Allison Vidimos, MD is a physician in the Cleveland Clinic’s Department of Dermatology as well as a Mohs surgeon.She was appointed dermatology chairwoman at Cleveland Clinic in 2005 and retired from that position in 2024. She has encouraged volunteer efforts for the members of her department and this has resulted in many free skin cancer and hair loss screenings in the Cleveland community since 1991.An adoring mother, she and her husband, a Cleveland Clinic staff neuroradiologist, have two…

Abby G. Abelson, MD, is interim chair of the Department of Rheumatology at Cleveland Clinic in Cleveland, Ohio. She is the rheumatology program director, chair of Workforce and Training at the American College of Rheumatology, and a course director of the Cleveland Clinic Lerner College of Medicine. Born in Cleveland, Dr. Abelson earned her degree from Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine and completed her internship and residency in Medicine at Mt. Sinai Hospital in Cleveland,…

Tommaso Falcone, M.D., FRCS(C), FACOG, is Professor of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Biology, at the Cleveland Clinic Lerner College of Medicine. He is presently Chief of Staff, Chief Academic Officer, Medical Director. Cleveland Clinic London. He is certified by the American Board of Obstetrics and Gynecology in general obstetrics and gynecology, as well as Reproductive Endocrinology. He is also certified by the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada and the Royal College…

Andrea Sikon, MD, FACP, is the Chair of the Department of Internal Medicine and started the Primary Care Women’s Health Program for the Medicine Institute at Cleveland Clinic where she also started the enterprise’s Staff Mentorship Program. She is a National Certified Menopause Practitioner and Certified Densitometrist, practicing in both Internal Medicine and the Center for Specialized Women’s Health with clinical interests in Women's Health, osteoporosis, menopause, diabetes and…

Struggling to Keep Fit Through Menopause Keeping off those extra pounds is an ongoing battle for many women. And it only gets more challenging as we enter menopause. It’s just the way we’re made. Female hormones tend to promote fat formation. That means our bodies store fat more easily than men’s bodies. As we get older, our metabolism slows, enabling even more weight gain. And as we lose muscle mass (beginning at age 40), body fat often takes its place. As we age, we need to do more to…

I’ve just been perscribed HRT therapy: estradiol (vivelle-dot) 0.1mg and progesterone micronized 200 mg. But I have not started it, yet.

I also take 50,000 vitamin D weekly, which I started about 6 months ago.

What health risks are associated with the HRT outlined above? Will I gain weight from this HRT? Will my body composition change as a result of the HRT? How will my hair and skin change?

Osteoporosis Description An estimated 10 million Americans have osteoporosis. Another 34 million have low bone mass. If left untreated, osteoporosis can be both debilitating and painful. Fortunately, there are steps you can take to prevent osteoporosis from ever occurring. Or, if you already have the disease, early detection and proper medical care can help you slow or even reverse its progress and prevent fractures. Osteoporosis is a disease that weakens bones, making them more susceptible…

Those dinosaur skeletons at the museum may have given you the wrong impression. Bones inside your body are more than just scaffolding. They’re not hollow. And they’re certainly not lifeless. Your bones are alive! They are living tissues that are constantly changing. On the outside, they have a “shell” of dense bone. But on the inside, they’re like a sponge. In addition to supporting your body and protecting vital organs, bones store calcium and other minerals. When your body needs calcium, it…

My hair is falling out of my head. I have had bloodwork done, but no doctor seems concerned. I am in the beginning stages of menopause and have read that hair loss is normal.

What type of doctor should I see for potential hormone treatment? I really don’t want to wait until I am bald to get help!

Holly L. Thacker, MD is nationally known for her leadership in women’s health. She is the founder of the Cleveland Clinic Women’s Health Fellowship and is currently the Professor and Director of the Center for Specialized Women’s Health at Cleveland Clinic and Lerner College of Medicine at Case Western Reserve University. Her special interests are menopause and related medical problems including osteoporosis, hormone therapy, breast cancer risk assessment, menstrual disorders, female sexual…

Read Dr. Holly L. Thacker's column about female orgasm, female sexual dysfunction and on-label and off-label treatments.

Read Dr. Kristi Tough’s educational and uplifting column about feeding your baby.

I noticed a rash on my temple about a week ago and my eye was hurting pretty bad. I didn’t think much about it, but a few days later it wasn’t getting any better and the pain was still there so I went to my doctor who diagnosed me with shingles.

My doctor put me on a antiviral medication and said she hoped it wouldn’t spread, but it did spread to my forehead and in my hair. It’s very painful especially, the headaches. I saw my physician after one week, and she couldn’t believe the shingles spread so much. She put me on three more days of antiviral medications. She was very encouraging to me and said that I had done really well under the circumstances. I still feel awful and the sores are still there, so my questions are: (I forgot to ask my doctor this) how long will these sores stay on my face, will I have scaring and when will I feel like my old self again? I feel weak and the headaches come and go, even though I’m taking naproxen. Thank you.

Read guest columnist Dr. Michael Krychman's, noted OB-GYN physician and sex therapist, exciting column on female sexual function, low libido and sexual therapy controversies.

Read Dr. Holly L. Thacker’s blog about female orgasm, female sexual dysfunction and on-label and off-label treatments.

Read Dr. Holly L. Thacker’s blog post about the exaggerated, political controversies regarding menopausal hormone therapy in this post-Women’s Health Initiative era.

September is Women in Medicine Month. The Cleveland Clinic's Women's Professional Staff Association featured our very own Executive Director Dr. Holly L. Thacker in their 'Get to know women leaders' enewsletter issue.

My 75-year-old mother sweats a lot, especially under her hair (her forehead is always dripping). She is post-menopausal.

I used to sweat profusely from under my hair; I had to wear a bandana everyday to keep the sweat out of my eyes. My dermatologist prescribed oxybutnin for me and it has been a God-send. Who should my mother see? Is this hormonal or some other issue?

July 2013 -- North American Menopause Society's First to Know e-newsletter showcased our Executive Director Dr. Holly L. Thacker's review of hyaluronic acid vaginal gel and it's effectiveness for vaginal dryness in women.

After working in my garden for a few hours, I am experiencing pain in my lower back. I do not take any prescribed drugs, but should I ask my doctor for a muscle relaxer?

I do lie down and put my feet flat on the floor, which helps ease the pain. After several days of rest, I start to feel better, but I do need to work in my garden again.