Q: How can I continue washing my hands this often, but also stop my skin from drying out?
A: Every time you wash your hands and they’re wet, you’re adding moisture to your skin. But when you wash and dry the skin over and over again, you eventually leach out all of its natural lipids (i.e. oils) and it can become dry and brittle. The key is to restore some of those lost lipids by applying emollient lotions and creams (i.e. moisturizers) that act as barriers to protect your skin.
Vancouver Coastal Health Research Institute scientist Dr. Ben Mortenson chuckles when he says that human beings are not great at doing two things at once or switching from one task to another. He and colleague Lisa Kristalovich at the GF Strong Rehabilitation Centre have worked together for five years on a number of research projects looking at the dual-task of driving, particularly among individuals with neurological impairments.
Approximately 15-20 per cent of Canadians live with some form of atopic dermatitis (AD), also known as eczema. In a bid to find a better treatment to prevent eczema’s debilitating effects, findings by Vancouver Coastal Health Research Institute (VCHRI) researchers—recently published in the Journal of Investigative Dermatology—have identified a key enzyme that contributes to the condition.
Since the beginning of the COVID-19 outbreak, one of the most talked about health recommendations to prevent the spread of the virus has been physical distancing, which means to stay at least two metres apart from others. As we adjust to this new normal, Dr. Emma Morton shares why we may be feeling strange about keeping our distance, along with strategies to help us cope.
A non-invasive device designed to improve outcomes for patients on mechanical ventilators was recently authorized by the FDA for emergency use during the COVID-19 pandemic. The Lungpacer Diaphragm Pacing Therapy System (DPTS) was developed to assist with retaining and regaining diaphragm function that, once lost, can make it challenging for patients to be taken off a ventilator.
The Vancouver Coastal Health Research Institute, along with the VGH & UBC Hospital Foundation, is providing funding for innovative research projects aimed at addressing the evolving health care needs and challenges related to the COVID-19 pandemic. This funding will help accelerate research efforts to proactively respond to the virus in BC through prevention, detection, treatment and management.
Vancouver Coastal Health Research Institute scientist and neurosurgeon Dr. Christopher Honey had treated hundreds of Parkinson’s patients’ tremors using deep brain stimulation (DBS) when he and his team became curious about whether DBS could be used to treat a different condition also characterised by involuntary muscle movements—spasmodic dysphonia (SD). Affecting the muscles of the larynx, SD causes individuals to have a choppy, hoarse or strained-sounding voice.
Countless people move through hospitals, touching and spreading microorganisms to multiple surfaces each day. Copper’s natural antimicrobial properties can help combat the spread of diseases such as COVID-19 and Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), and new research identifies which combination of copper alloys and cleaning practices pack the best microbe-destroying punch.
Each year, mood and neurological disorders leave their mark on Canadians in the realm of $61 billion in direct and indirect economic costs, along with innumerable impacts on families, jobs, life satisfaction and longevity. To help summit the steep challenge of brain-related disorders, Dr. Lynn Raymond, the new director of the Djavad Mowafaghian Centre for Brain Health (DMCBH), is focused on collaboration.
Vancouver, BC – Radiologists at Vancouver General Hospital (VGH), The University of British Columbia (UBC) and Vancouver Coastal Health Research Institute are leading an international study to better predict the presence of COVID-19 based on CT scans.
