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Dermatology Pop Quiz

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Scott presents a dermatology pop quiz with three statements, asking readers to identify and explain the two true ones.

Summary from Read Scott Alexander; separate from the original essay.

My dermatology lecture this morning presents: one of those Two Truths and a Lie games. You choose which two you think are true and – special house rule – give explanations for why. The explanations do not require specialized medical knowledge beyond the level of a smart amateur. Answers tomorrow-ish.

1. Significantly more Americans get skin cancer on the left half of the face than on the right half.

2. People who had acne as children live on average four years longer than those who did not.

3. In very early studies, Botox has shown great promise as a treatment for depression.

(this is one of those shorter posts I was threatening)
(judging from the comments, this was way too easy. Grumble.)

Written by Scott Alexander. Support the writing →

Source snapshot: 2026-10-18. Likes unavailable · 60 comments; counts at capture, no local voting or comments.