Getting Checked
Dr. Shireen Jayne, a Milwaukee OB-GYN with Madison Medical, explains the importance of regular checkups.
How often should someone see an OB-GYN, and why?
Women, typically age 21-65, should be seen by an OB-GYN annually. Patients who are high-risk for cancer should be seen more frequently, such as women with female cancer in a parent or sibling, or patients with abnormal Pap tests. At annual visits, we screen for all female cancers, and review pregnancy risk and contraception options. General genetic screening for high-risk syndromes and hormonal abnormalities can also be identified. Pap tests begin at age 21, but any younger patient should be seen for abnormal bleeding or pain, as well as any needed sexually transmitted disease screening and prevention or hormonal problems. Women over age 65 are no longer recommended to receive Pap tests, but that doesn’t mean they no longer need breast and pelvic exams. Medicare recommends asymptomatic women have a breast and pelvic exam every two years and more frequently if they have pain or bleeding.
Skin Care
When it comes to keeping your skin in its best shape, we’ve come a long way from the cleansers and lotions of decades past. New technologies allow for more in-depth diagnosis of skin issues and dozens of innovative treatment options. SKN BAR RX in Pewaukee and Shorewood starts a new patient off with a scan from the Observ 520x. The device scans and analyzes skin, revealing different textures and issues from surface level down to deeper layers and identifying sun damage, color variations and more. Each treatment plan is customized to the patient’s goals and lifestyle and to achieve the desired results. SKN BAR RX offers many treatment options, from chemical peels that require no downtime to laser hair removal, microdermabrasion facials, microneedling and much more. The SKN BAR Signature Facial is a popular one, using Ultraceutical Sonophoresis ultrasound for deep-cleaning skin layers, followed by a chemical peel and mask. SKN BAR RX also sells a line of skin care products and provides recommendations for the best routine based on each patient’s skin profile.
Eye Care
We asked eye care experts about the most common eye problems for women.
“Due to biological influences and longer lifespans, women are 66% more likely than men to incur vision impairment, which ultimately raises their risk for car accidents, falls, hip fractures, nursing home placement and even death,” says Michael Raciti, MD, of Eye Care Specialists, a leading local ophthalmology practice. He explains four common sight-threatening conditions.
Cataracts are a clouding of the natural lens inside the eye that causes blurriness and glare. Treatment involves surgically removing the lens and restoring vision with a prescription implant.
Diabetes can cause deterioration of the blood vessels that nourish the retina. Symptoms range from nothing to floaters, blurriness, and dark spots. Treatment involves in-eye medication injections to inhibit abnormal vessel growth
and prevent blindness.
Glaucoma is often related to increased eye fluid pressure, which damages the optic nerve’s ability to send information to the brain. Usually symptomless in its early stages, glaucoma eventually can cause “tunneling” and blindness. Treatment involves prescription drops and/or laser or surgical procedures.
Macular degeneration (AMD) is a breakdown of the retina’s central vision area needed to read, drive, see faces, etc. “Dry” AMD may be slowed with vitamin supplements, sun protection, and not smoking. The more serious “wet” form is treated with in-eye medication injections.
“Scheduling comprehensive dilated eye exams every two years is the best way to protect women’s vision, health and quality of life,” says Raciti.
