Medical Examiner

The Shingles Vaccine Isn’t Just for “Old” People

I’m in my 30s, but it felt worth it for a few reasons—including some exciting new research.

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Bushra Tbakhi was in med school when she developed an unattractive, “creepy” itchy patch above one of her eyes. Even though she was on her way to becoming a physician herself, and even though she was exhausted and stressed, and stress is a possible agitator for shingles, her doctors didn’t immediately find a diagnosis. Tbakhi was 23 at the time, and even in the medical field, shingles is viewed as something that, well, old people get.…