Moles part of normal aging process
Q. I keep finding new moles on my body. Is this part of the normal aging process?
A. Absolutely. You'll continue to form new, harmless moles deep into middle age. The two most common harmless moles look like a brown pencil eraser or a red dot, says Dr. John Wolf, head of Baylor College of Medicine's dermatology department. These are skin cells or blood vessels growing in clusters.
But be concerned when the new marks don't resemble old moles from childhood. If new moles stand out, or if older spots show a change in shape or hue, see a dermatologist ASAP. Thirty percent of melanomas begin as healthy moles, and 90 percent of moles contain potential cancer-causing mutation traits.
Other mole traits that spook guys but shouldn't: a gradual change in size (not shape), sprouting hair, or a mole that becomes elevated above skin level. If you have a family history of skin cancer, have your skin doctor track your moles.
Q. Do tongue scrapers work for reducing bad breath?
A. Yes.
"A common reason for bad breath is postnasal drip, which coats the back area of the tongue with bacteria-rich mucus," says Dr. June Lee, a spokeswoman for the Academy of General Dentistry. This coating triggers volatile sulfur compounds, which are produced when bacteria and amino acids interact. The compounds stink.
A new study in the journal General Dentistry found that using a scraper removed significantly more sulfur compounds than brushing the middle-back tongue with a toothbrush. Try the DenTek tongue scraper ($2.50, www.drugstore.com).
Q. I love butter. Is it a mistake to use it?
A. No, within reason. True, a pat contains 2 more grams of saturated fat than margarine does, but really, how much do you use? A shmeer on your toast, one on your potato.
Remember, stick margarine contains partially hydrogenated oils, the dreaded trans fats that lower HDL (good) cholesterol. Soft tub margarines have less (some have none), but that's still too much. If just 2 percent of your daily calories are from trans fats, you've increased your heart-disease risk by 23 percent, according to a recent review in the New England Journal of Medicine.
But if the flavor of butter isn't important to you and you're trying to lower your cholesterol, try spreads like Benecol or Take Control, which reduce cholesterol absorption, says Milton Stokes, a registered dietitian in New York City. But, he says, "if you're craving the flavor of butter, then buy butter. The key is simply moderation."