Mused after watching the first evening of Shark Week on the Discovery Channel! Pure fun to see man versus these killer beasts. Catch 30 minutes or three hours, doesn’t matter. Entertainment without commentary.
CHRISTMAS IN JULY (AND AUGUST)
From July 27 through August 7, all skin care products are reduced. Purchase one item and get 10% off. Purchase 2 or more and receive 20% off, plus a 15 ml size PTIOX or AGE Interrupter with a travel bag. They retail for $75 and $58, respectively. While supplies last.
TICKS, MOSQUITOES, ALPHA-GAL SYNDROME AND LYME DISEASE
Fun? Facts
Emergency room visits for tick bites are the highest since 2019.
Tick numbers are 60% higher in 2025 than in 2024, and 80% in Michigan.
Golfers with higher handicaps are at higher risk. (Leave the ball in the weeds, much like leaving an alligator alone when you hit the ball near it. I’ve done this.)
A mild winter is helpful for driving, but not so much for ticks. In Connecticut, nearly 38% of ticks are infected with Lyme disease. Mice and deer are the most common animals that help tick survival and spread. Lyme Disease and the West Nile Virus continue to expand geographically. Lyme Disease is the most common tick- or mosquito-borne disease in the U.S. and is found in blacklegged ticks. West Nile Virus spreads between mosquitoes and birds.
Ticks typically feed on humans 3-5 days before falling off. For Lyme Disease to be transmitted, it usually needs to be attached for 24- 48 hours. The importance of this is to check for ticks after walking in fields, woods, or other outdoor habitats.
When caught early enough, Lyme Disease usually resolves after two to four weeks of treatment with antibiotics. However, an estimated 10% of those infected will have persistent muscle and joint pain, fatigue, and cognitive difficulties for months or years. Experts are not sure why this occurs but speculate that it is the result of residual damage to tissues caused by the disease. Others feel that it is a post-infection complication of the immune system.
Alpha-Gal Syndrome is caused by lone-star ticks. While mostly found in New Jersey, 19 counties reported these ticks in Ohio in 2025. Unlike Lyme Disease, which is a tick-borne pathogen, Alpha-Gal Syndrome is an allergy triggered by the tick bites. The immune system senses a sugar molecule that is common in cows and pigs as a foreign threat. Thereby causing an allergic reaction the next time someone eats meat. Most bites don’t develop this, and those that do find that the symptoms lessen as time goes on.
(Did You Know? There are over 90,000 cases of Lyme Disease each year and 110,000 cases of Alpha-Gal Syndrome. Due to underreporting, the number of cases is estimated at about 450,000 of each.)
To remove a tick, try not to twist it. Use tweezers to remove all of it, including the mouth attachment. Clean the area with alcohol or soap and water. Obviously, where there’s one there may be others. Check closely. It’s also difficult to treat Lyme Disease, since the antibiotic (usually doxycycline) should be taken within 72 hours of transmission but symptoms may not occur until after that.
The CDC has suggestions on avoiding ticks and preventing Lyme Disease:
• Avoid tall grass.
• Use DEET (20% or more) on clothing.
• Wear long pants and long-sleeved shirts.
• Shower or bathe after spending time outside.
• Check pets.
• Dry clothes on high for 10 minutes.
• And, of course, do a tick check, including using a mirror.
-Sumathi Reddy, Josh Ulick, and Carl Churchill, WSJ
SKIN CARE SPECIAL:
CHRISTMAS IN JULY (AND AUGUST)
From July 27 through August 7, all skin care products are reduced!
• Purchase one item and get 10% off.
• Purchase 2 or more items and receive 20% off, plus a travel bag and either a 15 ml size PTIOX or an AGE Interrupter! (They retail for $75 and $58, respectively.)
• While supplies last, and only July 27th – August 7th.
LA DOLCE VITA, JOIE DE VIVRE:
Vinegar Coleslaw
Again, something easy to make with fresh vegetables. The recipe from Allrecipes, then my modifications for more depth.
1 head cabbage, finely shredded
1 onion, thinly sliced
1 cup white sugar
¾ cup vinegar
½ cup oil
2 tsp. celery salt
11/4 tsp. salt
1 tsp. prepared mustard
¼ tsp. black pepper
Toss cabbage and onion together. Put other ingredients in a saucepan and heat until the sugar is dissolved, then cool. Combine and refrigerate, allowing flavors to blend.
My modifications:
1 head red cabbage, finely shredded (instead of green cabbage)
1 stalk of fennel, finely sliced (I like the slight licorice flavor)
1 head of purple cauliflower, chopped
I add more vinegar and salt for more taste. (I’ll present the discussion on losing taste buds with age on a future email.)
MONTHLY PAYMENT PLANS:
Monthly Payment Plans for surgeries, skincare, and injectables through CareCredit and Patient Fi. Call us for details. Currently, there is no interest on 6-month plans.
TESTIMONIAL:
“Good experience…not fun…but felt cared for by the hand holding.” L.L.
Healthy Living,
Peter McKenna, M.D.
513.793.5772
mckennamd.com
McKenna Cosmetic Surgery Center | 513.793.5772 |10577 Montgomery Road | Cincinnati, OH 45242
Over 30 Years of Improving Lives
A Cincinnati Magazine “Top Doc” since 1998
Allergan Top 500 Physician
SkinCeuticals “Flagship” Practice, Only one in Ohio
City Beat Magazine Top Plastic Surgeon
(I do write all the emails and have done so since 2007. -PJM)
cinti insti plastic | 10577 montgomery rd | Cincinnati, OH 45242 US
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