Woman who had skin cancer warns of sunbed danger
She said she used oil for sunbathing, adding: "I didn't use high-factor sunscreen or cover up when I was out." In 2022, her partner noticed a white patch on her face.She said: "I thought it was just pigmentation, because it didn't look like a mole or what I took to be the usual signs of skin cancer. "Even the GP thought it was pigmentation. "But I wasn't happy because it just didn't look right so I pushed for some tests."A biopsy revealed she had basal cell carcinoma, the most common form of skin cancer which develops from cells found in the deepest part of the outer layer of the skin.For most people, this type of cancer does not spread.It can be removed by surgery and no further treatment is required. However, Ms Verrall's carcinoma needed a deep and lengthy incision to remove all traces of it.
Around 3,100 people are diagnosed with skin cancer every year in the south-east of England, according to Cancer Research UK.Ms Verrall, who runs an industrial door company, said she is now passionate about urging people to look after their skin."What I went through was traumatising and I don't want other people to experience that," she said.Beth Vincent, Cancer Research UK health information manager, said: "Getting sunburnt just once every two years can triple the risk of developing skin cancer, compared to never being burnt. "Even on a cloudy day, the sun can be strong enough to burn between mid-March and mid-October."
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The Sun
38 minutes ago
- The Sun
What happens to your child's body in a car in hot weather – symptoms can start in minutes even on cloudy days
TEMPERATURES are set to soar to over 33C again this weekend, in what is expected to be the UK's third summer heatwave in 2025. The hot weather is set to peak on Saturday, the day after a hosepipe ban is put in place in Yorkshire, with temperatures falling slightly again on Tuesday. And while you may be tempted to leave your child in the car whilst nipping to the shops to pick up ice lollies or picnic supplies, this can be potentially life threatening. Effects start in minutes According to experts, it can take less than half an hour for children to feel the effects of being left in the car in the heat, with sweating and thirst starting after 45 minutes, even on cloudy days. Experiments have revealed that even on cool summer days, temperatures inside cars can reach 52°C, which is almost as hot as the highest temperature ever recorded, which was 56°C in Death Valley California. The inside of a car can reach 20°C higher than the temperature outside, as the car's windows trap heat inside. Vehicles can quickly turn in to ovens, with children left inside at risk of severe health issues. Spending time in high temperatures causes your body's thermoregulatory efficiency to decrease, whilst your body temperature starts to rise. Your body then absorbs more heat than it dissipates, leading to a state of hyperthermia. When body temperatures exceed 40°C (normal body temperature is 37°C) heat illness occurs, which may cause heat stroke, dizziness, confusion and seizures. Every year in the UK, an average of 38 children die after being left in the car. Most of these children are under two years old. When Is It Too Hot to Walk Your Dog? Vet's Essential Advice Risk of death Omni's Hot Car Calculator gives a minute by minute break down of what happens when a child is left in the car. The calculator shows that on a sunny 25°C day with clear skies, children will be at risk of death within 70 mins. If there are scattered clouds in the sky, children could be in a life-threatening condition after 75 minutes. Sarah Jarvis, GP and clinical director of says: "You may think leaving your child in the car for just a few minutes is fine unless we're having one of the few really sunny days we get in the UK. The signs of heat exhaustion - and when it becomes heatstroke HEAT exhaustion does not usually need emergency medical help if you can cool down within 30 minutes. The signs include: Tiredness Dizziness Headache Feeling sick or being sick Excessive sweating and skin becoming pale and clammy or getting a heat rash, but a change in skin colour can be harder to see on brown and black skin Cramps in the arms, legs and stomach Fast breathing or heartbeat A high temperature Being very thirsty Weakness Diarrhoea HEATSTROKE is a medical emergency, so get inside and call 999 for an ambulance. Stay with the person, who may not be able to help themselves. Try to remove clothes if possible and lie the person down. Use a cool flannel and sponge them down and use a fan to try and help them lose heat by evaporation. If they are conscious and able, try to encourage them to drink. If they lose consciousness, put them into the recovery position while you wait for an ambulance. The NHS says to call 999 for signs of heatstroke that include: Still being unwell after 30 minutes of resting in a cool place, being cooled and drinking fluids A very high temperature Hot skin that's not sweating and might look red (this can be harder to see on brown and black skin) A fast heartbeat Fast breathing or shortness of breath Confusion and lack of coordination A seizure or fit Loss of consciousness "But apart from the security aspect, there are real risks to your child's health from spending just a few minutes in a car with the windows up. "The smaller your child, the less good they are at regulating their body temperature. That means they're at real risk of dangerous heat exhaustion or heat stroke. "Their body fluid is carefully regulated, and depends on the right balance of fluid and salts. But babies and small children lose fluid very quickly from sweating and increased breathing rate, leaving them at serious risk of dehydration. "Once their body reaches a critical temperature, the normal body mechanisms don't work any more. Their temperature can skyrocket, leaving them at risk of organ damage and even death. "The inside of the car is like a greenhouse, and we all know they're designed to keep plants much warmer than being in the open air. There's no breeze, and even on a cloudy day sun on the windows and roof with rapidly leave the inside of the car like a sauna. "So no matter how short and no matter how cloudy, just don't do it." Minute-by-minute 22C with scattered clouds in a dark car (the car may reach 56.4C). 40 mins: hyperthermia sweating thirst very uncomfortable 60 mins: severe sweating flushed increased heart rate children with epilepsy may start convulsing 90 mins (life-threatening): fainting dehydration weakness vomiting breathlessness 165 mins (medical emergency): severe headache dizziness confusion hallucinations delirium medical emergency 26C with a clear sky in a dark car (the car may reach 66.5C). 30 mins: hyperthermia sweating thirst very uncomfortable 45 mins: severe sweating flushed increased heart rate children with epilepsy may start convulsing 70 mins (life-threatening): fainting dehydration weakness vomiting breathlessness 110 mins (medical emergency): severe headache dizziness confusion hallucinations delirium medical emergency The hotter is gets, the quicker these symptoms come on, with dark-coloured cars also speeding up the process. And it doesn't even have to be that hot for dangers to kick in, with a child's heart rate rising and severe sweating starting after 85 minutes if it is just 18C outside.
The Sun
an hour ago
- The Sun
The golden dose of Mounjaro that helps you shift the MOST weight – and why it's OK to still be hungry on the jab
EXPERTS have revealed the golden dose of Mounjaro that helps shift the most weight - and it's not the highest one. Weight loss jab users tend to start on lower doses and gradually increase them as their body adjusts, to a maximum of 15mg. 1 Many assume that anything under the maximum won't be "enough" to produce results. But analysis of patients taking the jab found that most - 86 per cent - lost significant amounts of weight at 10mg or lower. In fact, some of the best outcomes were seen at doses of 7.5mg, rather than the maximum 15mg. Patients on this dose - just 5mg above the starter amount of 2.5mg - had the highest average weight loss. Kiran Jones, clinical pharmacist at Oxford Online Pharmacy, said: 'This study reinforces that healthy, sustainable weight loss is possible without excessive pressure or maximal dosing." The analysis is based on anonymised data from 100 patients who were prescribed Mounjaro with Oxford Online Pharmacy. The data was collected in April 2025 and patients who were at various points in their treatment rather than all starting at the same time, as would happen for a study in a clinical setting. Researchers collected information such as patients' current dose, their starting body mass index (BMI) and the percentage of body weight lost. All the patients included in the audit got started on the recommended starting dose of 2.5mg. "Starting low helps the body adjust gradually to the medication and minimises early side effects," the report authors explained. I went on fat jabs but the hair loss was unbelievable so I quit - I'd rather be chubby with hair than skinny and bald Just over half - 51- of the patients were taking 5mg of Mounjaro at the time. Meanwhile, eight people were on 7.5mg, 27 people were on 10mg, one on 12.5mg and 13 on 15mg. Patients in the analysis lost up to 39kg. "Our audit showed that healthy, sustainable weight loss occurred at all Mounjaro dose levels," the report authors said. "There was a general trend of greater weight loss at higher doses, mirroring what has been found in clinical trials. "However, in our audit, the upward dose-dependent trend was not perfectly linear." This means that people on the highest doses didn't necessarily lose the most weight. The 7.5mg group had the highest average weight loss, followed by 15mg. What to do if you lose too much weight too quickly whilst on Mounjaro IF you're losing too much weight too quickly while on Mounjaro, it's important to take action to avoid potential health risks like muscle loss, malnutrition, dehydration, and fatigue. Here's what you can do: Evaluate Your Caloric Intake Mounjaro reduces appetite, which can make it easy to eat too little. If you're losing weight too fast (more than two to three lbs per week after the initial adjustment period), try: Tracking your food intake to ensure you're eating enough calories (apps like MyFitnessPal can help). Increasing protein intake to preserve muscle mass (aim for 0.6–1g per pound of body weight). Adding healthy fats and complex carbs (e.g., avocados, nuts, whole grains) for balanced energy. Adjust Your Dosage (With Doctor's Approval) If your weight loss is too rapid or causing side effects, your doctor may: Pause dose increases or lower your dosage. Adjust your treatment plan to stabilise your weight loss. Strength Training & Exercise To prevent muscle loss: Incorporate resistance training at least two to three times per week. Stay active with low-impact exercises like walking or yoga. Hydrate & Manage Electrolytes Drink enough water (Mounjaro can reduce thirst). Electrolytes matter - Consider adding magnesium, sodium, and potassium if you feel weak or fatigued. Monitor for Malnutrition & Deficiencies Rapid weight loss can cause vitamin/mineral deficiencies (especially B12, iron, and electrolytes). If you experience: Fatigue, hair loss, or dizziness, ask your doctor about supplements. Consider Further Medical Guidance If your weight loss is excessive or causing health concerns, speak with your healthcare provider. They might adjust your dosage, diet, or exercise plan to help stabilise your weight loss. "At first glance, this might suggest that 7.5mg is more effective than the highest dose," researchers explained. "However, while some patients on 7.5mg achieved greater weight loss than those on higher doses, others lost far less. "This variability highlights the highly individual response to Mounjaro. Outcomes are shaped not just by dose, but by lifestyle, health status, adherence, and other personal factors." Researchers noted that that smaller group sizes for some dosage amounts - just eight patients on 7.5mg and 13 on 15mg - make the results sensitive to outliers. This means that if someone lost much more weight than others in the same group, this could be skewing the averages worked out by the report authors. "A larger dataset would help smooth these fluctuations and better reflect true trends," they said. "Still, the fact that peak average weight loss occurred at a lower dose is meaningful. "It reinforces that the maximum dose isn't required to see meaningful results." The BMI patients started at did seem to influence weight loss results. Those with a BMI over 40 when they started taking the jabs were more likely to shed over 20 per cent of their body weight. "Patients with higher BMIs who achieved greater weight loss were more likely to be on higher doses of 10mg or more, but this was not always the case," the researchers said. "Some patients achieved significant results at moderate doses like 5mg or 7.5mg, reinforcing that dose alone doesn't determine success and that response to Mounjaro is highly individual." The study authors noted that they couldn't draw conclusions about how quickly patients were able to shed pounds on Mounjaro, as they didn't collect data on overall treatment duration, starting date, or how quickly people upped their dose. They also advised caution in interpreting the results, especially for the higher dose groups that had fewer people in them. Is it normal to be hungry on the jabs? A common misconception among jab users is that they shouldn't feel any hunger at all while taking them. This can lead to unnecessary concerns about whether their current dose is working, especially when they're taking lower doses. One of the ways GLP-1 medications like Mounjaro work is by calming hunger signals in the brain, helping patients feel satisfied with smaller portions. But they do not and should not eliminate hunger altogether. "Hunger is the body's way of signalling it needs fuel, and even patients on higher doses like 12.5mg or 15mg should feel hunger at times," the report authors noted. Kiran added: 'People think these medicines switch off hunger completely, but that's not how they work. "Being able to eat is normal. Success looks different for everyone, and often, the biggest wins are quiet ones: more energy, less breathlessness, and better sleep. 'Becoming healthier without extreme diets or private clinics is a powerful example of what good, regulated care can achieve. Patients need safety, not pressure.' Everything you need to know about fat jabs Weight loss jabs are all the rage as studies and patient stories reveal they help people shed flab at almost unbelievable rates, as well as appearing to reduce the risk of serious diseases. Wegovy – a modified version of type 2 diabetes drug Ozempic – and Mounjaro are the leading weight loss injections used in the UK. Wegovy, real name semaglutide, has been used on the NHS for years while Mounjaro (tirzepatide) is a newer and more powerful addition to the market. Mounjaro accounts for most private prescriptions for weight loss and is set to join Wegovy as an NHS staple this year. How do they work? The jabs work by suppressing your appetite, making you eat less so your body burns fat for energy instead and you lose weight. They do this my mimicking a hormone called GLP-1, which signals to the brain when the stomach is full, so the drugs are officially called GLP-1 receptor agonists. They slow down digestion and increase insulin production, lowering blood sugar, which is why they were first developed to treat type 2 diabetes in which patients' sugar levels are too high. Can I get them? NHS prescriptions of weight loss drugs, mainly Wegovy and an older version called Saxenda (chemical name liraglutide), are controlled through specialist weight loss clinics. Typically a patient will have to have a body mass index (BMI) of 30 or higher, classifying them as medically obese, and also have a weight-related health condition such as high blood pressure. GPs generally do not prescribe the drugs for weight loss. Private prescribers offer the jabs, most commonly Mounjaro, to anyone who is obese (BMI of 30+) or overweight (BMI 25-30) with a weight-related health risk. Private pharmacies have been rapped for handing them out too easily and video calls or face-to-face appointments are now mandatory to check a patient is being truthful about their size and health. Are there any risks? Yes – side effects are common but most are relatively mild. Around half of people taking the drug experience gut issues, including sickness, bloating, acid reflux, constipation and diarrhoea. Dr Sarah Jarvis, GP and clinical consultant at said: 'One of the more uncommon side effects is severe acute pancreatitis, which is extremely painful and happens to one in 500 people.' Other uncommon side effects include altered taste, kidney problems, allergic reactions, gallbladder problems and hypoglycemia. Evidence has so far been inconclusive about whether the injections are damaging to patients' mental health. Figures obtained by The Sun show that, up to January 2025, 85 patient deaths in the UK were suspected to be linked to the medicines.
BBC News
an hour ago
- BBC News
Open up places with air-con to help in heatwave, say Lib Dems
Air-conditioned buildings such as gyms, leisure centres and libraries should be opened up to the public during heatwaves, the Liberal Democrats have party is calling for the government to support turning spaces in these buildings into "cool hubs" to provide vulnerable people with respite from the heat health alerts have been issued until 15 July for central, southern and eastern parts of England by the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA).Temperatures are expected to hit 34C (93F) in parts of the UK this weekend, as the country heads into the third heatwave of the summer. The party says these would be the hot weather version of warm hubs, which were launched in autumn 2022 to provide people with a warm place to go amid high energy prices when some were worried about putting on the hubs would be run in partnership with local councils and national government in public facilities like community centres. They wouldn't necessarily be in council owned areas already run cool space schemes during warm months. London and Manchester both have networks of community cool spaces to escape the the UK, Paris operates a network of "cool islands" during summer months where people can find cool places like museums, swimming pools and public parks via an app. Various US states also operate cooling centres. An estimated 2,295 deaths were associated with heat in summer 2023 in the UK, according to figures from the spring has been the warmest and sunniest on record in the UK. A recent Met Office study said the chances of somewhere in the UK recording a temperature exceeding 40°C in the next 12 years is accelerating rapidly. Liberal Democrat energy spokesperson Pippa Heylings called heat-related deaths "avoidable" and said cool hubs were a "common sense idea" that could "provide a refuge for vulnerable people to get away from this stifling, sweltering heat".The party is also calling for the government to provide free insulation and heat pumps to low income households, to help keep homes cool in the summer and warm in the UK has some of the least energy-efficient homes in Europe.A government spokesperson said they would urge people to take extra care in the hot weather, and building regulations were in place to reduce the risk of new homes overheating."Housing tenants can speak to their council if excess heat means that their property is in a dangerous condition," they added.
