3 steps to demystify TSS—and the 1 symptom you should look for
Toxic shock syndrome is less scary than it sounds—it affects fewer than 1 in 100,000 people in the US each year and has clear symptoms to look out for.
3 steps to demystify TSS—and the 1 symptom you should look for
Toxic shock syndrome is less scary than it sounds—it affects fewer than 1 in 100,000 people in the US each year and has clear symptoms to look out for.
One of the unwelcome side effects of living in the information age is that it’s easy to know a little about a lot of scary things, especially items concerning your health. A quick WebMD search can generally stoke your anxieties around these tidbits of medical knowledge, causing you to spiral into a paranoid black hole about the fact that you’re, like, totally dying due to any number of buzzy ailments.
Toxic shock syndrome (TSS) is one such condition that may lurk in the back of your mind like a monster under your bed, quietly terrifying you though you’ve never actually encountered it. However, according to The Cut, what you should learn about TSS is likely to diminish its hold on you and your overactive imagination.
Check out 3 steps to demystify toxic shock syndrome once and for all.
1. Understand what TSS actually is
It’s not necessarily a condition caused by forgotten tampons. Instead, TSS is a complication resulting from a specific strain of staph bacteria that can lead to infection when it moves into new body parts, multiplies, and releases a toxin, The Cut reports. Though the blood accumulated on your tampon can act as an accomplice to this process, about 50 percent of TSS cases aren’t related to periods. Other triggers for TSS, for example, include post-surgery healing and breastfeeding.
2. Know which symptoms to look for
Be able to differentiate between worth-the-worry abnormalities and normal illness. Symptoms of TSS include vomiting, fever, diarrhea, and muscle weakness, accompanied by a rash on the palms of the hands or on the soles of the feet.
“If you’re using a tampon and feeling very ill and you notice a rash, you need to be seen in an ER or by a clinician immediately.” — Dr. Gillian Dean, senior director of medical services at Planned Parenthood Federation of America
Gillian Dean, MD, senior director of medical services at Planned Parenthood Federation of America, tells The Cut the rash is critical. “If you’ve got a tampon in and you’re vomiting, there’s no reason to think that’s TSS,” she says. “But if you’re using a tampon and feeling very ill and you notice that rash, you need to be seen in an ER or by a clinician immediately.”
3. Take some solace in your odds
TSS is incredibly rare, with fewer than 1 in 100,000 people in the US affected. And, says The Cut, if you use your tampons properly, you’re no more likely to get TSS than a man is. Play it safe by choosing tampons that are low-absorbency—skip the supers whenever possible—and change them out frequently. “On lighter days, I recommend using a pad at night instead of a tampon, so you’re not constantly inserting one after another for your entire period,” Dr. Dean says.
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And should you actually contract TSS, know that it’s now easily diagnosed and, undoubtedly a serious condition, it’s most often completely curable. “The most common outcome is full recovery,” Dr. Dean tells The Cut. Now that is empowering (and anxiety-busting) information. Tough break, Dr. Google.
Searches for “can men get breast cancer?” skyrocketed during Sunday’s Super Bowl LIX after Novartis, a pharmaceutical company, ran an ad focused on encouraging women to get screened for breast cancer. Called “Your Attention Please,” the commercial showed multiple close-ups of cleavage and women going about their daily lives before featuring a message from cancer survivor and comedian Wanda Sykes.
chair for cancer research and a professor of medicine in the Department of Breast Medical Oncology at the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center
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“Early detection for breast cancer is a game-changer, and why I’m able to be here today,” Sykes says in the ad. “So let’s get more women screened than ever before.” While the commercial didn’t mention men, male breast cancer is a real thing—even though it often flies under the radar. Oncologists (or, doctors who specialize in treating cancer) say it’s crucial for everyone, regardless of gender, to be aware that breast cancer can happen to them, too. Here’s what healthcare providers who treat male breast cancer cases want you to know.
How common is male breast cancer—and why does it happen?
Male breast cancer is rare, making up about 1 percent of all breast cancer cases in the U.S., according to the National Breast Cancer Foundation. Still, it happens often enough. “I probably see a male breast cancer patient every month to every other month,” says Richard J. Bleicher, MD, chief of the Division of Breast Surgery at Fox Chase Cancer Center. “Most surgeons may see one male breast cancer patient a year.”
It's worth noting that people assigned female at birth are more likely to experience breast cancer due to higher levels of estrogen and progesterone (the two most common female hormones). These hormones can promote cell growth in the breast cells, including the growth of harmful cells like cancer. While people assigned male at birth don't have the same risk of breast cancer due to their hormone levels, there are other factors that can increase the risk of male breast cancer, per the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC):
Aging
Inherited genetic mutations that can increase breast cancer risk, like BRCA1 and BRCA2
Family history of breast cancer
Personal history of undergoing radiation therapy to the chest
Taking medications that contain estrogen
Living with health conditions that affect the testicles
Having a diagnosis for Klinefelter syndrome (a rare genetic condition), liver disease, or obesity
“Men should look for any changes to the nipple,” Dr. Grumley says. “In men, breast cancer tumors commonly happen around the nipple because that’s where their breast tissue is predominantly located.” She lists scaling and retraction of the nipple (where it looks like the nipple is being pulled inward) as the most important symptoms to get checked out.
“Sometimes men will find a lump or swelling in the breast or under the arm, which can be a sign of breast cancer,” says Sharon Giordano, MD, MPH, chair for cancer research and a professor of medicine in the Department of Breast Medical Oncology at the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center. A man with breast cancer may also notice bleeding from the nipple, she adds.
“Men should know what their breasts feel like,” Dr. Grumley adds. “If there is any difference from [their] normal, they should contact their healthcare provider.”
“Men usually end up finding a mass,” Dr. Bleicher says. This will usually feel “rock-like” and firm, he explains. “It can also be fixed to the skin of the nipple,” he adds. Healthcare providers may notice a mass during an annual physical exam, but it’s more common for men to detect a lump on their own bodies first, Dr. Giordano says.
If you or a man in your life are experiencing changes in your breast health, seeing a healthcare provider is paramount. They will first conduct a physical exam and then can order imaging scans to look for a tumor. “Oftentimes, they’ll get an ultrasound, but some men have enough tissue to get a mammogram,” Dr. Grumley says. A needle biopsy (a procedure that removes a small amount of tissue or fluid from the breast) will be the next step, Dr. Bleicher adds. The biopsy sample will then be sent to a lab to be analyzed to see if the lump is, in fact, cancer.
What's the prognosis, doc?
Due to the lack of screening guidelines in place for male breast cancer, men usually receive a breast cancer diagnosis at later stages than women do, Dr. Bleicher explains. “The challenge is that many men aren’t as aware as women of the fact that they can get breast cancer,” he says. As a result, a man may be more dismissive of his symptoms early on and wait to seek an evaluation, Dr. Bleicher adds.
But if you receive a diagnosis for male breast cancer, the prognosis and treatment options are the same, regardless of gender. Every person's cancer journey is unique. While the most common treatment options for breast cancer are surgery to remove the tumor or the breast(s) completely, chemotherapy, and radiation, your treatment plan will depend on the stage of cancer you're in, Dr. Grumley explains.
The bottom line
It's often easy to dismiss breast cancer if you identify as male—and a big part of that is because there's not enough awareness in place that anyone, regardless of gender, can be at risk of the condition. While male breast cancer cases only make up a tiny sliver of all breast cancer diagnoses, knowing the symptoms and checking in with your healthcare provider if you notice any concerning signs is essential.
“Early detection is important,” Dr. Bleicher says. “If a man does feel a mass in the breast, it’s important to seek out help from a provider or specialist.” Doing so sooner rather than later just might save your life.
Woods, Ryan W et al. “Image-based screening for men at high risk for breast cancer: Benefits and drawbacks.” Clinical imaging vol. 60,1 (2020): 84-89. doi:10.1016/j.clinimag.2019.11.005 ↩︎
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There are approximately five thousand days in the month of January—and yet somehow February (and its mid-month celebration of *all things love*) always creeps up on you. But don’t panic: The latest TikTok trend has you covered this Valentine’s Day, whether you’re showering your romantic partner, all your besties, or yourself with TLC.
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At 1.2 billion TikTok views and counting, bae baskets are making a major splash, and for good reason. The concept isn’t complicated: Put together a care package of sorts, filled with simple-but-swoon-worthy goodies that feel unique and personal to your recipient. It’s a super thoughtful (not to mention low-effort) way to show your A team you notice and care about the things that bring them joy—and the best part? It can be totally wallet-friendly, and definitely doesn’t seem like you waited until the last possible second to grab them a gift.
To get you inspired to build your own Valentine’s Day gift basket, we scoured the shelves at CVS—because nothing can beat the convenience of CVS if you’re a last-minute shopper—and rounded up eight essentials that anyone on your love list is guaranteed to appreciate and *actually* use. Think: cozy pillows for your favorite homebody, candles and beauty products for the self-care connoisseur, and plenty of sweet treats for, well, everyone.
Bonus: They’re all under $25—which you can brag about to your friends who love to budget, or keep as your best-kept secret (we won’t tell)—and with CVS ExtraCare, you can get additional savings and Extrabucks back on tons of Valentine’s Day finds. So grab a wicker box, a shower caddy, or a canvas bag, and start filling bae baskets for every love in your life (reminder: that includes you).
Start your bae basket with a festive and romantic base (extra points for one that fills up some space). This white, faux fur pillow is a fun seasonal add to any couch, bed, or cozy chair, and serves as an understated invitation to snuggle.
You can never have enough candles, and this soy blend—made with rose and tonka for a warm, sweet, and spicy scent that’ll linger in any space—serves as a reminder to relax and relish in a little self-care. Mood lighting, activated.
Keep the self-care session going strong with healing bath salts that help relax the body and moisturize the skin (and they smell like summertime). The hibiscus and berry extracts form a soothing foam and give the tub a red tint that feels *very* seasonally appropriate. Feeling fancy? Toss in some rose petals to really give your bath-themed basket some extra pizzazz.
There’s no greater love than BFF love—and adding friendship bracelets to your bae basket is a sweet way to acknowledge that. Gift your #1 this pack of eight, dish them out to your closest crew, or stack them all on your own wrist (because, ICYMI, it’s very cool to be your own best pal).
The TikToksphere loves bae baskets almost as much as it loves Stanley tumblers. Skip the investment and nestle this heart-fluttering dupe into your care package for better hydration on Valentine’s Day and beyond. Toss in a couple boxes of Sweethearts Conversation Hearts to round out the theme.
A new tube of lip tint will have all your beauty-loving besties blowing kisses. This long-lasting formula from Maybelline glides on smoothly and leaves a soft, matte finish on your pout—and it comes in 10 buildable and blendable shades. From February 9 to 15, you can get $6 Extrabucks when you buy two tubes, so go ahead and grab one for yourself.
No bae basket is complete without chocolate (yes, even for the S.O.s who claim they don’t like dessert). From coconut, to raspberry velvet, to sugar cookie, there’s a surprise filling for everyone in this box of 14 truffles.
No need to choose between chocolate or gummies this Valentine’s Day (or, um, ever). Instead, pair your Godiva chocolates with this heart-shaped carton of classic Haribo bears. With ExtraCare, you can buy one and get the second box 50 percent off. How sweet is that?
