Dear Doc | 64-year-old woman wants Botox to impress young boyfriend
Published:Monday | April 23, 2018 | 12:00 AM
Q Dear Doc. I am a 64-year-old woman who is still looking good. My husband was much older than me; he died five years ago. I am seeing a young man who is 30 years old. He finds me quite attractive and I enjoy spending time with him, but sometimes I feel funny because this lady in a restaurant once thought I was his mother. Sometimes I wake up in the mornings and I see some tiny wrinkles around my eyes. I do a lot of facials and I was thinking of getting Botox done, because a friend of mine had it and her face looks so young. My two adult children do not like my boyfriend, they think he is too young for me, but I do not want to give him up because he makes me happy.
A Botox injections are becoming quite common these days and can be accessed from many local dermatologists. It definitely reduces lines and wrinkles on the forehead and around the eyes. The treatment is simple and is usually done as an office procedure. The treatment is not covered by health insurance for cosmetic purposes, so be prepared to pay out of pocket.
Relationships have their challenges and one has to weigh the pros and cons when making decisions as to whether or not investing more time and energy is worth it; that is not an option when it comes to your children. Have a frank discussion with them, tell them you are happy with your partner; as adults they can decide how they want to be involved with your new life. Best of luck.
My 5-year-old son's penis hasn't 'rolled over' as yet
Q My son's penis has not quite 'rolled over' as yet. What I notice, also, is that there is a thin skin covering around half of the head of his penis. Could this be the reason why it has not retracted? And should my spouse and I be worried about this? Help! He is five years old.
A Good day to you. He is now five years old and apparently this piece of skin is causing no problems with urination, so there is no immediate cause for concern. Based on your description, this thin film could be a part of the inner foreskin that is still attached to the head of the penis, aka congenital adhesions.
The foreskin retracts on its own at variable rates and is completed at different ages. Many boys achieve this around age five or six, others during the teen years. Forced retraction is not recommended, as it may cause bleeding and lead to permanent scarring, which will prevent normal pulling back of the foreskin in the future. It's best to keep the area clean and dry and have your son get his annual check-ups.
Daily application of a mild steroid cream on the foreskin for two to four weeks has been shown to improve the ability of the foreskin to retract. The use of steroid creams should be supervised by a physician, so discuss the issue at your child's next clinic review.
My three-year-old blinks more than normal
Q Good day, Doc. I noticed of recent, about a week now, my almost three-year-old daughter has started blinking her eyes more frequently; that is, more often than normal. I am concerned as to its cause or if this is a reflection of an underlying issue. Please assist. Thanks in advance.
A Pleasant day to you. The most likely causes of this problem are as follows:
- Habitual tics (spasm ) of the eyelid muscles, usually caused by stress, anxiety or fatigue. Usually resolves on its own.
- Foreign body under the eyelids, such as dust particles, eyelashes, and so on.
- Allergic reaction or irritation, dry eyes (especially in cold environments or being close to a fan).
- Eye infections, usually accompanied by redness, itching, sometimes eye discharge or dried secretions on the eyelashes. May require topical antibiotics.
Once there is no other spasms elsewhere on the body, the possibility of a neurological condition (tourette's syndrome) is unlikely.
There are many possibilities, none of which is life-threatening. But take your child to see a paediatrician or general practitioner to rule out an eye infection.
Pain during intercourse
Q Dear Doc. I am in a situation that is causing me a lot of distress. I have a new man, but every time we have sex and he penetrates me real deep, I get a bad pain in my belly bottom. Sometimes cold sweat washes me and I feel like I want to pass out.
I have no discharge nor odour. He says he is not seeing anybody else. I checked his private and I see nothing like germs or so. He also squeezed it and there is nothing coming out. The situation is stressing him out also, because when he touches a certain area and I bawl out for pain, he loses his nature and we cannot have sex for the rest of the night. We are both in our 20s. I have no children, but I did one abortion in my late teens. Do you think this is what is causing it?
A Good day, it is highly unlikely that the abortion you had in your late teens is responsible for your present problems. It sounds very much like you have inflammation in your pelvis and cervix (pelvic inflammatory disease). This condition develops with untreated or inadequately treated sexually transmitted infections. Both you and your partner should stop having sex until after you have seen a doctor for assessment and treatment.
Is sweet potato better for diabetics than Irish potato?
Q Dear Doc. I am a diabetic person who found this out recently and my doctor put me on pills. I saw a dietician who tells me that the sweet potato is better for me than the Irish potato. I always thought the opposite. Should I go ahead and eat them?
A Pleasant day to you, thank you for your question. Irish potatoes have a higher glycemic index (ability to raise blood sugar) than sweet potatoes. Sweet potatoes have more fibre, which slows the absorption of any sugars into the blood stream. They also have significantly more vitamin A and beta-carotene than Irish potatoes; both of which are important antioxidants. However, the Irish potato contains more protein, therefore the take-home message is to be temperate and not overdo anything.
Big bumps on my vagina
Q Dear Doc. I have this big bump coming up in my private parts where the hair is, close to my clitoris. I squeezed it and a lot of pus came out. It got better, but another one came up and its not fully ripe yet, but I see a little pus. What do you think is causing them?
A Good day to you. Sounds like you have infection of the hair follicles (folliculitis) which have turned into abscesses. This is commonly caused from shaving. Immunocompromised states such as diabetes mellitus and HIV infection, can predispose one to frequent skin infection, so get yourself tested. Squeezing these at home is not recommended. Visit your healthcare provider for proper assessment and treatment. You may well need a course of antibiotics.