It’s late summer, and Health Matters has stayed up late at night contemplating chiggers. OK, we stayed up all night scratching, but still the questions came up. If a cancer-sniffing dog said you had cancer, would you believe it? Should you finish your antibiotics if you already feel better? Why do people with Parkinson’s disease have a higher risk of melanoma? When should we prepare our dermatologists to diagnose disease in dark-skinned people? And will there be chiggers in purgatory?
Tip: After exposure to chiggers (tall grass, warm damp soil in late summer), the rash can be minimized by taking a hot soapy bath or shower as soon as possible, and washing clothes with hot water.