Dear Lucy: If my partner has herpes but no outbreaks, and the condom breaks unknowingly, but we take a shower after we finish, will it still be contagious? —Worried
Dear Lucy: When I was a kid and didn’t want to wear a hat, my mother would tell me that 90 percent of body heat is lost through the top of the head. Is that true? How much does wearing a hat in cold weather contribute to overall body warmth? Is it time to bring back those pointy, flannel nightcaps people wear in TV holiday specials about the olden days? —Hot Head
Dear Lucy: How will I know when I’m in perimenopause? Will I still ovulate even if I am not menstruating? What’s a good resource for information about symptoms or changes to look out for regarding this time period? —I’m Peri Curious
Dear Lucy: I’m old (over 45). Should I get revaccinated with the MMR vaccine? Will MIT Medical give it to me, or do I have to wait until I’m 50 for the shingles vaccine? —Aging Gen-Xer
Dear Lucy: My wrists are in constant low-level pain, starting last week. I’m afraid I’m developing carpal tunnel or some other RSI. This is a busy time of the semester, so I can’t just spend less time on the computer. What do I do? —Hurting
Dear Lucy: I am a woman in her twenties with fair skin and a tendency to bruise very easily. More often than not, I don’t even remember feeling any of the incidents that causes the bruises, and there are many! Could this be an indication that I am iron- or some other vitamin/mineral-deficient? —Black & Blue
Dear Lucy: Is it safe to use Vicks VapoRub daily for many months to try and cure a toenail fungus? I’ve seen lots of lay literature talking about this as a home remedy for toenail fungus; however, I could only find one scientific article. This article didn’t mention doing bloodwork or otherwise confirming the safety of the product when used in this off-label fashion, and it also was not a blinded, controlled study.
And how about the safety of other home remedies, such as soaking feet in vinegar or Listerine daily or twice daily for 10–30 minutes? —Vic
