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Fast Fact
One of the great wonders of the human body is the ability of damaged cells to be repaired or replaced. Red blood cells, for instance, live for about 120 days. Each day, about 1% of your red blood cells retire to be replaced by a fresh generation. The lens of the eye is a notable exception. The cells of the lens of the eye are never replaced; the proteins of the lens are never replenished. The lens cannot repair itself; damage accumulates over a lifetime.
Cataracts are the result of gradually accumulating damage to the proteins of the lens. The most important source of this damage is exposure to ultraviolet (UV) radiation, especially while one is young.
Behind the lens lies the retina, the thin lining of the back of the eye. The retina is the eye's miracle. This patch of tissue, about the size and thickness of a postage stamp, is able to dissolve and create a new image every tenth of a second.
Today in the United States, retinal diseases are the leading cause of blindness. Macular degeneration, the accumulation of damage in the retina, is the leading cause of blindness from retinal disease. Slowly, over the years, the macula is irreversibly damaged by exposure to UV radiation. About one third of adults over age 65 experience this steady decline of central vision, not correctable by glasses.
Excessive exposure to sunlight during early childhood is harmful to the eyes. Sunlight contains harmful UV radiation.
The risk for retinal damage from the sun's rays is greatest in children less than 10 years old, although the consequences usually do not become apparent until well after they are adults.
All children should be taught to wear sunglasses, especially between 10 AM and 2 PM, when ultraviolet exposure is the most dangerous. This is true even for children with darker eye colors, even though their darker pigments afford partial protection. Of course, children with light-colored eyes need sunglasses all the more.
Ultraviolet exposure is at its peak when children are at high altitudes, snow-covered landscapes, bright sandy beaches, or near reflective bodies of water.
All sunglasses are not the same. Effective sunglasses should block both UVA and UVB radiation. The sunglasses must be measured to block 99% to 100% of UVA or UV400 (400 nm is the wavelength of UVA radiation). Thankfully, all sunglasses block UVB radiation.
Large lenses that fit close to the eyes are best. Those that block visible blue light are even safer.
Expensive brand names and polarizing lenses are no guarantee.
Ordinary sunglasses make the situation WORSE! The dark lenses cause the pupils to dilate, allowing more of the dangerous UVA radiation to damage the lens and the retina.
With a name like “pustular melanosis,” this interesting quirk of baby skin sounds nasty. Instead it is clean, cute, and as temporary as those oh-so-short first days with your baby.
What is pustular melanosis?
A birthmark that makes a grand entrance! Transient neonatal pustular melanosis is a common, benign skin condition seen in newborn babies.
Who gets pustular melanosis?
Any newborn can get it. The blisters are usually already present at birth. Interestingly, it is more common in children with darker skin pigmentation.
What are the symptoms of pustular melanosis?
Small blisters peel open, revealing a small “freckle” inside. When the blister roof is gone, a small white collar of skin may surround this dark spot for a while. Some babies have only the spots (the blister event happened before birth).
These flat, dark spots are most common under the chin, at the back of the neck, on the forehead, the lower back, or the shins – but they can occur in other locations as well.
Is pustular melanosis contagious?
No
How long does pustular melanosis last?
The blisters peel open within the first 48 hours of life. The “freckles” fade within 3 weeks to 3 months.
How is pustular melanosis diagnosed?
Pustular melanosis is suspected by the location, timing, character, and appearance. When blisters are seen in newborns, care should be taken to be sure they are not blisters from an infection, such as herpes or Staph.
You may not see an immediate improvement, but if you are going to successfully treat eczema, it is important to break the cycle! Click here to find out how.
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