DEAR DR. ROACH: I watch a lot of skin-care videos by dermatologists. Sometimes they will have a patient who has a very infected and inflamed blackhead, boil or cyst, etc. It seems like the main treatment is oral antibiotics. My question is: How come we don’t inject antibiotics into infected areas like this? Why do […]

DEAR DR. ROACH: You recently wrote that minoxidil (Rogaine) provides some benefit for hair growth. My friend broke out in hives after using it. Would you please print the pros and cons associated with Rogaine? — T.A. ANSWER: Topical minoxidil is generally well-tolerated. The most common side effect was what your friend had, a local […]

DEAR DR. ROACH: I am a 71-year-old male. I had a heart attack at age 50, and my doctor inserted four stents in my heart. I was overweight at that time, and the doctor told me if I do not change my lifestyle, I will need open heart surgery in five years. I lost 40 […]

DEAR DR. ROACH: You recently replied to a question regarding vaccination among health care workers by saying “they are ethically obligated to get the vaccine in order not to infect their patients.” But isn’t it true that the vaccinated are getting COVID and also infecting others? It is protection for the vaccinated, but it’s not […]

DEAR DR. ROACH: I am a woman, in my late 80s and have been healthy my whole life. I don’t take any medications for any conditions. However, I have one issue I would like to ask your advice on. Over the past few years I’m afraid I have become incontinent. When I feel the urge, […]

DEAR DR. ROACH: Now that working from home has become very commonplace, I’ve noticed a lot of people raving about posture correcting devices. They seem particularly popular with social media influencers, but some media companies frequently feature them in their articles with links to shopping platforms for you to buy them without consulting with a […]

DEAR DR. ROACH: You stated in a recent column that there is no evidence to support taking vitamins D, C and zinc when treating/preventing COVID-19. I recently spoke to an infectious disease doctor who told me that doctors are giving this very vitamin “cocktail” to hospitalized patients with COVID. Lots of resources say having these […]

DEAR DR. ROACH: What can you tell me about cannabis products containing delta-8 THC? — M.O. ANSWER: Cannabis products have many active chemicals. The ones that have been best studied are the tetrahydrocannabinols (THC) and cannabidiol (CBD). THCs are psychoactive, and the term THC generally refers to the delta-9 isomer, but several others, including delta-8, […]