TikTok's ‘sun tattoo' trend prompts skin cancer warning
Young people have been posting videos on TikTok and Instagram showing shapes, including flowers, hearts or lettering, on their skin where they have applied small amounts of sunscreen. The patterns contrast with the surrounding burnt or tanned skin, which they have deliberately left unprotected.
Doctors are horrified and Yannick Neuder, the health minister who is a cardiologist by training, has posted his own video on social media warning that the practice could cause serious skin damage or cancer in later life.
'Your skin is your life and you've only got one. Don't sacrifice it for 30 seconds of buzz [by] deliberately burning your skin for a TikTok or Instagram video,' he said.
Many observers were sceptical, however, that the video, in which the bespectacled 56-year-old minister appears in a suit and tie, would succeed in influencing teenagers.
In July and August, French beaches are packed with sunbathers enjoying les grandes vacances despite repeated warnings by the national health authority that 'there is no such thing as a healthy tan'.
Another harmful social media trend gaining popularity among young people in France this summer is applying olive oil and lemon juice to accelerate tanning.
'This can lead to second-degree burns, permanent dark spots or wrinkles because it provides no protection and can even increase the effect of UV rays,' Dr Gérald Kierzek said.
France reports up to 250,000 cases of skin cancer a year according to Neuder, who warned that even factor 50 sunscreen does not block all harmful UV. He advised wearing a wide-brimmed hat, specially treated clothing to protect against UV, and avoiding exposure when the sun is at its strongest.
Dr Aamer Khan of the Harley Street Skin Clinic in London said: 'With melanoma cases among the most common in the UK, it's important that we educate people on the risks of taking part in these trends. Each time you're sunburnt, your chances of skin cancer multiply.
'What most people are unaware of is that your skin changing colour through the tanning process is actually a warning sign from your body, as it produces melanin in order to prevent further UV damage.'
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Daily Mail
19 minutes ago
- Daily Mail
Carry on, doctor! Two thirds of resident physicians defy calls to join five-day walkout in huge blow to militant unions' bid to wreak hospital havoc with strikes
The vast majority of resident doctors have defied strike calls by militant union chiefs determined to wreak havoc in NHS hospitals, figures revealed tonight. Official statistics from health bosses show a huge drop in the numbers who joined last week's five-day walkout, with two-thirds of medics snubbing the order. The news is likely to prove deeply embarrassing for union leaders, who are demanding that resident doctors – formerly known as junior doctors – receive a salary rise of 29 per cent to reverse 'pay erosion' since 2008. Last night, Health Secretary Wes Streeting heaped praise on the strike refuseniks, saying: 'Due to the dedication of NHS staff and a different operational approach from previous strikes, we have managed to significantly reduce disruption to patients, with early indications showing that 10,000 extra patients received care compared with previous strike action. 'A majority of resident doctors didn't vote for strike action and data shows that less than a third took part.' Mr Streeting also condemned the 'damaging' and 'unnecessary' industrial action organised by the British Medical Association (BMA), saying it 'came at a cost to patients'. 'Rather than cave in to the BMA's demands, hospital leaders worked hard to maintain as much planned care as possible,' he added. The Health Secretary – who was treated for kidney cancer in 2021 – also told The Mail on Sunday: 'I spoke to a kidney cancer patient last week whose surgery was postponed by a month due to these strikes. 'As someone who has faced the agonising wait for cancer treatment, I know how hard this unnecessary action would hit him and his loved ones. 'Every cancelled appointment means more pain for patients already waiting too long. 'Every postponed procedure piles pressure on overstretched colleagues picking up the pieces.' Last night's figures by NHS England reveal that the Health Service maintained 93 per cent of planned care – operations, tests and procedures – during the five-day strike. In total nearly 1,300 fewer doctors walked out compared with the strikes in June 2024 – a 7.5 per cent drop. West Hertfordshire Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust was the best performing Trust, with 98 per cent of patient care delivered. University College London Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust also managed to deliver 95 per cent of care, with bosses saying it saw '10 per cent to 15 per cent' fewer resident doctors go on strike. David Probert, chief executive of UCLH, said the Trust managed to keep services running thanks to consultants rearranging their weekly shift patterns at no extra cost. 'When presented with a problem you find ways to cope,' he added. 'People were flexible and brilliant and stood up.' However, he also warned doctors against any further industrial action later this year, saying: 'The general view is that we can cope for a one-off period and help, but if this were to carry on again until December, that would clearly be a challenge.' Resident doctors, who make up about half of all medics in the NHS, have up to eight years' experience working as a hospital doctor, or up to three years in general practice. Despite the BMA's salary demands, they have had the most generous salary awards of all public-sector workers for two years in a row, with their pay rising 28.9 per cent over the last three years. However, the BMA claims that real-terms pay for resident doctors has actually fallen by 21 per cent in 17 years. Last week's walkouts are the latest example of Left-wing activism against Keir Starmer's government, with teachers and nurses also expected to ballot on industrial action. Labour's biggest financial backer, Unite, is threatening to pull funding from the party and has suspended Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner's membership over her failure to back the Birmingham bin strikes. Shadow health minister Dr Caroline Johnson MP said last night: 'The BMA is not acting in the interests of patients – it's abusing its power. 'Labour rolled over on day one, handing out inflation-busting pay rises without securing a single reform. 'Now Angela Rayner wants to go further, scrapping strike ballot thresholds and giving militant unions even more freedom to grind public services to a halt. 'Patients are paying the price for Labour's cowardice.' NHS chief executive Sir James Mackey said: 'The NHS has come together like never before to minimise the impact of strikes on patients. 'While this is really good news for the vast majority of patients whose treatment went ahead, we should still acknowledge there were thousands whose care was disrupted. 'NHS staff will continue to work hard to ensure patients can get their rescheduled care as soon as possible, but for those patients – and for all our staff who had to work extra shifts or with different responsibilities – a repeat of this action will be unacceptable.' A BMA spokesman said: 'NHS England's claim that the majority of England's 77,000 resident doctors chose to 'Join the NHS-wide effort to keep the services open', requires a huge stretch of the imagination, given it is almost impossible to know the exact number of residents working on any given day because of complex work patterns, on-call schedules and the strike spread across a weekend. 'Added to that, in July many doctors are using up their annual leave before their new posts start and would therefore not show up as striking. 'We look forward to seeing hard and fast data on NHS England's claim. 'Even with NHS England's determination to carry on, we know that operations will have been postponed and clinics rescheduled.
Daily Mail
19 minutes ago
- Daily Mail
Private equity barons extracting millions from our dentists
Private equity sharks are cashing in on the crisis in NHS dentistry with debt-fuelled firms taking big bites out of the sector – including one advised by a former Health Secretary. The latest entrant is Bridgepoint, which previously owned care home operator Care UK, and has spent a reported £800 million buying a majority stake in MyDentist. MyDentist, which runs more than 500 practices, has a 5 per cent share of the UK market and is the biggest chain providing NHS services. Bridgepoint's advisors include former Labour Health Secretary Alan Milburn, recently appointed lead non-executive director at the Department of Health and Social Care. The UK-based firm's chief executive Raoul Hughes could earn a bonus of more than £2.5 million this year on top of his £850,000 salary, up from £1.6 million last year. Fears have been raised about the impact on patient care of chains – most owned by profit-hungry, private equity – now running 12 per cent of practices, and even whether they will attempt to 'hold the Government to ransom' for payments. Already, the cost of a basic filling at one leading private equity-owned chain is three and a half times the amount charged by an NHS dentist. There is concern the sector could end up in the same position as care homes and veterinary services, where prices have soared amid private equity domination. Fatal extraction: There is concern the dental sector could end up in the same position as care homes and veterinary services The Centre for Health and the Public Interest think-tank published research in May showing £1.5 billion is taken out of the care home sector each year in returns to shareholders and investors. Meanwhile, a paper in the British Medical Journal said ownership by big business pushed up prices and had 'mixed to harmful impacts' on patient care. Separately, the Competition and Markets Authority is conducting an ongoing investigation into pricing at veterinary practices, 60 per cent of which are now controlled by big chains, several of which are private equity-owned. Health Secretary Wes Streeting has pledged urgent reform of dentistry as the number of people to have seen an NHS practitioner in the past two years fell to just 40 per cent. Some areas of Britain have been deemed 'dental deserts' with no NHS dentists for miles and a severe lack of capacity even at private clinics. It comes amid a shortage of dentists wanting to take on health service work due to a disastrous contract imposed almost two decades ago by New Labour. The journal Healthcare Business International has described UK dentistry as 'ripe for consolidation with single and dual practices still dominant'. It predicts there is 'room for growth' by big firms. Other private equity-backed chains are Portman Dentex and Rodericks – whose ownership by firms with links to the tax havens of Luxembourg and the Cayman Islands respectively has sparked unease among senior MPs and campaigners. Dennis Reed, of older people's rights group, Silver Voices, said he feared the 'extinction of NHS dentistry', adding: 'In private residential homes prices are astronomical because they are owned by these large groups, hedge funds and private equity companies, which are driving up costs. I would hate for dentistry to go the same way. 'If they take over, private prices will go up and they will hold the Government to ransom for NHS dentistry too, demanding more and more money.' Labour MP Clive Betts, deputy chairman of the Public Accounts Committee, called the arrival of private equity chains 'extremely worrying'. He said: 'The best way to stop them is to get the NHS dental contract sorted out so dentists get a fair return and patients can get an available service.' In a report published in April, the committee warned there was 'no future' for NHS dentistry without 'fundamental reform'. In June, delegates at the UK's largest gathering of dentists called for an 'urgent assessment' of the 'growing dominance' of private equity firms. The Local Dental Committees' conference in Newcastle passed a motion saying: 'We believe that the interests of private equity providers are rarely aligned with this profession, and there is an urgent need for an assessment of the risk associated with their growing dominance of private and NHS care.' Insiders said there was concern that other private equity bidders for MyDentist had included TDR Capital, which has been accused of loading firms with debt, and Cinven, which was fined three times for price fixing on NHS drugs. Dentists are also concerned that 'efficiency savings' typically sought by private equity groups risk 'a clear and present danger to the delivery of ongoing care'. Dr John Puntis, a retired consultant paediatrician and co-chair of Keep Our NHS Public, said: 'Since the disastrous dental contract under New Labour, many dentists found practices financially unviable, opening up a vacuum increasingly filled by private companies. 'Meanwhile, more dental deserts have been created where people can no longer find an NHS dentist. 'Reports of 'do it yourself' dentistry have become increasingly common, and cases of oral cancer have also risen as routine dental checks on the NHS have fallen. 'Private dentistry is beyond the means of many, with poor oral health strongly associated with low income and deprivation. What is needed is a commitment from Government to bring dentistry back into the NHS, adequate funding, and a new contract for NHS dentists that is financially fair and focused on prevention. Were this to happen, the growth of private equity firms would shrink greatly and oral health would improve.' In May, the British Dental Association warned MPs that NHS dentistry faced an 'existential threat'. In a paper presented to Parliament, it said while the number of qualified dentists was at a record high, there were 'only enough dentistry commissioned for half the population'. It said: 'We are seeing a return of scenes that belong in the Victorian era, with new polling from Ipsos indicating that of those unable to secure an NHS dental appointment a quarter resort to DIY dentistry, with almost 1 in 5 seeking help abroad.' Chairman Eddie Crouch said: 'As we see more churn in the financing of these big chains it is more important than ever that the interests of patients remain at the forefront of care rather than a quick return on investment, whether in NHS or private provision.' MyDentist, previously owned by Palamon Capital Partners, last year saw turnover rise £39 million to £573 million and its profit before interest and tax rise 14 per cent from £73 million to £84 million. The company's debt rose from £328 million to £362 million, with interest payments eating into its profits, which fell from £16 million to £6 million. Though MyDentist's accounts boast of attracting 22.5 per cent more NHS patients, the amount of NHS work fell in monetary value from £313 million to £301 million between 2023 and 2024. Profit growth mostly came from a boom in private treatment, which grew from £221 million to £272 million. Alan Milburn is paid for corporate advice via his consultancy firm AM Strategy, with he and his family having received dividends of more than £5 million between 2017 and 2023, according to Companies House records. The most recent accounts for the 12 months to March last year showed the company's assets had grown from £5.3 million to £6.2 million. As well as Bridgepoint, the former New Labour politician has been a longstanding advisor to consultancy PwC's health practice, confectionery giant Mars and US healthcare firm Centene Corporation. An MP until 2010, he received £25,000 a year to sit on the board of Lloyds Pharmacy, and £20,000 a year on the advisory board of PepsiCo UK, according to the register of members' interests. After My Dentist, the second biggest chain – all of which offer NHS treatments – is Bupa, with 389 practices. Last year, the firm's overall pre-tax profits soared 72 per cent from £564 million to £972 million. The company is due to announce its latest half-yearly results on Thursday. Next is Portman Dentex, with 384 practices. It is owned by Belgian-based Core Equity Holdings, which has a linked firm in the Cayman Islands. Its accounts for the year to September 2024 show turnover up 37 per cent from £436 million to £597 million, driven largely by a growth in private treatment from £310 million to £438 million. NHS turnover grew from £81 million to £97 million. Portman Dentex's profit before interest and tax rose from £53million to £91 million. But borrowings rose from £778 million to £883 million, and the firm – which is eyeing a 'pipeline of future acquisitions' – made an overall loss of £82 million in 2023 and £72 million in 2024. Smaller rival Rodericks, owned by London-based private equity firm CapVest, which has offices in Luxembourg, ran 165 practices last year and boasted of a 'focus on delivering NHS contracts and increased private dental treatments'. Its most recent accounts show turnover up £3 million to £82 million in the year to March 2023. The arrival of big business followed New Labour's controversial 2006 dental contract. While dentists were previously reimbursed for individual treatments, the payment system changed so fees were offered for 'units of dental activity' covering types of work. Critics say the move meant individual dentists were left underpaid, receiving a standardised fee for both simple and more complex treatments, prompting an exodus from the NHS. Big chains were attracted because they could provide large volumes of work. Health Secretary Wes Streeting has promised to reform the dental contract. At present, there is no regulatory structure or form of risk assessment for corporate entities buying into dentistry – other than competition rules. A Department of Health and Social Care spokesperson said: 'We inherited a broken NHS dental system and have already begun fixing it – rolling out 700,000 urgent appointments – and our ten-year health plan will fix the foundations of NHS dentistry. 'Reforms to the dental contract will prioritise those with urgent and complex needs, with new measures for those with extreme tooth decay and gum disease. 'We are also committed to ensuring NHS-trained dentists stay in the system for at least the minimum period and all dentists – NHS or private – are registered and regulated by the General Dental Council to ensure patient safety.'
The Sun
19 minutes ago
- The Sun
More than half of parents are concerned about their child's mental health over summer holidays
MORE than half of parents are concerned about their child's mental health over the summer holidays - and just as many fear for their own. A shocking new study of 2000 mums and dads found that 54 per cent were worried about their kids' well-being ahead of next week's break. 2 But it's not just their children that parents are worried about this summer - 51 per cent said they're also struggling to cope themselves. The survey, by charity Sport in Mind, revealed that rising childcare costs, lack of support, and the pressures of juggling work and parenting are pushing many to breaking point. Neil Harris, CEO of Sport in Mind, said: 'Parents told us their biggest concerns around mental health this summer stem from the pressure of juggling work and parenting, the lack of support or personal time, and growing financial strain. 'The ongoing cost of living crisis is hitting families hard, with rising childcare and activity costs making it even tougher to keep children active and mentally well during the holidays.' Childcare costs have rocketed in recent years, with holiday clubs now averaging £157 per week, per child. Other extra-curricular activities have also become just as expensive, with nearly a quarter of parents saying that financial barriers prevent their child from participating in sport over the summer holidays. These hefty price tags along with a lack of organised activities and preferences for screens or video games, leave kids vulnerable to mental health issues, the charity says. Sport in Mind is delivering free sessions via the Holiday Activities Programme, a government-funded scheme helping children stay active and engaged during school breaks as well as free Youth journals. A Sport in Mind youth participant said: 'Coming to Sport in Mind sessions gets me active and out of the house. 'At home, there's no one to play with, but here I can try new sports and activities. I also get to meet people from my school and make new friends.' Moment Spider-Man film crews perform tank stunt on streets of Glasgow It comes as Heidi Ellert-McDermott, 48, recently shared with The Sun how she suffers from reverse SAD during the summer months. Seasonal affective disorder (SAD) is a type of depression that affects one in 20 people in the UK. While traditionally associated with dark winters, 'reverse SAD' affects ten per cent of those with the condition. Clinical psychologist Dr Andrea Pickering, fellow of the British Psychological Society and clinical director at Clinical Partners, said: 'It is triggered by seasonal changes, most commonly during winter but sometimes in summer. 'Like other forms of depression, it's linked to chemical changes in the brain, particularly involving serotonin which regulates mood, and melatonin which controls sleep. 'In winter, less sunlight leads to lower serotonin levels and increased melatonin production. 'In summer, the brain can become overstimulated by too much sunlight or heat, which can disrupt sleep cycles and leave people feeling agitated, anxious and unbalanced. 'So while the triggers are seasonal, the brain's response is similar to depression, just with different timing.' 2
