Actinic keratoses (AKs) are lesions on the skin caused by exposure to UV rays. These precancerous lesions have the potential to become squamous cell carcinoma. AKs can be caused by unprotected sun exposure or from using a tanning bed and are commonly found in patients over 65. They occur most frequently on the face and the back of the hands but can be found on any area of the skin.…

A recent study concluded that budesonide in saline nasal rinse results in improvement of chronic rhinosinusitis symptoms. The study was published in the Journal of the American Medical Association Otolaryngology-Head & Neck Surgery and was conducted by researchers at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, Missouri. The researchers wanted to learn what the effect would be of adding budesonide to a large-volume, low-pressure saline sinus irrigation for patients…

There are numerous thyroid medications on the market with a variety of brand names. Sometimes it can be difficult to tell what the differences are between them. There are some excellent articles on thyroid medication written by healthcare professionals and patients including one on the website Stop the Thyroid Madness, which outlines different brands and their ingredients. The synthetic version of thyroid hormone has been prescribed consistently since the 1970s…

Recently there have been shortages of multiple types of thyroid medication. Nature Throid, which is a popular natural desiccated thyroid medication, is available again after a brief shortage. WP Thyroid, another brand of desiccated thyroid from RLC Labs, is still on backorder. Update 11/9/20 - RLC Labs has issued a voluntary recall of all lots of Nature Throid and WP Thyroid. Until production starts again, we are able to compound…

Drs. Jonathan Liang and Andrew Lane state in their article on topical drug delivery for chronic rhinosinusitis: “While the introduction of endoscopic sinus surgery revolutionized surgical management and has led to significantly improved patient outcomes, medical therapy remains the foundation of long-term care of chronic rhinosinusitis, particularly in surgically recalcitrant cases. … The goal of topical therapy is to address the inflammation, infection, and mucociliary dysfunction that underlies the disease.”…

Medication Excipients Most modern drugs that are manufactured and many that are made by compounding pharmacies include other ingredients that enhance or protect the medication. These excipients are non-active ingredients that act as enhancers, stabilizers, or fillers to help make the medication more effective. They sometimes are used to keep medication stable through shipping, storage, and handling. In most cases inactive ingredients are harmless and do not produce any reaction,…

Women’s health is one of the most frequently overlooked areas in medications that are developed for manufacturing. Many problems that are unique to women do not have FDA-approved medications available to treat them. A compounding pharmacy has the ability to customize medications to meet the unique needs of women. There are numerous medications made by a compounding pharmacy that are not made in any commercially available form. Hormone Replacement Therapy…

A mail order compounding pharmacy can often provide medications to patients in areas that do not have access to compounding services. Mail order pharmacies have become a great benefit to patients who would otherwise not be able to get the medications they need. Our Los Angeles compounding pharmacy ships to most states with expedited shipping available in some areas. There are many regions in the United States that have limited…

The debate between the benefits of natural vs. synthetic treatments sometimes plays out without considering scientific evidence. For most patients, a treatment that is natural or that involves a change in diet is more desirable than taking a synthetic medication. However, medications that are synthesized in labs provide help to millions of people every day. To the healthcare providers that prescribe these medications, the benefits outweigh the risks. Cholestyramine is…

Integrative medicine developed as a way for physicians to combine different medical philosophies into one comprehensive medical practice. While there is debate as to what constitutes “alternative” or “conventional” medicine, integrative medicine generally seeks to combine accepted treatments with those that are not as well-studied. Integrative medicine’s goal is to provide medical treatments that consider the whole person. What is Integrative Medicine? Integrative medicine aims to combine medical practices from…