Business Insight presented by Arlington Dermatology What dermatology has to do with the weather! It turns out, a lot. In general, I am often asked why I write about so many things other than skin. Being a dermatologist, I should focus on dermatology, right? Well, wrong. I believe that every specialty of medicine is not alone and solitary in the desert. It is a part of a large bucket of medical science and science in general. It is part of a much larger bucket of the environment. The environment can be divided into human and non-human. Thus, human interactions and non-human outside influences have a huge impact on medical science, including skin. Skin is our largest organ. It is differentiated by the part of the body. We have a different type of skin on scalp, palms of hands, inside of our mouth, chest, or face. Some of our skin is impacted by daily weather: sun exposure, rain, poor air ventilation, and chemicals in our water and air. Hot, sunny, and humid days require us to limit outside exposure and drinking more water. Our skin can be the tool of dehydration if water we precipitate out is not replaced with water, we digest in. Harmful chemicals in the air not only can physically hurt our skin like small metal particles, but they can induce allergic reaction as well. Certainly, those chemicals also hurt our lungs and other systems, but this only proves my point on how things are connected in science and in medicine. Factors like weather are external influencers of our skin reactions. There are many internal or, how I called it, human factors that can do equal damage. Many diseases that show symptoms related to skin are deeply associated with more complex origin, immune system. As much as medical scientists have researched immunology, they are far from knowing all the why-s and how-s. Human genome discovery and continuing works allow us to link some diseases, like psoriasis and atopic dermatitis, to particular cells of our immune system, but there is much more to be discovered and we still have more questions than answers. What we do know is that human environment and stresses caused by human relations influence our immune system to a very large scale and possibly cause deviations in how cells mutate and digress from normal. Maintaining healthy human psychological balance, stress-less relationships, positive attitude, and joy may be more responsible for a good physical health than outside factors. This is easier said than done, and I am fully aware of it, but it still needs to be told and written about. Human body is structured in a very smart way, and it does have protection against short-term stresses by regulating cortisol production. Our brains want to work for us not against us. But constant stress in human environment pushes our brain off-balance, and, with domino effect, our physical bodies, including skin, deteriorate. In summary, when I write about weather or climate change, or human values and lack of balance in life, I write about medicine and dermatology as well. I just do it by treating all human disease factors wholistically. It is all equally important and definitely discussed too rarely than it should be. I hope I am making some difference. Michael Bukhalo, MD Arlington Dermatology 5301 Keystone Court Rolling Meadows, IL 60008 Tel. 847 392 5440 | www.arlingtondermatology.net Business Insight presented by Arlington Dermatology What dermatology has to do with the weather ! It turns out , a lot . In general , I am often asked why I write about so many things other than skin . Being a dermatologist , I should focus on dermatology , right ? Well , wrong . I believe that every specialty of medicine is not alone and solitary in the desert . It is a part of a large bucket of medical science and science in general . It is part of a much larger bucket of the environment . The environment can be divided into human and non - human . Thus , human interactions and non - human outside influences have a huge impact on medical science , including skin . Skin is our largest organ . It is differentiated by the part of the body . We have a different type of skin on scalp , palms of hands , inside of our mouth , chest , or face . Some of our skin is impacted by daily weather : sun exposure , rain , poor air ventilation , and chemicals in our water and air . Hot , sunny , and humid days require us to limit outside exposure and drinking more water . Our skin can be the tool of dehydration if water we precipitate out is not replaced with water , we digest in . Harmful chemicals in the air not only can physically hurt our skin like small metal particles , but they can induce allergic reaction as well . Certainly , those chemicals also hurt our lungs and other systems , but this only proves my point on how things are connected in science and in medicine . Factors like weather are external influencers of our skin reactions . There are many internal or , how I called it , human factors that can do equal damage . Many diseases that show symptoms related to skin are deeply associated with more complex origin , immune system . As much as medical scientists have researched immunology , they are far from knowing all the why - s and how - s . Human genome discovery and continuing works allow us to link some diseases , like psoriasis and atopic dermatitis , to particular cells of our immune system , but there is much more to be discovered and we still have more questions than answers . What we do know is that human environment and stresses caused by human relations influence our immune system to a very large scale and possibly cause deviations in how cells mutate and digress from normal . Maintaining healthy human psychological balance , stress - less relationships , positive attitude , and joy may be more responsible for a good physical health than outside factors . This is easier said than done , and I am fully aware of it , but it still needs to be told and written about . Human body is structured in a very smart way , and it does have protection against short - term stresses by regulating cortisol production . Our brains want to work for us not against us . But constant stress in human environment pushes our brain off - balance , and , with domino effect , our physical bodies , including skin , deteriorate . In summary , when I write about weather or climate change , or human values and lack of balance in life , I write about medicine and dermatology as well . I just do it by treating all human disease factors wholistically . It is all equally important and definitely discussed too rarely than it should be . I hope I am making some difference . Michael Bukhalo , MD Arlington Dermatology 5301 Keystone Court Rolling Meadows , IL 60008 Tel . 847 392 5440 | www.arlingtondermatology.net