L’Oreal anti-ageing products leave woman with blistered face for six months

A 66-year-old woman was left suffering with horrifying blisters and swelling to the face within days after starting to use products from the L’Oreal Paris Revitalift Laser Renew anti-ageing range.

Marlene Corrall, like so many patients who come to Medical Specialists, was looking for effective anti-wrinkle treatments that would leave her skin appearing refresher, replenished and rejuvenated.

Unfortunately, Ms Corrall, from Leicestershire, was left feeling anything but all that after suffering an extremely severe allergic reaction following the application of three L’Oreal Paris Revitalift Laser Renew anti-ageing products on her face.

Describing her horrific experience, Ms Corrall says: “When I went into my local chemist I spotted the L’Oreal Revitalift range and decided to give it a try, but it was the biggest mistake I ever made, after the reaction I had. Within two days of using the creams, my face started to swell and break out in painful red blisters which spread all over my face. I was really frightened, especially as I have always taken great pride in my skin.”

She says she has been trying various anti-wrinkle creams since her mid-30s and has never previously encountered any such problems like this in those thirty years and puts effort into trying to keep her skin looking as healthy as possible.

Ms Corrall says she had to take two weeks off work from her role as a senior carer due to the pain she was in and also go through a gruelling six months of recovery, which involved being prescribed steroids as well as penicillin by her GP to try and control the severe reaction her skin was having to the L’Oreal products.

She continued: She said: “I have been left with acute dermatitis and there is still a bit of puffiness under my cheekbones. I try to look after myself so this has really knocked my confidence. I never had any problems with my skin. I am very healthy and look after myself but now I have been left with skin problems as a result when all I wanted to do was look my best.”

Following an expensive £130 visit to a private doctor, the problem was found to be due to a chemical contained in the L’Oreal anti-wrinkle creams; methylisothiazolinone. Known as ‘MI’, it is used to extend the shelf life of household goods and cosmetics. It can be found in shower gels, deodorants, cleansers and moist tissue wipes.

Ms Corrall added: “I cannot believe companies still use this chemical after what it did to my skin. It was terrifying to have my skin react so severely and it knocked my confidence. It took so long to clear up that I have decided that life is too short, and after that happened I had enough – you never know what’s around the corner so life is for enjoying. I am now very careful with products that I use to make sure the ingredients are only natural minerals.”

MI has been blamed by health experts for a surge in dangerous allergic reactions. Only last month cosmetic giant Johnson & Johnson spoke of their concerns, and are now taking the chemical out of many products, including its best-selling Piz Buin sun cream.

“I’d like to see methylisothiazolinone banned or for the industry to go back to levels it was using a few years ago,” says Graham Johnston, a consultant dermatologist at the Leicester Royal Infirmary, who treated Corrall. “People are needing nastier drugs to cure the reaction. One patient had to have an anti-cancer drug and another an anti-rejection drug.”

This story highlights the questionable effectiveness and safety of off-the-shelf anti-wrinkle products. Proven and popular treatments for wrinkles include Akenmycin Plus, Differin Gel, Differin Cream and Epiduo Gel. They are all available today from Medical Specialists Pharmacy following an online consultation with one of our doctors, who will assess the information and medical details you provide to decide your suitability for that treatment. Once authorised by the doctor, your order will be dispense by our in-house pharmacy and dispatched the same day by Royal Mail Special Delivery.

www.medical-specialists.com 

Tamiflu IS effective against the flu, study finds

It caused a widespread debate back in 2009 when the government spent £500million stockpiling it, but new research has emerged that backs up the efficacy of flu treatment Tamiflu.

Tamiflu (oseltamivir) hit headlines six years ago when it became one of the primary weapons to try and stem the H1N1 swine flu epidemic that had the country in a state of panic for a shortwhile, and the Labour government subsequently spent around £500 million on Roche’s antiviral drug in 2009-10 during the outbreak.

However, many questioned the government’s decision to spend so much money to stockpile the drug, and some have even questioned whether Tamiflu is actually an effective flu treatment option.  One study published in the British Medical Journal last year claimed there has been no evidence to suggest Tamiflu was any better than paracetamol and criticised the government for ‘wasting’ half a billion pounds.

But now, the most thorough study to date into the antiviral drug – comprising of all available published andunpublished evidence – shows that the controversial treatment is indeed effective.

The findings have been published in The Lancet, demonstrating how oseltamivir significantly decreases the risk of influenza complications leading to the need for antibiotics, such as pneumonia, and hospitalisation for adults suffering with more severe influenza.

“The safety and effectiveness of oseltamivir has been hotly debated, with some researchers claiming there is little evidence that oseltamivir works,” commented lead author Professor Arnold Monto of the University of Michigan.

“Our meta-analysis provides compelling evidence that oseltamivir therapy reduces by one day the typical length of illness in adults infected with influenza and also prevents complications and reduces the number of people needing hospital treatment.”

The study authors assessed nine randomized placebo-controlled double-blind trials. The trials examined the effects of the licensed 75 mg twice a day dose of Tamiflu, taken by 4,328 adults that had seasonal influenza between the years of 1997 and 2001.

In their analysis, the authors state that on average, Tamiflu worked at reducing the duration of flu symptoms in patients from 123 hours to 98 hours – a reduction of 21% – compared with placebo.

In addition, Tamiflu was also found to decrease the risk of lower respiratory tract infections requiring antibiotics over 48 hours after being assigned the drug or placebo. The study authors say the risk was reduced by 44%, with 4.9% of those taking Tamiflu becoming infected compared with 8.7% taking a placebo.

Tamiflu could also be credited with a reduction in flu-related hospital admissions, with a total of 0.6% of patients with influenza requiring hospital treatment following being given Tamiflu, compared with 1.7% of the patients given placebo – a reduction of 63%.

Professor Peter Openshaw, Director of the Centre for Respiratory Infection, Imperial College London, gave his verdict on the analysis, saying: “The important thing about this study is that it shows that Roche were not hiding skeletons in its cupboards. As a full review of the published and unpublished data, it leaves the conclusion unaltered that oseltamivir reduces symptom duration by about a day while causing nausea and vomiting in a minority of recipients.

“Oseltamivir is not a perfect drug but does what you might expect of an antiviral given relatively late in the course of an acute infection and after the illness has already become established.”

www.medical-specialists.co.uk 

Mutating flu viruses linked to havoc at A&E departments

Flu rates have now reached their highest level than at any time in the previous three years, and doctors are blaming mutated forms of the flu virus that are not being protected against with the seasonal winter flu jab.

Strains of flu virus commonly naturally mutate, with changes being witnessed this year already within the US and Australia.

The primary flu virus rife this winter has been found to be influenza A type H3N2, appearing to disproportionately impacting the elderly.

On Wednesday David Cameron was speaking in Manchester and highlighted an increasing number of elderly patients as one of the main causes of pressure on hospital A&E departments, with one hospital even drafting in help from the Red Cross, as NHS capacity is pushed to its limits.

The prime minister noted how it was “particularly striking” that over a million more over-65s were seeking help at A&E in comparison to just four years ago, blaming a lack of “clarity” regarding GP access.

Cameron’s comments came as the latest GP Patient Survey for England show that almost 15% of patients could not get an appointment with their GP at the previous time of trying, though 78% of people who completed the survey still claimed they would recommend their GP surgery.

The US Centres of Disease Control has released a warning that half of the H3N2 viruses they have analysed were discovered to be “drifted strains” from the one covered by the winter flu jab. Public Health England (PHE) have tested 24 samples so far, with five found to be drifted strains. This means the flu type has mutated, resulting in the vaccines becoming less effective.

PHE say that more hospitals and GP surgeries are reporting a larger number of flu cases in comparison to that of the peak periods of the last three winters. It is this massive spike which is probably responsible for the severe pressures felt by hospitals up and down the country this week, but health officials believe the problems could continue to worsen for another eight weeks yet.

Dr Richard Pebody, head of seasonal flu surveillance at Public Health England, commented: “Overall, levels are now higher than the peak of flu activity observed in the last three seasons, but have not reached the levels seen in the last notable seasons of 2010/11 and 2008/09.”

Dr Ben Marshall, a specialist in respiratory medicine at Southampton General Hospital, says the number of patients admitted into hospital with respiratory illnesses has now doubled.

Asthma and COPD are two respiratory problems which can be significantly worsened by flu, sometimes resulting in serious complications that need hospital treatment.

The injected flu vaccine is available free of cost on NHS to those deemed to be high risk. This is to protect them against flu and the serious complications that can arise from it.

Those that qualify for a free flu jab include:

. People 65 years of age or over.

. Pregnant women.

. People with certain medical conditions.

. People living in a long-stay residential care home or other long-stay care facility.

. Those receiving a carer’s allowance, or the main carer for an elderly or disabled person who could. be at further risk if the carer was to become ill.

. Healthcare workers with direct patient contact or a social care worker.

Dr Tristan Clark, a specialist in infectious diseases and respiratory viruses at Southampton General Hospital, said: “We can sometimes predict what a flu season is going to be like based on the activity in the southern hemisphere before it reaches north of the equator and we know countries like Australia had a bad year.

“Unfortunately, since the vaccine was prepared, the influenza A H3 strain has changed significantly, making the vaccine less effective at protecting against the virus – something we occasionally see.”

People are still being advised to get vaccinated to offer some degree of protection, especially those with chronic illnesses who have yet to get the jab. Moreover, antiviral treatment Tamiflu is still active against all strains of the flu and works to lessen the severity of symptoms, particularly when taken early at an early stage of the condition.

www.medical-specialists.co.uk 

Hot dogs come under fire for their lack of dietary goodness

A Hot dog or ‘Frankfurter’ as they were originally commonly known, is a widely popular choice of food and some say they date back to the 13th century when they were distributed to the masses during the event of an imperial coronation. Fast-forward to the present day and they are constantly seen being offered to the crowds at sporting events such as football, baseball and basketball, or being sold to the public at movie cinemas for a usual extortionate sum.

Their popularity is at a high risk of nose-diving this week however with news about the questionable methods of their creation and the dangers they could pose to one’s health. Charlie Powell, a member of food lobby group Sustain, has hit out at cheap factory-produced meat that comprises a typical sausage, and he says, “Cheap frankfurters are highly processed and have little in them that will improve your health. If they are eaten on a regular basis, they cannot be good for you. They are one of the least natural foods I can think of.”

Indeed there are many people who blame their stomach and bowel issues with the consumption of hotdogs, and they like most processed meats, have been shown to be linked to bowel cancer. With the opening of a niche London restaurant named ‘Bubbledogs’ (serving hot dogs and champagne), this has kick-started campaigns for more genuine, better-made hotdogs.

Originally purely made of pork and originating from the German city of Frankfurt, they are rumoured to have eventually made it to America in the 19th century courtesy of German immigrants. Nowadays, the main ingredients comprise of pork, beef, chicken, or a variety of combinations of these meats. However, Tesco’s ‘Red Dogs’ range consist of 64% mechanically reclaimed chicken meat and only 17% is actually pork. The phrase ‘mechanically reclaimed’ is used to describe the process of recovering meat from carcasses that have already initially had their meat taken off.

The carcass is forced through a machine which acts like a sieve and provides a blast of liquid to remove the meat. This mushy substance then gets mixed with a variety of additives such as flavourings and colourings, before being put into plastic tubes to be cooked. If this suspect process of creation doesn’t put you off hot dogs, perhaps the health impacts might – many hotdogs are made up of 2% salt and are in the high-salt category of foods. An abundance of consumption can therefore raise your risk of heart disease, high blood pressure and stroke. Dr Rachel Thompson from The World Cancer Research, commented, “If everyone ate less than 70g a week – or two hot dogs – it would mean there would be fewer cases of bowel cancer in the UK each year.”

Not only do hotdogs have potential effects for long-term health, they are also the cause for a surprisingly number of choking-related deaths. A past study in the US discovered 17% of food-related asphyxiations in children younger than 10 years of age happened because of a hot dog. Doctors claim it is incredibly difficult for them to attempt to remove a stuck sausage from a child’s windpipe and the risk may be reduced if parents cut the meat into smaller pieces.

www.medical-specialists.co.uk 

Poor food labels blamed for stomach cancer caused by high salt intake

The World Cancer Research Fund (WCRF) has spoken out about the issue of salt content in foods, calling for all companies to label their products more clearly. This is in response to the increasing number of stomach cancer cases that have been linked to a high consumption of salt. High levels of salt are particularly prominent in popular foods such as bread, bacon, cheese, breakfast cereals, crisps and soup.

The recommended daily salt intake for adults is 6g, which is approximately around one full teaspoon. This figure is obviously less for children and babies, and the following are the general guidelines for salt intake depending on age:

. 1 to 3 years: 2g salt a day (0.8g sodium).

. 4 to 6 years: 3g salt a day (1.2g sodium).

. 7 to 10 years: 5g salt a day (2g sodium).

. 11 years and over: 6g salt a day (2.4g sodium).

The WCRF say that if adults strictly kept to this 6g limit, then this could help to reduce the 6,000 new cases of stomach cancer each year in the UK by 14% (around 800). Kate Mendoza, health of health information at the charity, says, “Stomach cancer is difficult to treat successfully because most cases are not caught until the disease is well-established. This places even greater emphasis on making lifestyle choices to prevent the disease occurring in the first place – such as cutting down on salt intake and eating more fruit and vegetables.”

She further continued, “Because around three-quarters of the salt we consume is already in processed food when we buy it, WCRF would like to see traffic light labelling on the front of food and drink packaging to give clear guidance on the levels of salt as well as sugar, fat and saturated fat. Standardised labelling among retailers and manufacturers – rather than the different voluntary systems currently in place – would help consumers make better informed and healthy choices.”

As Kate Mendoza explained, the difficult aspect of dealing with stomach cancer is that it is not usually diagnosed until the disease is at an advanced stage. Medical Specialists Pharmacy advises that you visit your doctor immediately for a check-up if you suffer from any of the following early symptoms of stomach cancer:

. Heartburn.

. Persistent indigestion.

. A bloated feeling after eating.

. Trapped wind and incessant burping.

. Feeling full very soon after beginning to eat.

. Difficulty in swallowing.

As you can see, many of the early-stage symptoms of stomach cancer are quite similar to those of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). This is why it is vital to see your GP who will ask you detailed questions, and refer you for further scans if necessary. If it is IBS you have, then this can be treated with a wide range of effective medications such as Mebeverine and Buscopan IBS relief. In addition, there is also the medicationLansoprazole which can help with acid reflux problems that cause heartburn and complications with swallowing. All aforementioned medicines are available at low prices from the Stomach and Bowel section of the Medical Specialists Pharmacy website.

www.medical-specialists.co.uk

Radical new Symprove drink could help millions win the fight against IBS

Today we at Medical Specialists Pharmacy are thoroughly delighted to offer a brand new, revolutionary treatment option for the estimated 12 million people in the UK who are caused misery by the painful and inconvenient stomach condition, irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). Some of the most common symptoms for sufferers include highly discomforting stomach cramps, bloating and diarrhoea or constipation, or sometimes even bouts of both.

The IBS treatment in question is a non-dairy, gluten-free probiotic food supplement produced by Symprove Ltd, named simply ‘Symprove’. Those with sharp memories will recall that we first mentioned about this fantastic IBS treatment wayback in May. In fact, its effectiveness at combating the common stomach and bowel complaint is so exceptional that even national media has picked up on Symprove, subsequently being featured in newspapers such as the Daily Mail, the Daily Mirror, as well as HELLO! magazine.

Therefore the opportunity to offer our patients this brilliant solution to help with IBS was one we could not refuse, and proudly working together with Symprove Ltd, we now have the delicious 500ml mango and passion fruit flavoured version in stock and available from the Medical Specialists chemist shop for the low price of £19.93.

So, what exactly is Symprove you may wonder, and how does it work? Well, it is a water-based barley drink that is taken once daily – ideally prior to breakfast. With every batch produced being independently tested to ensure the highest standard of quality, each 50ml serving contains approximately 10 billion live bacteria.

However, here is where it gets interesting; Symprove’s 4 species of live bacterial cultures (L. rhamnosus, planatarum, acidophilus and E. faeciumbacteria), are fully alive and activated from the moment Symprove is swallowed. What sets Symprove apart is the fact that unlike other everyday probiotic products, the probiotics within Symprove manage to reach the gut and get to work in a mere 20 minutes without triggering the digestion process.  This may sound strange and something you would expect and want to happen. However with other probiotics, digestion results in stomach acid and bile salts being released in order to break down food. The stomach acid means that probiotic bacteria struggle to survive in this environment and any that do, will be ineffective inside the gut.

Symprove is successful at travelling straight through the stomach without triggering digestion, meaning its probiotics are able to reach the gut and then establish a more healthy balance of  ‘normal bacteria’. It is the existence of ‘bad’ pathogenic bacteria that initially causes digestive and other problems. Symprove’s revolutionary method of fighting the symptoms of IBS means that the bacteria are not freeze-dried like many other products out there. Basically with its ‘Unique Delivery System’, the bacteria are ready to start working from the moment they pass your lips!

At Medical Specialists we fully understand that IBS can be a deeply distressing condition to live with, especially when trying to manage it whilst at your job. Many underestimate the psychological impact that IBS can have from trying to cope with the pain and discomfort. It is even thought that three out of every four people who suffer from it, will have at least one bout of depression, with half experiencing some varying degree of anxiety. You should not let it control your quality of life though, and with appropriate treatment you can live a normal and happy life. In addition to Symprove, there are other available options to help with the symptoms of IBS such as Buscopan IBS relief, Imodium and Mebeverine. All are available from the stomach and bowel area of the Medical Specialists website.

www.medical-specialists.co.uk 

Ex-Blue Peter presenter Zoe Salmon speaks on her 13-year fight with IBS

If you are suffering from the pain and discomfort caused by irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), you are not alone. All across the the UK, there are 12 million more people who are being caused misery by the inconvenient and sometimes distressing stomach condition. The most commonly experienced symptoms for sufferers include stomach cramps, bloating and diarrhoea or constipation, or sometimes even alternating bouts of both to varying severity. Every case of IBS can be different, but all cases are certainly bothersome for the person who has it and Medical Specialists Pharmacy is doing everything possible to help the millions who are suffering.

This is why we recently introduced the revolutionary non-dairy, gluten-free probiotic ‘Symprove’; a scientific revelation of a drink that contains billions of live bacteria than get to work immediately upon entering the body and are not destroyed during the digestion process like other probiotics.

Perhaps somebody could come forth and recommend Symprove to the former Blue Peter presenter and Dancing on Ice contestant Zoe Salmon. The 32-year old TV star has this week spoke of her agonising 13-year battle against IBS, documenting her struggles over the years and what foods she now has to avoid in order to prevent a possible outbreak of symptoms.

She says: “I was 19 and working as a shop assistant when I had my first attack and started to feel really unwell. My vision started to go blurry and I felt as if I was going to faint. My heart started to beat quickly and my whole body began to shake. Then I broke out in a sweat and I was hit by this awful wave of nausea. The pain was so severe it literally took my breath away. Since then I’ve had increasingly severe symptoms, including stomach cramps, headaches, nausea and sickness every six months or so. One area that is always uncomfortable is my stomach, which feels bloated nearly every day. I actually look pregnant because my belly hangs over my jeans. It made me feel self-conscious in front of boyfriends. I went to see my GP and was told it sounded like I could be allergic to monosodium glutamate. I was referred to a consultant gastroenterologist and they said it sounded like I had a wheat and sugar intolerance. To hear that was terrible because I have such a sweet tooth. But it made sense as my first attack at work had come after I’d had a sugary drink and chocolate. So the consultant told me to cut sugar out of my diet and to stop eating wheat. Now that I’ve cut them out, I feel better. I avoid the culprit foods, such as bread, pasta, white rice, crackers, biscuits and alcohol, so eat lots of fish, chicken and vegetables. I am not saying I am the healthiest person. I still like my takeaways, and my sweet tooth will never really go.”

Dr Ray Shidrawi, a gastroenterologist at The Wellington Hospital in North London, heard about Zoe’s comments and gave his thoughts on her struggles. He says over a fifth of us have experienced IBS at one time or another. He commented: “Zoe is not alone in suffering from IBS. In fact it is a very common condition. Classic symptoms include bloating, ­constipation or diarrhoea or alternating instances of both. Invariably, we find IBS is stress-related and stress therapy is an important part of the treatment. But first we need to exclude other conditions including infections, so we often ask for a blood test and a sigmoidoscopy, which is a minimally invasive examination using a thin tube attached to a small camera and light that is ­inserted into the rectum to examine the bowel. Essentially, a person with IBS has a bowel but it is more sensitive than usual. The priority is to regulate the bowel and not get bunged up. So initially that means a balance of dietary changes to introduce more fibre and it will often mean using laxatives, too. We often find that IBS sufferers have an ­undertone of depression, so often a psychologist can help a patient enormously. We can also use some drugs to help modulate the gut but this is a last resort.”

Zoe Salmon is not the only celebrity though who is suffering from IBS, or has suffered with it at some point. There are many other people in the spotlight who have also had the common symptoms of IBS, and shows celebrities are just like the rest of us and not ‘superhuman’. They include:

. Tyra Banks (U.S. model and talk show host)

Tyra Banks surprised her audience back in 2006 when she revealed to her guest Janet Jackson that she has IBS, admitting she is ‘very gassy’.

. Jenny McCarthy (U.S. model and actress)

Jim Carrey’s former girlfriend Jenny McCarthy brazenly admitted to suffering with ‘chronic diarrhoea’ and various other IBS symptoms within her autobiography Jen-X: Jenny McCarthy’s Open Book.

. John F. Kennedy (Former U.S. president)

A 2002 review of the former President’s medical records, found an interesting revelation; it appeared he had suffered with bowel complaints and suspected IBS. Kennedy was prescribed antidiarrheal drugs to provide relief, as well as being administered testosterone to help his weight and strength.

. Camille Grammer (Former wife of actor Kelsey Grammer)

The Real Housewives of Beverley Hills star is often vocal about her battle with IBS, first developing the stomach condition in 1997. Whilst still married to Kelsey, she explained about her problems, saying: “I am always fearful that my IBS symptoms will return at any moment, so I always have to know where the nearest restroom is. I’m afraid that eating will result in stomach pain. Travelling is difficult. And IBS often makes even a simple evening out with my husband, to enjoy a concert or movie, seem impossible.”

The fact there are famous faces who have spoken out on their gut problems shows that these kinds of issues are indeed very common and certainly nothing to be ashamed about. If you are experiencing any kind of stomach complaint, it is vital you consult your GP immediately, who will then ask you detailed questions and refer you for further scans if necessary.

If it is IBS you have, then this can be treated with a wide range of effective medications such as Mebeverine and Buscopan IBS relief. In addition, the medication Lansoprazole can help with acid reflux problems that cause heartburn and complications with swallowing. All of these medicines are available at low prices from the ‘Stomach and Bowel’ section of the Medical Specialists Pharmacy website in addition to the new wonder treatment for IBS – Symprove. The 500ml mango and passion fruit flavour of Symprove can be purchased today without a prescription from Medical Specialists, priced just £19.93.

www.medical-specialists.co.uk

Bad breath biggest pre-date fear for Brits

The film ’50 First Dates’ may have depicted the issue as one of a light-hearted comical experience, but in reality first dates can often prove a nerve wracking and sometimes stressful experience – and this is before you have even gone on the date!

Brits worry about a whole assortment of factors leading up to the date such as choosing the right attire to wear or if there will be a sufficient number of topics of interest to discuss to mask over any potential awkward silences.

However, a new survey by the makers of revolutionary mouthwash CB12 has found that indeed bad breath seems to be the biggest concern of single Brits before going on their date, with over half who answered the survey stating this is their main worry before the big night.

Perhaps this is an unsurprising reason provided as a concern when bearing in mind that the same survey found three quarters (75%) claim they would be deterred from going on a second date with somebody if they had bad breath (also known as halitosis).

Topping the list however for dating turn-offs was body odour (86%), followed by bad breath, whilst excessive sweating and bad teeth were both given as reasons for being turned-off by 58% of the respondents.

Therefore, to increase your chances of achieving a second date with somebody, it might be worthwhile making sure you are stocked up with plenty of anti-perspirant, toothpaste and neutralise any bad breath for up to 12 hours with CB12 mouthwash!

The survey also discovered that bad skin/spots (34%), over-doing make-up (30%), untidy-looking nails (29%) and too much facial hair (28%) also proved to be big turn-offs for people.

James Preece, a top UK dating expert said: “It’s completely natural for people to get pre-date nerves, especially on a first date when first impressions are so important. Bad breath is clearly causing a huge amount of angst amongst daters, yet thankfully there are products out there such as CB12 which can help.  Confidence is key when it comes to dating as when people ooze confidence they appear more attractive to others – addressing pre-dates concerns boosts chances of having a fantastic date.”

The biggest pre-date worries, in order, were found to be:

. Bad breath

. Choice of outfit

. Looking fat

. Body odour

. Bad hair

. Food stuck in teeth

. Untidy/Ungroomed nails

. Make-up

James has provided 5 tips for unlucky-in-love serial daters to try and follow. They are:

1. Friday afternoon is the best time of the week to message when online dating. People are winding down at work, looking forward to the weekend and are looking for a distraction and possibly a date over the weekend.

2. If you want to attract and date a ’10,’ you’ve got to become a ’10′ yourself. This needs to be in every way – mentally & physically. So always dress to impress and never stop looking at ways to improve and enrich your life.

3. Mint can really enhance a kiss as the cooling sensation when air hits your mouth is a fantastic feeling. This can make it more memorable and give you more chance of getting another!

4. Kissing involves three senses at once – touch, taste and smell. So if you don’t have fresh breath you’ll spoil it for both of you.  Before your date, make sure your breath is fresh by using a mouth rinse so you can be confident you’ll have fresh breath throughout your date and especially for your first kiss!

5. A smile shows empathy and showing your teeth is a primitive display that you are not a threat.   So if a person gives someone a genuine warm smile it shows they are interested and comfortable talking to them. Studies have shown that teeth don’t need to be overly white to be considered attractive, just clean and natural looking. If you have bad teeth or bad breath then it suggests you are lazy and don’t care about your appearance, so definitely work on this if necessary.

www.medical-specialists.co.uk

Fear of impotence and wrinkles drive smokers to quit

Here is some basic information about some of the numerous dangers of smoking:

. Scientists say that the average smoker will lose 14 years of their life because of smoking.

. Smokers are twice as likely to suffer from a heart attack in comparison to their non-smoking counterparts.

. Smoking has been proven to be directly responsible for many types of cancer including: throat, lung, kidney, bladder, stomach, liver and cervix.

. Smoking accounts for 71% of all lung cancer deaths.

Now, you’d be forgiven for thinking these reasons alone would be enough of a deterrent for smoking and perhaps persuade current smokers into quitting smoking to improve their long-term health.

New research would suggest however this isn’t the case at all and it is in fact vanity/self-preservation motivations that are the reasons behind people kicking the deadly habit into touch rather than the worry of a premature death.  Indeed, there still remains an estimated 10 million Brits who are addicted to smoking, which should not be the case when there is smoking cessation medication available such as Champix that can help them quit for good, saving potentially thousands of pounds a year and adding years onto their life.

Despite the government’s best efforts to get people to stop smoking via steep increases in cigarette taxation and increasingly more graphic warnings and images being plastered on cigarette packets, for men it is the worry of impotency and a loss of sex drive that urges them to quit smoking.  Whilst it would seem women are concerned about cigarettes accelerating the aging process and giving them wrinkles, laugh lines and dreaded ‘crow’s feet’.

Stirling University’s Brian Williams, professor of Behavioural & Health Services Research, commented on his team’s research, saying: “Eight out of ten smokers want to quit. Targeting groups with images of issues that relate directly to their own concerns can have most effect. If we know one brand has a certain market – among say women – it would allow us to design images that were tailored to that particular demographic, say on looks or fertility. It is what advertisers do as well.”

Professor Williams and colleagues scrutinised answers given from around 19,000 people who completed a UK-wide online survey about their thoughts/reactions to graphic images printed on cigarette packaging.

It was found that there were three particular images that struck a chord with respondents due to their shock factor. A neck tumour image was found to be the most powerful, with 80% admitting this had affected them. Second was diseased teeth at 77%, and diseased lungs was third most powerful, with 72% saying this had upset them.

Interestingly, researchers observed that particular images seemed to have a bigger impact on certain age and gender groups differently than others.

For instance, the study found that female smokers were considerably more affected by all three images regarding aging in comparison to male counterparts. Images related to pregnancy and children also had a bigger impact on women compared to the male smokers.

The study report added: “Men were consistently more affected by the images relating to sexual performance/impotence. Images relating to heart and lung disease as a consequence of smoking were most effective amongst over-50s. Students and professionals were more affected by cosmetic issues than those who were unemployed or retired, possibly due to the impact of damage to their appearance caused by smoking. Most of the images relating to fertility, impotence and pregnancy > had a significantly greater effect on the 16-39 age group. The closer the characteristics of both the narrative and visual > forms match those of the viewer the greater the likely impact on risk representations.”

The report concluded: “This suggests that, as specific images have a more persuasive effect on particular groups, it may be worth considering a targeted approach to anti-smoking messages, placing appropriate images on brands known to be purchased by young, adult and older smokers.”

Professor Williams believes that smokers may not quit with shock tactics alone. He said: “What we are missing at the moment is images and messages on cigarette packets that encourage people to take the next step; that it is possible to give up.”

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Poor lifestyle choices causes a surge in cancer rates

There are fresh concerns that poor choices in lifestyle may be attributed to a large increase in the number of certain cancers following the publication of data from the Office for National Statistics (ONS).

The number of cases of malignant melanoma, an aggressive form of skin cancer, has seen the biggest rise, shooting up by 56% amongst men and 38% for women between the years 2002 and 2011.

Melanoma is relatively rare, but has become more prominent in recent times because of the surge in people using sunbeds. The cancer is caused due to cells beginning to abnormally develop in the skin and health experts believe it is exposure to UV light from natural or artificial sources such as a sunbed could be responsible. It starts within the skin and may spread to organs in the body. A usual sign of this cancer is the change of an existing mole of the sudden appearance of a new one.

Health experts at the ONS believe the rise in melanoma cases could be due to gradual changes in the nation’s fashion choices, with people more skin-revealing clothes in recent years. This together with large amounts of the population sunbathing at every rare chance of sunshine across the country and an increase in the use of sunbeds has put people at risk.

ONS statistics also show that in total, all combined new cases of cancer across England increased by a fifth between 2002 and 2011 – with 274,233 patients being diagnosed with cancer in 2011. From the 274,233, men made up 139,120 of the new diagnoses compared with 135,113 women. Both figures will no doubt be a lot more after additional hospital admissions are included in the totals.

The most prominent cancers in men are still the previous common types; prostate (25.6%), lung (13.8%) and colorectal (13.6%).

Smoking and poor diet are the main factors responsible for a surge in oral cancers, which have increased by 37%. Kidney cancer has also increased by 25% in men and 36% in women.

Both of these cancers are heavily linked to excessive alcohol consumption and tobacco usage. In fact these two factors together are believed to actually account for a staggering three-quarters of all oral cancer cases in Europe.

Nick Ormiston-Smith, statistical information manager at Cancer Research UK, spoke on how the nation’s poor lifestyle choices are being underestimated and are causing huge health problems later in life.

He said: “Forty per cent of cancers can be attributed to lifestyle factors so swapping some bad habits for healthier ones can help reduce the risk of developing the disease. Smoking increases the risk of at least 14 forms of cancer including lung, bowel, pancreatic and mouth. Cutting down on alcohol, keeping to a healthy weight, avoiding sunburn and being more active can also help reduce the risk of many cancers. Leading a healthy life doesn’t guarantee you won’t get cancer but it can stack the odds in your favour.”

After seeing the alarming ONS figures, Ciarán Devane, chief executive at Macmillan Cancer Support, said: “It is startling that the number of new cases of cancer diagnosed has soared by nearly a fifth in the last ten years. However, it is important to note that this overall figure disguises a wide variation across the cancer types. While it is welcome news that the number of new cases of ovarian and stomach cancer rates have decreased, malignant melanoma is up by a huge 66 per cent. Today’s ONS figures also reveal a worrying gender gap. Cancer affects women more in younger age groups, but men are significantly worse affected over the age of 60. The reasons for this are complex and only partially understood. Further research needs to be carried out to understand these differences better. We are warning that the rising numbers of cancer patients poses a huge challenge for the NHS as it will not be able to cope with the surge in demand unless it puts the necessary plans and resources in place now.”

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Women are most happy with their body at the age of 34

A new study into female body image has found that women finally grow to accept their body and are most ‘happiest’ with it at the age of 34.

This is apparently the age when the majority of women will begin to love and appreciate their lumps, bumps and wrinkles.

By their early 30s, many women will have more knowledge about diet and exercise in regards to what works for them, and this is around the age when women have usually settled into a committed long-term relationship. Although model Kelly Brook, who turns 34 in November, may disagree with the last point after her controversial break-up with Rugby player Danny Cipriani, which hit headlines recently.

Celebrity skin guru, beautician Nichola Joss says: “I have female clients of all ages and those in their early to mid-thirties typically have great body confidence. They work hard to maintain the best body shape possible, are educated about eating well and treating their body with respect. This brings them satisfaction. Crucially, at 34 maturity levels are high. Many 34 year olds I know have experienced either a loving relationship or close personal friendship and these bring confidence, both inside and out.”

The new study into female body image was conducted by skin and body care firm Sanctuary Spa, and found that roughly 40% of British women will closely look at themselves in the mirror whilst naked each day, and an additional 25% looking once each week.

There are around 16% of women however who are so body conscious due to wrinkles and other problems that they simply cannot bring themselves to properly look in the mirror without clothes on.

It seems the stomach region could be contributing for a lot of the female body hang-ups, with 57% of women in the study saying they would most like to change their stomach, and indeed 10% flatly refuse to wear a bikini when they are on the beach.

Over half of women (65%) – are so fearful of revealing pictures of themselves whilst in a bikini being plastered on Facebook that they will let this fear influence their choice of attire.

On the flip side, there was some positivity from those surveyed and women seem to be most proud of their breasts (30%), legs (22%), and shoulders (19%).

In terms of their celebrity body aspirations, unsurprisingly given her nickname of ‘The Body’, actress and model Elle MacPherson has the best bikini body according to half of women, whilst Kylie Minogue claimed the most votes for best beach bum (43%), ahead of Jennifer Lopez (32%) and Carol Vorderman (8%).

Women most envy Holly Willoughby’s curves (48%), followed by Catherine Zeta Jones (22%) and Nigella Lawson (17%).

Strictly Come Dancing judge Darcey Bussell, ambassador for Sanctuary Spa Active Reverse Body, had the second most envied arms (25%), behind yoga enthusiast Jennifer Anniston (47%).

Bussell commented: “For me body confidence is all about being healthy, strong and happy in my own skin. I also think good posture improves confidence and can take years off your appearance. Always pull out of your waist to create space between your hips and ribs, which improves core strength and helps you to look and feel more confident.”

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