be doing a reading. He replied no, that he knew Antioch was a cool place and wanted to check it out. He mentioned he had been to Antioch before and liked the vibe. Like many before him he uttered a complaint about the food. He then wished us luck, told us to study hard and left.
I wondered with so many hippies and hippie-like students packing the dining hall, he sat down with us. Maybe he felt more comfortable. More sane.

07/25/2026

Kim McCully

07/25/2026

FRIENDLY FERN
My son-in-law asked me today for samples of Heliocare. After years of beating the drum for this wonderful, anti-aging product, an article he read finally triggered enough interest to hop on board.
Study after study has shown that taking this simple supplement can decrease the rate of skin cancer, and photoaging. The main ingredient, polypodium leucotomos, is derived from a South American fern found in the Andes. Supposedly the natives, exposed to the high altitude sun, rubbed this fern on their skin to avoid sunburns.
Ferndale, the company that manufactures Heliocare, has added Nicotinamide, Vitamin B3 to the formula for extra anti-aging power. Nicotinamide also decreases pigment production for those with melasma or other dyschromias.
Now if I can only get my daughter, who spends thousands of dollars on antiaging treatments (Botox, laser etc., to add this to her regimen.

07/24/2026

GET MARRIED
People who do not get married developed cancer at a significantly higher rate. This difference is maintained for a wide variety of cancers including melanoma and also holds across all genders, ages and ethnic groups.