When Nicki Myers’ son, Reece, was 18 months old, he itched so much he bled from scratching. Reece suffers from eczema, a non-contagious, inflammatory skin condition that may be caused by an array of triggers. “He had a moderate to severe rash on his lower legs and arms that became so inflamed and irritated he would scratch in his sleep,” says Myers. “He’d wake up with open wounds, and it was quite hard to manage.” The Ladue mom recalls slathering her child’s legs with various prescription and over-the-counter creams and ointments, and then wrapping them with gauze and compression bandages to prevent Reece from continuing to scratch.

I have five grandchildren, one as much fun and as charming as the next. Two of them are allergic to foods: One has allergies to tree nuts, peanuts, sesame seeds and melons; the other is allergic to milk, soy and eggs. When I was a kid—in what my children refer to as ‘the olden days’—I can’t remember any of my friends having food allergies. And when I began practicing pediatrics in 1980, food allergies were quite rare. In recent years, food allergies seem to be more common. I asked my colleague and Mercy Clinic pediatric allergist Dr. Laura Esswein, who cares for both of my allergic grandchildren, about this. Here are some of her thoughts:

In the world of professional gardening, winter brings on different tasks. Hopefully, most of these jobs will be indoors when the weather is at its worst, as snow-shoveling and ice-chipping rank near the very bottom of our favorite jobs list. About the only things lower on that list are cleaning up the bird messes under the seed feeders, mucking out the pond on a cold spring day or spreading ripe manure in the heat of the summer. Gardeners usually use the winter season to plan future plantings, research new materials, order specialty items and peruse plant catalogs.

If there’s one modern malady that everyone seems to share, it’s stress. The demands of everyday life—working, parenting, fulfilling social obligations—can make even the most organized person feel overwhelmed. 

Whether you call it eczema or dermatitis, you’ll know if you have it from the red, swollen, itchy skin that characterizes this common dermatological problem.

Do you feel it yet? The runny nose. The itchy eyes. The sneezing. It’s allergy season!

When it comes to things that aren’t good for us, some are easier to eliminate than others. For instance, we can say no to French fries and stop smoking, improving our long-term health outlook with healthier lifestyle choices. However, stress is one part of modern life that seems pervasive and can be a challenge to control.

      Bananas, avocados and lemons may sound like items on your grocery list, but they’re also healthful ingredients used in luxurious organic lotions, hair products and more. We talked with U.K.-based Helen Ambrosen, LUSH product creator and co-founder, about what makes natural ingredients and minimal packaging good for you, good for the economy and good for the environment. Now that’s a trio we can all get behind!

Christine Burger was vice president of operations at a software company before she launched Noodle & Boo in 2005. Four years later, the company has expanded to South Korea and added Glowology, a women’s line, to the original array of products designed especially for babies and children with sensitive skin. Since 2007, the company has donated 20 percent of its proceeds to children in need. Burger lives in northern California with her sons Andrew,10, and Matthew, 6, and is in the process of adopting a 5-year-old girl from Ethiopia. 

On the medical side, Dr. Kim-James treats a range of conditions from skin cancer to eczema, acne, warts, psoriasis and contact dermatitis. As a dermatologist, she is an expert in the diagnosis and treatment of skin, hair and nail conditions.On the cosmetic side, she does a variety of procedures, including Botox, facial fillers, chemical peels and laser treatments for acne, unwanted hair, pigmented spots and vascular lesions.