Abstract
This paper relates that cortisone and its related sterols are used to treat various types of inflammatory reactions from extremely severe diseases to mild skin conditions. The author points out that Doctor Philip Showalter Hench discovered the drug, cortisone, for which he received a Nobel Prize of medicine in 1950. The paper stresses that, while cortisone shots deliver relief and return movement in most patients, those people who suffer from chronic disorders will only find temporary relief with the use of cortisone and will usually not experience a cure.

From the Paper
"Cortisone, which is often combined with lidocaine, a short-acting pain reliever, sometimes clumps into crystals and worsens pain rather than relieves it. Repeated shots can eventually damage skin and other tissues. Small amounts of cortisone injected into a joint can get into the rest of the body and have hormone-like effects that make diabetes harder to control. There is also the slight risk of the shots leading to an infection of the joint and while this will only occur to 6 people within 100,000 it is a very real concern. The account about the reaction of the medical profession would be incomplete without reference to speculations about how cortisone acts on the inflamed joints. As expected, all tried to integrate their explanation with some preconceived idea about the pathomechanism of the disease. Some saw it as a manifestation of the general adaptation syndrome."

Tags:endocrine, eye, rheumatoid, discontinued, skin

Abstract
This paper explains that, although the skin as an organ can experience a very wide range of disorders, it is not generally known that stress also affects the skin's ability to remain healthy. The author describes anatomy of the skin as a human organ. The paper relates that some of the ways in which stress affects the skin includes the redirection of blood by adrenaline, which causes the skin to become pale and lackluster, the prevention of blood flow, which cuts down on oxygen and vital skin nutrients and an increase in cortisone secretion, which suppresses the body's natural immunity. The paper relates that, although many dermatologists are still debating whether stress actually causes skin disorders, they do agree that stress definitely triggers or aggravates skin conditions like acne, hives, eczema, psoriasis, rosacea and herpes simplex.

From the Paper
'Somatic factors include the use of certain legal and illegal drugs, obesity, malnutrition, metabolic disturbances, circulatory disturbances, immunologic deficits or abrupt changes in the turgor (i.e., the resiliency) of the skin. Some of the defining characteristics of impaired skin integrity include "a disruption of the surface of the skin," such as with cuts and scrapes, "the destruction of cell layers and the invasion of structures of the body through the skin, such as with stabbing and cutting."

Tags:organ cutaneous, herpes simplex, temperatures resiliency

Abstract
Alopecia areata is a systemic hair loss disorder, which affects roughly around 4.7 million people in the United States alone. The paper explains that it is characterized as an autoimmune disease that leads to either localized or complete hair loss. The effects of the disease may either be permanent or reversible depending on the nature and extent of damage to the hair follicles. It is believed that both genetic as well as environmental factors have an influence in the onset of the condition. This paper provides a brief overview of the different types of alopecia and discusses in detail the possible pathophysiology and the treatment options for the disease.

Introduction
Alopecia (Different Types)
Hair Follicles (Complex Morphognesis)
Androgenic Alopecia
Molecular Pathology of AGA
Immunology of Alopecia Areata
Microcirculation in Scalp Tissues
Treatment for Alopecia (Cortisones and Anti Inflammatory and Immunotherapy Drugs)
Cosmetic Surgery
Conclusion

From the Paper
"Alopecia is a disease triggered by the immune response of the body, which attacks and alters the normal development cycle of the hair follicles. Normally each hair follicle is in any one of the following three stages of life cycle namely anagen (growth phase), catagen (regression phase) and telogen (resting phase). Alopecia areata refers to the significant hair loss observed due to the immune response against the hair follicles in the anagen stage, resulting in severe reduction or complete stoppage of the hair growth phase. When the hair loss is observed throughout the body it is called as alopecia universalis. When complete hair loss is confined to the head, the condition is referred to as Alopecia totalis while hair loss that is localized and observed as patchy bald regions is known as Alopecia areata. [Ralph Paus]"

Tags:baldness, pathology

Abstract
This paper looks at the illegal use of steroids by athletes, describing the effects they have and giving examples of many cases of abuse that have been discovered.

From the Paper
"In these times where the much awaited Olympic Games is in the air, much attention is being given on the illegal use of steroids by athletes. Many athletes have used androgenic hormones to help them achieve strength, power, speed, or endurance. Testosterone propionate (Testoviron), a prototype of the anabolic steroids, was synthesized in 1936 and has been used by athletes sometime after the 1948 Olympic Games (Noakes 847). Bodybuilders are best known to take anabolic-androgenic steroids to gain muscle mass. Nowadays, the use of steroids has not been limited to bodybuilders; athletes, such as young tennis players, cyclists, and triathletes have tested positive for this drug. Cortisone is a potent but legal performance-enhancing drug that reduces discomfort of heavy daily training and competition, and lift's one's mood. It has also been abused by many cyclists. The use of human growth hormone has recently increased popularity not only among athletes but also among vocal entertainers (ScienceDaily par. 1). The aggressive marketing of the human growth hormone involves a 2 billion-dollar industry that aims to entice the public for its anti-aging and athletic enhancing properties."

Tags:cortisone, muscles, tissues