Adrienne Santos Longhurst

Everyone needs and deserves a good night’s sleep. But do some people really need more than others?

While both men and women generally require similar amounts of sleep, emerging research suggests that women may experience sleep disruptions more frequently than men. This could be due to a combination of biological, hormonal, and social factors that influence their sleep patterns.

Understanding these differences is crucial for addressing sleep-related health issues and optimizing sleep hygiene for both sexes, ensuring that individuals of all genders receive the rest they need for overall...

Here because a doctor told you that you have fibroids? Did you sneak a peek at your ultrasound results online, see the word “fibroid” and panic? Maybe you Googled your symptoms and fibroids popped up as a possibility, along with cancer and all kinds of other scary conditions? Whatever the reason, we’re glad you’re here and have created this handy guide on fibroids to answer all your questions.
What Fibroids Are and What They Aren’t
Fibroids are a common type of benign tumor made of smooth mus...

Tuberous breasts are a condition that appears during puberty, when many of us are already navigating changes in our bodies and struggling with self-image. Although it isn't harmful to your physical health, it can affect your physical appearance and self-confidence.1
If you’re not comfortable with your appearance, tuberous breast correction surgery can be tailored to your goals to help you achieve balanced, natural-looking proportions and improve your confidence.2
What Are Tuberous Breasts?
Tu...

Fat from your food is digested by enzymes at various stages of the digestion process. Some of it is used for energy right away, and some of it is stored for later. When extra energy is needed, your body will break down the stored fat.

Even though fat has gotten a bad rap over the years, it’s actually essential to your health. Fat supports several of your body’s functions and gives your body the energy that it needs.

Fat also helps your body absorb important vitamins and gives your body essential fatty acids that control inflammation, improve brain health, and more...

Testosterone replacement therapy is a treatment to correct low testosterone levels (hypogonadism), restoring testosterone to improve symptoms like low sex drive, low mood, and reduced muscle mass. It works best alongside lifestyle changes that support the body’s own testosterone production.
How testosterone replacement therapy (TRT) works
Testosterone therapy helps restore your testosterone levels to improve your symptoms.
In the body, testosterone binds to receptors that signal your body’s m...

What is Osteoarthritis
It's the most common type of arthritis and it's estimated to affect over 600 million people (Dell'Isola, et al., 2025). It mostly affects people over 55, but despite often being thought of as an “old person problem”, osteoarthritis is not an inevitable part of getting older. (Wilfong, et al., 2024).
It happens when the smooth cartilage lining your joints wears down. Think of the cartilage as a cushion between the bones in your joint. When it wears away, the bones rub ag...

Smoking can create several negative effects on your health, such as an increased risk of developing serious diseases like cancer and heart disease. It can also lead to an earlier death.

While these risks are a good incentive to quit, quitting can be hard for some people because of withdrawal symptoms. These can include irritability, headaches, and intense nicotine cravings.

Even though quitting can be a challenge, the benefits on your physical and mental health are worth it...

If you’ve noticed changes in your skin’s appearance and texture like dullness, dryness or fine lines despite being diligent about moisturizing, you may benefit from Skinvive® by Juvéderm®.
This FDA-approved microdroplet injectable is part of the Juvéderm family, but instead of adding volume to fill in wrinkles and contour like dermal fillers, Skinvive works by hydrating your skin from within. The added moisture smooths skin and gives it a healthy glow.1
What Is Skinvive?
Skinvive is a hydrati...

Injectables such as fillers and neuromodulators have dominated the landscape of minimally invasive cosmetic procedures for more than 20 years. Most people are familiar with their effects on faces, like smoothing wrinkles and plumping lips, but did you know injectables have ventured below the belt, offering aesthetic and functional benefits when applied to male and female genitalia?
Fillers, Botox and injectable platelet-rich plasma (PRP) are being used to increase penile girth, address the ae...

Oral herpes (HSV-1) is usually transmitted by kissing, and genital herpes (HSV-2) is most often spread through vaginal, anal, or oral sex. Both HSV-1 and HSV-2 can cause genital herpes, but genital herpes is most commonly caused by HSV-2.

There’s no need to swear off kissing forever on account of herpes, though. Read on for everything you need to know about herpes from kissing and other contact.

The number of Americans over 65 is rising, and all Baby Boomers will be over 65 by 2030. Consequently, the number of Baby Boomers seeking plastic surgery and cosmetic treatments is also growing. In 2024, this age group made up 59 percent of all facelifts performed in the United States and 61 percent of people who had skin resurfacing treatments.
If you're a Baby Boomer – or Baby Boomer adjacent – you may wonder if you're too old for plastic surgery from a safety standpoint. Well, it turns out...

If you’re a man over 50, chances are you’ve noticed some of the more obvious signs of aging, like grey hair or wrinkles. But there can be some not-so-obvious changes due to age that can lead to sneaky health issues, even for men who lead a healthy lifestyle.
As the years pass, everyone’s cells and the systems that repair them wear down, which can make you more vulnerable to certain health conditions. “It’s like your body’s maintenance crew gets a little tired and understaffed,” says Dr. Angel...

There are few things more unnerving than finding a sore or any kind of rash or growth down there. While your brain may immediately think that a sore on the vulva = an STI⁠ or something worse—like cancer—know that there are several far more common (and far less scary) potential causes of vulvar sores.
Sit back and get comfortable. We’re gonna take you through the various causes, how the sores may look and feel with each cause, and how they’re treated.

Lipedema is a challenging and often misunderstood condition marked by disproportionate and painful fat buildup that can change your appearance and limit movement. Beyond the physical effects, it can deeply affect self-esteem and may lead to social isolation and depression. Unfortunately, it’s frequently mistaken for simple weight gain, which may cause a delay in diagnosis and treatment. Lipedema surgery can offer relief by removing the diseased fat — since it does not respond to diet and exercise the way regular fat does — easing symptoms and improving physical function and psychological well-

STIs and STDs aren’t the same thing. Really!
If you thought they were, you’re not the only one. The terms are often used interchangeably even though they’re different conditions.
So, what’s the diff and why does it matter? We’ll get to that and answer some of your other STI and STD questions here.
What’s the short answer?
STIs are sexually transmitted infections. STDs are sexually transmitted diseases.
An STI is only considered a disease when it causes symptoms. That’s it. That’s the one diff...