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Looking for the best mortgage lenders? You’re in the right place because this article may help you learn everything you need and choose the most suitable one.
Finding one of the best mortgage companies might be tricky nowadays, but it is good to know that the right lender depends on the borrower’s unique financial credentials and what features they are looking for in a loan.
However, the best way to find the right lender is to get many quotes and compare terms and rates. For more information, you can continue reading this guide that provides insight into finding the best mortgage lenders and how they work.
eMortgage– Overall Best Mortgage Lenders For First Time Home Buyer
LendingTree– Reliable Loan Marketplace For FHA Loan Requirements
Lexington Law- Top Credit Repair Companies With 100% Online Mortgage Application
Axos Bank– Online Full Service Bank Offering Jumbo Loan Rates & VA Loans
eMortgage is an excellent company founded in 2015, based in Irvine, CA. It is an online mortgage comparison service offered by HSH, a company that has specialized in helping homebuyers find mortgages for more than 40 years.
With this platform, you may compare offers for a refinance, mortgage, reverse mortgage, or home equity loan from up to 5 lenders at a time. It is most suitable if you want to research mortgage quotes or are already an existing homeowner who wants to compare reverse mortgage offers. However, eMortgage might be one of the best places to begin if you are just starting to search for a mortgage.
You can start using this platform for free; finding quotes only takes a few minutes. When presenting mortgage offers, it offers information about your estimated APR, monthly payment, and loan term. You will only need to apply with a lender individually to confirm these terms.
eMortgage does not have customer support, but you can contact the lender directly if you have any questions about a loan offer.
It uses 256-bit AES encryption to protect any critical information you enter on its platform and requires only contact information without sensitive details like your social security number.
The lenders in this network offer jumbo, conventional, FHA, and VA loans. It only asks about your credit score and military history to see if you may qualify for a government-backed FHA or VA loan. Its loan requirements and terms, such as down payment and credit score, vary widely by lender.
However, if the service can not find mortgage offers based on your information, it will recommend lenders in your area who might be able to work with you, which shows how trustworthy the company is.
With eMortgage, you are not obligated to accept any of the quotes presented there, which is a non-committal and great way to find out more about mortgage options in your area.
eMortgage passes all your contact information to any lenders that make offers and may contact you directly. Therefore, if you want to stop being contacted by lenders, you can permanently remove yourself from their contact list through a form on the company’s website.
Best for homebuyers
Mortgage offers from multiple lenders
You can always see their offers online
100% free to use
Easy-to-apply process
Best for those searching for a mortgage
Loan information is not available in all areas
Does not have a customer support team
⇒ Visit the Official Website of eMortgage
LendingTree is an excellent and easy-to-use loan-shopping website. It was initially established as Lewisburg Ventures in 1996. Still, the company made its online debut in 1998 as one of the best and first online marketplaces to give consumers access to many lenders with just a single application.
This website lets you secure mortgage quotes, compare lender offers and start the mortgage process by filling out a single form. This platform has partnered with some of the leading lenders across the country, allowing it the flexibility to offer various options when it comes to personal loans.
Moreover, one of the best advantages is that you might find a lender with a bad credit score because LendingTree works with lenders who may accept a credit score as low as 600. LendingTree has plenty of resources to help you with your credit or any aspect of qualifying for and obtaining a personal loan.
If you want to apply, you can do it online from your phone or with their app and simply answer the questions, provide some income, such as your security number, and then wait for the results.
However, this platform is not a direct lender but a platform that connects borrowers in the US with an extensive network of lenders. It might be one of the best lending options for borrowers who want an easy and fast way to connect to large authorized lenders.
LendingTree is a 100% free service that matches applicants to lenders without damaging their credit scores. Only by simply filling out a free online application may you be matched with the best personal loan companies.
It is also great if you want to make an informed decision. For instance, you can learn everything you need to know about unsecured loans for bad credit from their articles before applying for a loan.
As a lender marketplace, it does not charge fees for processing your application and sending it to its lending partners, but each lender you’re matched with will have its costs, expenses, and terms.
You should always consider the origination fee when determining the loan amount you want to apply for and adjust it accordingly. So make sure you understand what penalties (if there are any) apply if you decide to pay your loan off early.
Great company
Fast response for many lenders
Many quotes within 2 days of submitting your request
Low APRs available to qualified borrowers
100% free service
Straightforward application process
Personal loans and auto loans are available
APRs as high as 35%
Charges an origination fee
Does not report to credit bureaus
⇒ Visit the Official Website of LendingTree
Lexington law firm opened its first practice in 2004, which was led by directing attorney-at-law John C.Heath. It is based in North Salt Lake, Utah, with its office in Tucson, Arizona, and nowadays, it has become trendy and started to serve people in many states.
If you want to repair your credit, then Lexington law might be one of the best options. It is one of the best-known credit repair companies and has been serving clients since 2004. Its credit repair process involves working with the credit bureau on your behalf to challenge inaccurate items on your credit report.
It works with all three major credit bureaus, such as Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion. Moreover, according to numbers on their website, the company’s clients saw more than 1.5 million removals from their credit reports in 2019, including judgments, collections, late payments, foreclosures, bankruptcies, and repossessions.
Lexington Law offers three service levels: Concord standard, Concord premier, and Premier plus. For a monthly fee of $89,85, their basic plan provides all the credit repair services most people need. Also, the Concord standard plan files bureau creditor inventions and challenges on your behalf.
Lexington law is a company that you can always trust because the best credit pros are familiar with the law. Their team consists of real paralegals and attorneys, so with very knowledgeable professionals at the helm, you may rest assured that they will use the proper legal channels to help you work to repair your credit.
It assigns every client an account rep, mostly a paralegal. It offers a wide range of customer service available with time slots before and after regular business hours on the weekends to accommodate your busy schedule. You can contact them any time via email, phone, or online chat.
Lexington law performs its services without explanation, but instead, savvy credit repair makes an effort to inform you everything about how credit works and how to repair it. On their official website, you can find free, in-depth articles with four main topics such as:
Improving credit
Fixing credit
Understanding credit
Building credit
What makes Lexington law better than other credit repair companies is that they are a full-service law firm familiar with the Fair Credit Reporting Act, keeps up to date with changes to the law, and might leverage that knowledge to your advantage.
Free initial consultation
Three different service levels
Reasonable monthly payments
Trustworthy firm
Various educational resources for potentially improving and maintaining good credit
Slightly higher costs associated with their services
Not available in all states
⇒ Visit the Official Website of Lexington Law
Axos bank is a trendy, full-service online bank offering one of the best high-yield savings accounts. It was founded in 2000 under the name “Bank of Internet USA” and adopted its Axos name in 2018. Its services include many lending options, business, and banking, commercial banking solutions, and investment portfolio.
Currently, Axos bank has five checking accounts options, including:
Axos Bank Rewards Checking
Axos Bank Essential Checking
Axos Bank Golden Checking
Axos Bank CashBank Checking
Axos Bank First Checking
Axos Bank High Yield saving account offers higher rates than you may find at many brick-and-mortar banks, and they currently earn up to 0.61% APY, which puts it among the best online savings accounts.
If you want to open an account, it requires a $250 deposit without any balance requirements beyond that initial amount. It has no monthly maintenance fees, and you can request a free ATM card, a rarity among saving accounts.
Moreover, UFB Direct is a division of this bank and offers a UFB savings account and a UFB Money Market account. Both are paying up to 1,66% on all balances, which is very competitive with the best money market and high-yield savings accounts.
Axos bank’s reputation is stellar, and the company is currently one of the best online banks. With various account options, you may find everything about your needs. However, it does not have local branches for in-person services, but it is a more accessible and better way because you can perform most banking transactions online wherever you are at any time. So, Axos might be one of the most suitable choices for online full-service banking.
They have a mobile app available on both Android and iOS and offers excellent features such as:
Mobile bill pay
Account balances
Mobile check deposit
Transaction history
Funds transfers
You can always open Axos CDs within three to five years, with a $1.000 minimum opening deposit, which is in line with the national banks.
It uses a third-party service, Green Dot, to let you add cash to your account, or you can just reload debit cards at retailers such as 7-Eleven and CVS Pharmacy, which costs around $4.95 per deposit. You also have a chance to make deposits at some of Axos bank’s 91,000 in-network ATMs.
Its overdraft programs include the option to set up free automatic transfers from a savings account to your checking account and will only occur if your balance goes negative.
Full-service online bank
Lower fees than most banks
No monthly payments on deposit accounts
High-rated mobile app
Unlimited ATM fee reimbursements on many accounts
Various checking account options
No physical branches
⇒ Visit the Official Website of Axox Bank
For making this list of the best mortgage lenders, we first looked at all the lenders’ reviews and then chose only the best ones that may suit everybody’s needs. But, we developed a framework to score mortgage lenders using a weighted average score.
Our list does not consider critical financial factors such as APRs, mortgage rates, or fees because those depend on your creditworthiness and the market conditions.
However, the most important thing is whether or not the mortgage finds your needs. For that reason, below, you can see the factors we mainly looked for to choose the best mortgage lenders.
We checked consumer complaints with the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau and the number of regulatory actions filed with the Nationwide Multistate Licensing System.
We only favored companies that provide a streamlined application process, consider alternative credit data, have various educational tools and resources on their websites, and offer at least two customer service forms.
We checked the companies that offer various loan options such as different term-length, fixed and adjustable-rate mortgages, and private loans backed by government agencies. One of the most common types of mortgage loans includes FHA loans, conventional loans, and VA loans.
However, lenders may also offer jumbo and USDA loans, so with these many options available, the lender can cater to a broader range of applicant needs.
The most common fees associated with mortgage applications include application fees, origination fees, administrative fees, processing fees, and underwriting fees. We checked all these fees and other features when determining the overall offer from each lender.
Variable rates might go up and down over the lifetime of your loan, so with a fixed rate APR, you lock in an interest rate for the loan term. This means that your monthly payment will not vary, which makes your budget easier to plan.
All mortgage lenders we chose in this list provide customer service via email, phone, or secure online messaging. Moreover, we opted for lenders with an online resource hub or advice center to help you learn about your finances and the personal loan process.
All lenders on this list offer closing timelines that may vary from about two weeks (only when the home purchase agreement has been signed) to about 45 days (after the agreement has been signed). However, specific closing timelines have been noted for each lender.
After reviewing all these features, we sorted our recommendations by the best for overall financing needs, lower interest rates, flexible terms, and fast closing time.
Remember that the fee structures and the rates advertised for mortgages fluctuate following the Fed rate. After you accept your mortgage agreement, a fixed-rate APR guarantees monthly payments, and the interest rate should remain later for a potentially lower APR.
Moreover, your APR, loan amount, and monthly payment depend on your creditworthiness, credit history, the desired loan term, and debt-to-income ratio.
To choose the best mortgage lenders, you should know that it depends on the number of factors that matter specifically to you. Nowadays, it has many mortgage providers out there, but not all of them may offer the best terms for your needs.
It is always better to obtain multiple competing quotes from local mortgage lenders to ensure you get the best deal.
There are some types of lenders that you may deal with directly and take the form, such as Fixed and adjustable rates, government-backed mortgages, 15, 20. And 30-year mortgages and conventional loans.
You should always check your rate with many mortgage lenders because they will only count as a single credit puff if completed within a 45-day shopping period.
Moreover, in some cases, when checking the estimated rate, it might show up as a soft credit pull and may have a negligible impact on your credit score. Below you can see the different types of mortgage lenders.
Interest-only -It allows you to pay just the interest charges on the loan each month.
Fixed-rate- With an interest rate stays the same for a set period.
Tracker- It will mostly charge you an interest rate that follows the bank’s base rate.
Discounted variable rate- It is similar to a tracker mortgage except rather than being linked to the bank’s base rate.
Offset- It lets you use your savings against the amount you owe on your mortgage, which reduces how much interest you pay.
Standard variable rate mortgage- It is an interest rate set by your lender, mostly a few percentage points about the bank’s base rate.
Before looking for a mortgage lender and applying for a loan, you should give your finances a checkup or improve your standing if needed, which means pulling your credit reports and credit score.
One of the critical aspects of finding the best mortgage lender is speaking their language and knowing the different types of mortgages. Many lenders offer conventional loans with a 3% down, and some government-insured loans require no down payment or just 3,5% down. It might be better to consider USDA and FHA loans, but if you are a veteran, you should look into VA loans. Always remember that if you put down less than 20%, many lenders might require mortgage insurance or change you to a higher interest rate.
One of the first steps in a lender search is considering what type of mortgage you need. For instance, VA and USDA loans offer 100% financing with no down payment request.
If you have a blemish on your credit report, such as bankruptcy, then an FHA loan might be easier to qualify for than conventional loans. You should find a lender that offers these types of loans if you want to take better advantage of any government-backed loan programs.
Closing costs are difficult to evaluate because you must distinguish between lender-dictated closing costs and fees charged by third parties that are not subject to the lender’s discretion.
The lender sets application and origination fees, while other costs such as escrow and homeowner’s fees are set in stone. But it is worth inquiring with your lender because you can see if they have wiggle room when negotiating specific prices.
Interest rates are certainly one of the most significant cost measures but should not be the only criteria you check.
When some tenths of a percent might not seem like a big deal, it may end up to many dollars due to the interest expense over the life of your mortgage, especially if you choose a high balance 30-year mortgage. It might be worth shopping your preferred terms across multiple lenders to find your results.
If a lender does not offer the type of mortgage you are looking for, it might be better to search elsewhere.
While it is undoubtedly true that there are many out there, not all lenders offer the same choice, and specific lenders might be more competitive with some loans than others when it comes to certain specialty mortgages.
For instance, when nearly all lenders offer conventional 30-year and 15-year mortgages, not every lender will offer FHA mortgages or VA streamline refinancing. It may be better to check each lender’s website to see if they provide the type of mortgage you are looking for.
You should remember that some lenders might offer unique loan products or feature lucrative discounts you may not find elsewhere.
The only way to get accurate loan pricing is by obtaining a mortgage pre-approval from three or four lenders. Mostly you may need to provide:
Social security number
Driver’s license or some other government ID photo
Two years of federal tax returns
A list of all financial accounts
Residential address history, such as the name and contact information for landlords
A piece of information on any recent liens
Income history and employment
Down payment information such as the funds’ source and gift letters if you are receiving some help from a relative or friend.
You should always look for mortgage lenders that do not charge you for paying off the loan early. The mortgage lenders on this list are one of the best and do not charge for paying off early, so choosing one of them might be one of the best and most trustful decisions.
Sometimes reading everything in the printed list might be exhausting, but if you don’t read everything closely, there might be errors or surprises that you may feel remorse for later.
You should pay attention to your monthly payments, loan processing fees, interest rate, down payment amount, and closing costs. All these items should not change dramatically from pre-approval to closing if your financial profile and credit stay the same.
Always ask questions if you can not understand some specific fees or spot errors in the list because getting ahead of some issue might save you a lot before regretting after.
You should try to gauge the lender’s competency, like its reputation for customer satisfaction. But, even if they offer the lowest rate quote, it might not be worth the extra headache if the lender cannot close your home purchase on time.
It might be even worse if they have to back out of the financing at the last minute. It might be better to check a lender’s reputation by reading online customer feedback through publicly available domains such as the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau and the Better Business Bureau.
A mortgage lender always needs to offer the kind of mortgage that suits your needs best. It should be relatively affordable, and you shouldn’t need a super high credit score or down payment to get the loan.
Moreover, it should offer excellent rates and charge reasonable fees. You should find a lender known for high customer satisfaction and trustworthiness.
To secure a low rate, you should focus on three factors: debt-to-income ratio, credit score, and down payment. With most lenders, you should have a score of at least 620 to get a conventional loan, but some require even higher.
However, you should know that the higher your score, the better rate you may get, so to improve your credit score, you should always focus on making payments on time.
Your debt-to-income ratio is the amount to pay toward debts each month divided by your gross monthly income. Most lenders want a debt-to-income ratio of 36% or even less, so you will need to pay down debts or earn more to get a lower ratio.
You don’t need a 20% down payment to get a reasonable rate, but the more you save, the better your rate may be. It might be worth saving for a few more months if you don’t have much for a down payment.
Every time mortgage lenders specialize in lending. Banks always focus on some areas such as lending, personal banking, and investments, but there is not a clear better choice, so your decision will come down to some factors.
Many banks offer discounts on closing costs if you are already their customer, so in this case, it might be better to go with the bank you already use. Therefore, mortgage lenders mostly have flexibility.
Banks are held to stricter lending standards by the federal government, so for that reason, the lenders might be willing to customize your loan to fit your needs.
The process begins as soon as you apply. You will need to give the lender information about your assets and income, along with supporting documentation like W-2s, 1099s, tax returns, and bank statements. After that, the lender checks your credit to learn about your debts and determine the debt-to-income ratio.
For example, if you can not afford to pay $400,000 for a home upfront, you may afford to pay around $30,000 upfront, so that mortgage might allow you to make that much money payment while a lender gives you a loan for $370,000 and you agree to repay over 15 to 30 years.
However, suppose you pass the initial approvals. In that case, the lender’s mortgage underwriter reviews your finances to ensure you can afford the loan you are applying for and then decide the money you can borrow.
After approval, the lender produces a bunch of documents to sign and has witnessed by a notary and wires the money, which is called the closing.
The difference is that a 15-year mortgage gives you 15 years to pay off your mortgage in fixed and equal amounts, plus the interest. A 15-year mortgage may save you on appeal, but you likely have a higher monthly payment.
A 30-year mortgage offers you 30 years to pay off your mortgage, and your monthly payments should be lower since you have a more extended period to pay off the loan.
If you want to shop around for a mortgage, there are some things you need to consider, such as your credit score, monthly income, loan type, debt-to-income ratio, and property type you want to buy.
After viewing all this information, you can search for websites and talk with the banks. The choice is yours, you can pick the best mortgage lenders or find great lenders for jumbo loans on this list, but we suggest you always look carefully over each one.
Mortgage lenders mostly ask for 2 months of bank payslips and statements, an address ID, a photo ID, and a copy of your credit history, depending on your credit score.
Generally yes, but your negotiating power will depend on your qualifications as a borrower. If you have high credit, a hefty income, or a good debt-to-income ratio, the best mortgage lenders may go out of their way to give you an excellent offer.
A conventional loan is funded by private lenders and sold to government enterprises such as Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae. This is the most common type of loan, but some lenders might require a down payment as low as 3% or 5%.
A USDA loan is offered through the US Department of Agriculture, which is meant for individuals who want to buy a home in a rural area.
This loan requires a minimum down payment of 0%, but also you may use this loan to purchase a rural home without making any down payments.
FHA is a loan that primarily allows you to purchase a home with looser requirements. For instance, this type of loan might allow you to get approved with a lower credit score, and you may get away with a higher debt-to-income ratio. Typically you may need around a 3,5% down payment with an FHA loan.
This loan is meant for home buyers who need to borrow more than $600,000 to purchase a home. Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae do not sponsor these loans but have strict credit scores and debt-to-income ratio requirements.
VA loan is provided through the US Department of Veterans Affairs, and it is for veterans, service members, and their spouses. They usually require a 0% payment and no mortgage insurance.
They are the various expenses and fees you pay to finalize the mortgage. Closing costs primarily run between 2% and 5% of the loan amount, which means on a $300,000 home loan, you can pay $6,000 to $15,000 in closing costs.
We should note that the length of your loan affects rates because lenders gain more risk of rate changes with longer-term loans. So, as a result of that, a 15-year mortgage might have a lower interest rate than a 30-year mortgage.
If you have a higher credit score, it means less risk for the lenders. However, getting a conventional mortgage might be challenging with a score below 620, but some lenders offer government-backed mortgages and may give you a loan with a score as low as 500.
In this case, you might have to put at least some money on most home purchases, and the more you put, the less risk you should pose to the lender. Your rate might go down as the size of your down payment increases.
Buying mortgage points might reduce your ongoing mortgage rate. Therefore, the points cost a set percentage of your loan value, so each point you want to buy may reduce your loan by a small amount. The longer you stay in your house, the more likely buying mortgage points will pay off.
You may often get a lower rate if you take out a primary residence mortgage than borrowing to buy a rental property. This is because the lender determines if you are less likely to default in your own house than real estate used for another purpose.
Finding the best mortgage lenders may not always be easy if you don’t know the essential information and how they work. You should learn to consider loan terms, rates, loan programs, the lender’s reputation, customer service, and more.
But, the most important thing is to know what types of loans the lender offers. We suggest you constantly research your options carefully to find the most affordable loan for your needs, especially if you want to borrow a large amount of money and you will be paying it back for many years.
Always check your credit reports and determine how much you may afford to pay as a down payment before shopping for a loan. When you are ready, just compare quotes from many different mortgage brokers and request mortgage pre-approval or pre-qualification to get a better idea of the rates you may qualify for.
However, after reading this article, we hope that it will help you get a better understanding of finding mortgage lenders much more accessible and the best for your needs.
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Behind every beautiful space is a thoughtful process, and ASID San Diego is helping homeowners understand the value of professional design.
A perfectly designed home rarely happens by accident. Those kitchens that feel effortless and rooms that seem to tell a story the second you walk in? They’re usually the work of someone who knows exactly what they’re doing.
It’s knowing which ideas will actually work, which materials will hold up over time, and how to turn a collection of choices into a space that feels intentional. That’s where a professional interior designer comes in.
For the American Society of Interior Designers (ASID) California San Diego Chapter, the goal is to help people see interior design as more than just the finished look. Behind every well-designed space is a process built on technical expertise. Designers are educated in everything from professional software and construction details to building codes, space planning, materials, and functionality.

“People don’t always realize how much goes on behind the scenes,” Kirsten Recce , current president of the ASID California San Diego Chapter, says. “Our designers are not just doing furniture placement and color selection and picking out new fluffy pillows. That’s not what they’re trained for.”
ASID members bring formal education, continued learning, and industry knowledge to their projects, helping create spaces that are not only beautiful, but designed to work. A paint color that changes completely depending on the lighting. A material that looks beautiful in a showroom but doesn’t make sense for everyday life. A layout that photographs well but doesn’t function for the people living there. These are the details where professional guidance can make all the difference.
Still, one of the biggest misconceptions about hiring an interior designer is that it’s reserved for massive renovations, luxury homes, or people who already know exactly what they want. The process can feel intimidating. Where do you begin? Is a designer worth the investment? What if you only need help with one room?
ASID’s answer: start with one hour.
ASID’s Spruce Up events break down one of the biggest barriers between homeowners and professional design: knowing where to begin. Held twice a year, the community program gives homeowners the chance to work directly with an ASID designer through a one-hour, $125 consultation in their own home. Whether you’re looking for advice on furniture placement, window treatments, kitchen and bath updates, remodeling ideas, vacation rentals, color selections or something else entirely, the upcoming September 2026 event offers an approachable way to get expert guidance before committing to a full project. Signups are open through Sept. 7, with consultations taking place Sept. 21 through Oct. 31. Proceeds benefit ASID San Diego’s educational and community programs. Register here!

“It’s a great opportunity for people who are in that exploratory phase,” Recce says. “Maybe they’re not sure they want to hire an interior designer yet, or they think it sounds daunting or expensive. This gives them a chance to discover what working with a designer is actually like.”
Design is personal. A good designer isn’t just creating a beautiful room; they’re helping create a space that fits the way someone lives.
“We’re a resource to all of San Diego County,” Recce says. “It doesn’t cost anything to pick up the phone and call and ask. We’ll answer.”
Follow ASID San Diego on Instagram, LinkedIn, and Facebook for updates on upcoming events, or connect with the chapter directly at [email protected] or 619-548-8847.
A new program guides new moms through high-risk pregnancy and into the “fourth trimester”
Mai Vue was just 34 weeks pregnant when she delivered her baby. Her pregnancy had been complicated, and she’d had a recent second trimester pregnancy loss, which led to her receiving specialized care from Sean Daneshmand, MD, a Scripps Clinic perinatologist who oversees high-risk pregnancies. Dr. Daneshmand and his team took care of Mai during her pregnancy, through the birth of her healthy baby girl and beyond. Mai was part of a program Scripps launched to provide support to new moms in the weeks and months after delivery. The postpartum program, known as Scripps Health’s Fourth Trimester Continuum of Care, provides care for women with high-risk pregnancies to optimize their health after childbirth and reduce the risk of complications in future pregnancies. Click here to learn more.
For more nutrition, wellness, and healthy living tips, sign up for the San Diego Health newsletter here.
Scripps Clinic’s Mohs surgery center is one of the most sophisticated in the country.
It’s estimated that one in five people in the U.S. will develop skin cancer at some point in their lives. When you factor in living in a sun-soaked city like San Diego and the outdoorsy lifestyle that comes with it, that figure can jump to as high as one in three, which makes early detection and intervention all the more important. Dermatologists at Bighorn Mohs and Dermatology Center are using innovative imaging methods and advanced surgical techniques to diagnose and treat skin cancer. For certain cancers in sensitive spots, like the face, dermatologists perform Mohs surgery, removing skin tissue layer by layer until reaching healthy, cancer-free tissue. They also use a process called immunohistochemistry to view tissue samples taken during Mohs surgery in far greater detail than previous methods. Read more about how Scripps is advancing skin cancer care here.
For more nutrition, wellness, and healthy living tips, sign up for the San Diego Health newsletter here.
Scripps Cancer Center helps an endurance athlete overcome his greatest challenge yet and get back in the race
When endurance athlete Isaac Sanchez learned he had cancer, he felt blindsided. He was healthy, surfed often and was training for an Ironman triathlon. But he had to put that on hold to undergo treatment. His physicians at Scripps Cancer Center developed a plan to treat the cancer in his tonsil and lymph nodes that included six-and-a-half weeks of near-daily radiation and weekly chemotherapy. He also worked with a Scripps Cancer Center dietitian to enhance his nutrition to promote strength and healing. Today, Isaac’s back to doing what he loves. Read more of his story here.
For more nutrition, wellness, and healthy living tips, sign up for the San Diego Health newsletter here.
Scripps study shows that some patients may be able to taper their dose and maintain results
While glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) receptor agents have been used to treat Type 2 diabetes for more than 20 years, their recent emergence as weight-loss wonder drugs marked a new frontier in medicine. But their effectiveness has left some patients wondering what to do once they’ve reached their goal. Stopping the medication could mean regaining some, if not all, of the weight. A Scripps Clinic internal medicine physician recently conducted a small study of whether GLP-1 patients who had reached their goal weight could maintain that weight by taking their regularly prescribed injection every other week instead of weekly. Spoiler alert: 30 of 34 patients did. Read more about the study here and what that may mean as pharmaceutical companies roll out oral GLP-1s.
For more nutrition, wellness, and healthy living tips, sign up for the San Diego Health newsletter here.
Innovative treatment could offer cancer patients new options with fewer side effects
Chemotherapy and radiation have long been considered gold standards of cancer treatment, but they can cause severe side effects. A promising new approach called theranostics—a combination of “therapeutics” and “diagnostics”—could offer patients with certain types of metastatic cancers new hope. It’s a two-step process that uses a drug that binds to specific receptors on cancer cells. Advanced imaging detects this radioisotope, allowing doctors to then use a second radioisotope that binds to the cancer cells and destroys them. Click here to learn more about how specialists at Scripps Cancer Center are using theranostics.
For more nutrition, wellness, and healthy living tips, sign up for the San Diego Health newsletter here.