Mold growth can not only lead to structural damage to your home (like sagging floors), but it can also adversely affect your health. You can be exposed to mold by touching moldy materials, eating moldy foods, and breathing in microscopic mold spores in the air. You can inhale over a half million spores per minute without even knowing it. Mold allergy symptoms may include skin rash, runny nose, irritated eyes, cough, congestion, and aggravation of asthma.

No one knows the answer to this question for several reasons. Individuals are very different with respect to the amount of mold exposure they can tolerate. Children under the age of one year may be more susceptible to the effects of some molds than older individuals. Measuring or estimating “exposure” levels is very difficult.

Talc is toxic. Talc particles cause tumors in human ovaries and lungs. Numerous studies have shown a strong link between frequent use of talc in the female genital area and ovarian cancer. Talc particles are able to move through the reproductive system and become imbedded in the lining of the ovary. Researchers have found talc particles in ovarian tumors and have found that women with ovarian cancer have used talcum powder in their genital area more frequently than healthy women.

Stay indoors when the pollen count is high and on windy days when dust and pollen are easily scattered. Keep indoor plants to a minimum and never overwater if allergic to mold. Wet soil encourages mold growth.

Mold and its spores are allergens, meaning that in some people their bodies produce an extreme response in an attempt to rid the body of mold. Molds also produce toxins in their battle against bacteria. Penicillin, for example, is a concentrated form of the bacteria-killing toxin produced by the penicillium mold. These toxins also can act as poisons in humans. Certain molds can even cause infection, in the same way bacteria does.

Although some “experts” claim that individuals have brain damage or have died because of exposure to mold and especially mold toxins, there is no good science at this time to support these claims. Consequently it is prudent to minimize one’s exposure to really moldy environments. By “really moldy” we mean where there are large visible areas of mold (more than a few square feet) or the building has a “musty” odor because of hidden mold growth.

Sensitive individuals should avoid areas that are likely to have mold, such as compost piles, cut grass, and wooded areas. Inside homes, mold growth can be slowed by keeping humidity levels between 40% and 60%, and ventilating showers and cooking areas. If there is mold growth in your home, you should clean up the mold and fix the water problem.

For those who are affected by mold exposure, there can be a wide variation in how they react. People who may be affected more severely and quickly than others include: persons with weakened immune systems (for example, people with HIV infection, chemotherapy patients, or organ or bone marrow transplant recipients, autoimmune diseases.) Those with special health concerns should consult their doctor if they are concerned about mold exposure.

Do everything you can to try to decrease your child’s exposure to indoor mold. Young children and pregnant women should avoid exposure to mold. You can clean smooth, hard surface materials such as metal and plastics with soap and water and dry thoroughly.

During the cleanup of molds, many spores may be released into the air. Mold counts in air are typically 10 to 1, 000 times higher than background levels during the cleaning and removal of mold-damaged materials. To prevent health effects, there are several ways you can protect yourself while cleaning up the mold. Turn on an exhaust fan or place a fan in a window to blow air out of the affected room to the outside (make sure the air is being blown outside the home, not into another room).

There are many symptoms of mold exposure. As a rule, the extent of symptoms depends on the sensitivity of the exposed person and the amount of time exposed. Allergic reactions are the most common and typically include: chronic clogged throat; wheezing and difficulty breathing; nasal and sinus congestion; burning, watery, reddened eyes or blurry vision; sore throat; dry cough; nose and throat irritation; shortness of breath; nausea; and skin irritation.

Molds produce health effects through inflammation, allergy, or infection. Allergic reactions (often referred to as hay fever) are most common following mold exposure. Headaches, memory problems, mood swings, nosebleeds, body aches and pains, and fevers are occasionally reported in mold cases, but their cause is not understood.

There are hundreds of thousands of types of molds. All are fungi, which means they are many-celled organisms that reproduce by sending tiny seeds called spores into the air. Molds need four things to grow: food, air, the right temperature and water. Although fungi grow naturally "outdoors", molds are very common in buildings and homes and will grow anywhere indoors where there is sufficient moisture.

No it is not. The amount of radiation used in today's mammography is a fraction of the amount used 20 years ago. Machines are carefully monitored and the amount of radiation is minimal, delivering less than 0.05 rads, compared to 5.0 rads per exposure in the 1960's. In other words, the typical amount of radiation delivered with a mammogram currently is equivalent to a four hour flight in a jet or the amount of radiation received during two hours of tanning in the sun.

The majority of a lifetime’s sun exposure occurs under the age of 18, so babies, children, and adolescents need to protect their skin from sun exposure. According to the Skin Cancer Foundation, regular sun protection throughout childhood can cut the rate of skin cancer by 80%. Teens may be especially at risk for developing skin cancer, because their cells are dividing and changing rapidly. Yet less than half of teenagers use sunscreens.

Molds produce allergens, which can cause reactions in people who are allergic to mold such as sneezing, runny nose, red eyes, and skin rash. For people who also have asthma, molds can also cause asthma attacks. Some molds produce mycotoxins. These are poisonous substances that can cause health effects in humans.

Without special safety precautions, the laser can be dangerous. However, we ensure patient as well as health care worker safety by: 1. providing safety glasses for everyone in the room; 2. using the lowest effective settings possible; and 3. only allowing the doctor to perform the procedure as per the State Board of Medical Examiners. At the very low energy settings we use to treat spider veins, the danger is minimal. Treatment for vein problems have advanced dramatically over the past 5 years.