Paralyzed actor spearheads effort for resource center

Christopher Reeve, above left, has opened the Christopher and Dana Reeve Paralysis Resource Center in Short Hills, N.J.

Last week, Reeve, accompanied by his wife, Dana, right, and N.J. Gov. James E. McGreevey, center, announced the opening of the resource center, which will offer information for people with paralysis and their caregivers.

Reeve injured his spinal cord after falling from a horse in 1995.

Immunization panel urges flu shots for babies

Babies could start getting flu shots next season if doctors and parents follow new advice from a federal immunization panel.

Because infants are at high risk for serious sickness and hospitalization from influenza, the panel is encouraging flu shots for children between the ages of 6 months and 23 months.

Until now, the shots were recommended only for those over 6 months who had chronic illnesses such as asthma and diabetes, which put them at greater risk.

The Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices, which sets vaccination guidelines for the country, stopped short of making a full-blown “recommendation” that all young children get flu shots a designation that would better guarantee that doctors give the shots and insurance companies pay for them.

The committee plans to move toward a stronger recommendation over the next few years.

‘Bacne’ needn’t make you keep skin under wraps

The good news: It’s finally warm enough to wear your new strapless dress.

The bad news: Your back has more pimples than a 14-year-old boy.

Yes, you have bacne.

It’s a fairly common problem among both men and women, regardless of age. Even people with flawless faces aren’t immune, says Dr. Dina Grice, a dermatologist with The Dermatology Group in Columbia.

Hormones do play a part, but bacne more often results from the friction between your clothes and your back. The friction irritates the skin, resulting in those often-painful red bumps. Usually people with bacne get zits on their chests and shoulders too, Grice said.

Here are a few tips to prevent bacne from ruining your summer style:

Don’t sit around in sweaty clothes. Shower after working out;

If you carry a backpack, alternate shoulders to distribute the friction evenly;

Get treatment before bacne becomes a big problem;

Don’t irritate it by picking at it;

If you’re using a topical cream such as Retin-A, try to stay out of the sun. Many people think sunlight dries out acne, but it can increase oil production and leave you with more spots than before.