Over 13million Brits urged to wipe their windowsills for 30 seconds every day this week
And many people will love the chance to get
Advertisement
2
Brits are being urged to spare a mere 30 seconds to wipe down their windowsills this week after keeping them open
Credit: Getty
2
Over 13 million people suffer from hay fever in the UK
But Brits are being urged to spare a mere 30 seconds to wipe down their windowsills this week after keeping them open
.
With an estimated 13 million
hay fever
sufferers in the UK plagued with itchy eyes, a runny nose, sneezing or fatigue, it's vital to be mindful of indoor allergens.
It can also aggravate lung conditions such as asthma, which affects 7.2million people in the UK, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), which affects 1.2million.
Advertisement
Health
Tiny articles of pollen can stick
to everything including your
and clothes and once it gets inside your home it can settle on sofas, carpets, and bedding.
Home cleaning specialist and
"But not wiping the sills afterwards is basically inviting pollen to settle and linger in your home."
Advertisement
Most read in Fabulous
Pollen can easily settle on smooth surfaces like window sills, frames, and blinds, particularly when windows remain open during peak pollen times.
Once in your home, these particles can be stirred back into the air by everyday actions such as opening or closing blinds, or simply walking past.
Change your car air filter and have your A/C checked if you suffer from hayfever
Regularly wiping these areas before pollen has the opportunity to disperse can prevent it from getting on bedding, sofas, and carpets.
Nigel advises: "Just use a damp microfibre cloth once a day. It takes 30 seconds, costs nothing, and can genuinely reduce your hay fever flare-ups indoors."
Advertisement
Dr Lindsay Browning, psychologist, neuroscientist and sleep expert at
,
provided other tips on how to keep
hay fever
at
Elsewhere, an allergy expert recently revealed the 8 things all hay fever sufferers need to do.
Hay fever first aid kit
Analyse your symptoms and find the best medication kit for you...
Antihistamines
Antihistamines (cetirizine or loratadine) work by blocking histamine in the body, which is released when the body detects something it thinks is harmful.
Histamine causes blood vessels to expand and the skin to swell, but in people with hay fever, also causes an allergic reaction. That's the watering eyes, blocked nose, rashes and so on.
Max Wiseberg, airborne allergens expert and creator of HayMax, says that many antihistamines are available on prescription, such as Telfast, which you can see your GP for or get through an online doctor, such as LloydsPharmacy.
Telfast, and other prescription-only antihistamine tablets, work in the same way as over-the-counter antihistamines, but are stronger and intended to help with more severe symptoms.
'Get your prescription in advance of the season so you have your medication in time to start taking it at the right time,' he says.
'Some are best taken at least one month before the hay fever season starts."
Nasal sprays
A nasal spray can be effective in controlling congestion and stuffiness.
Pharmacists can advise on nasal sprays (sodium cromoglicate, ipratropium bromide or decongestant), and eye drops, too.
Nasal sprays can also help with other symptoms of hay fever 'because the medicine is targeted directly to the nose, which is where the vast majority of allergens enter the body', Max says.
Independent pharmacist Rita Ghelani says: 'Try Xlear nasal spray, which contains xylitol, and has anti-bacterial properties and keeps the nasal lining moist.
'If symptoms are more severe, then try an anti-inflammatory nasal spray – sometimes referred to as a steroid nasal spray – which can take a few days to work.
'Start with one that contains beclomethasone, which is used twice a day, in the morning and at night.'
Rita also advises cleaning the nose with a saline nasal spray before a steroid spray, saying: 'It will remove sticky mucus from the nasal passage, thus improving the effectiveness of the medication.'
Eye drops
If itchy eyes are your primary concern, Rita says: 'Try using sodium cromoglicate eye drops.
"These make the eyes less sensitive to allergens such as pollen and reduce irritation.
"They need to be used four times a day to keep the levels of the active ingredient high enough to be effective.
"Keep using them even if symptoms improve.
'Using a good eye drop to lubricate the eyes may also help with dry eyes during the summer months.'
And Hay fever sufferers have been warned not to buy super-strong injections online as demand has soared for a banned drug.
Instead, here are four cheap tricks to beat hay fever season without breaking the bank.
Advertisement
And finally, the
6p supplement
that will help prevent the agonising symptoms of hay fever.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Irish Sun
8 hours ago
- The Irish Sun
Warning for parents about colors your children should NEVER wear at the beach – certain swimsuits make them ‘invisible'
EXPERTS are warning parents to think twice before buying their child's bathing suits, as certain colors are more dangerous than others. Research found that parents are unknowingly putting their children in danger by buying colors that may be invisible underwater. Advertisement 2 Parents are being warned not to dress their children in certain colors (stock photo) Credit: Getty 2 Parents should avoid blue, gray and white colors Credit: On the Beach Parents should avoid dressing their children in blue, white, or gray swimsuits, according to Those three colors were found to be nearly invisible underwater, even if you're child is just a few feet below the surface. If the child were to be in any sort of danger, it may be harder for a lifeguard to spot them. 'I've swam my entire life and I've only recently become aware that there are certain colours that can't be seen underwater,' Olympic gold medalist Rebecca Adlington told On the Beach. Advertisement 'As a parent, I should have been aware of this sooner.' On the Beach is launching a petition to ban clothing companies from producing children's swimwear in those colors. 'Alongside On the Beach, I'm urging the government to review the legislation around selling blue, white and grey swimwear to children,' Adlington said. 'They must make sure retailers are being safe and looking after our children by not selling unseeable swimwear that could put them in danger.' Advertisement Most read in Lifestyle According to the organization, about 66% of children still wear plain blue, white or grey swim apparel. The UK-based Royal Life Saving Society found that there was an 85% increase in the number of child drownings in England between 2019 and 2022. Parents warned 3 common summer foods are dangerous to toddlers - and eating a specific fruit can cause nasty sunburn "It is essential that water safety education and experience for children should be taken forward regionally and nationally,' the RLSS director, Lee Heard, said in the report. "There is a requirement to nationally revise and reform the current approach to swimming and water safety education.' Advertisement Colors such as pink, yellow, red, black, purple, and green are all safe to wear while underwater. 'It is vital that the Government takes action now so that children can be seen at all times in the water,' Colors to wear and avoid ❌ Blue ❌ White ❌ Grey ✅Pink ✅Yellow ✅Red ✅Black ✅Purple ✅Green ✅Fluorescent colours [Source: 'Lives are at stake. 'Please help us end putting children's lives in unnecessary danger and sign this petition for change.' Advertisement Supporters of the petition backed the organization's mission, mentioning their own anecdotes. 'As a lifeguard myself, when families come swimming in these particular colours, it becomes a lot harder to make sure all children are safe,' one supporter named Megan wrote. Read more on the Irish Sun 'It's a small request to ask retailers not to sell swimwear to boys and girls in those particular colors if it's going to save children's lives,' another commenter wrote. The petition has 3,903 verified signatures so far. Advertisement
The Irish Sun
11 hours ago
- The Irish Sun
My hair's so thin you can see my scalp but miracle £8 product fixes it in seconds, it's an instant confidence boost
A MUM has revealed her top hack for making thin hair look instantly thicker - and it will only cost you £8. Yasmine Fagerson, 31, started suffering from hair loss as a child and found her locks thinned even more when she went on to have kids of her own. 5 Yasmine Fagerson has suffered from hair loss and thinning for 20 years Credit: Tiktok/@yasminefagerson 5 The mum left people stunned after revealing her clever hack to make her hair look fuller Credit: Tiktok/@yasminefagerson As a result, she has been left with very little coverage on the crown of her head which she admits leaves her feeling self-conscious. Although completely natural, and hair thinning are two very common concerns for millions of people across the UK. We can lose between 50 and 100 hairs a day, according to the It is not usually something to worry about, but occasionally it can be a sign of a medical condition. Read more in Fabulous These include illness, stress, cancer treatment, weight loss and iron deficiency. The NHS advises to book an appointment with your GP to see if you can get to the cause of it if it is affecting your wellbeing. For mum-of-four Yasmine, from Scotland, hair loss is something she has struggled with for the past two decades. She told Fabulous: "My hair loss journey started when I was 11-years-old due to a stressful event in my life. Most read in Fabulous "My doctor prescribed medical shampoo, but it was still very thin and fine on the top. "Also with three pregnancies it's not exactly helped either with the hair on top." Dani Harmer shares shocking insight into perimenopausal hair loss as she admits she's got bald patches & severe thinning She added: "My hair is healthy and I saw the "Because my natural hair is so dark too it's really obvious that it's thin as you can see my white scalp easily." The brunette beauty, married to Scottish rugby hero Zander Fagerson, has tried root sprays in the past but struggled to find one that would successfully stain her scalp to give the illusion of more hair. Now, however, she has opened up about her clever haircare routine that has given her a major confidence boost. And it's all thanks to the Josh Wood Colour Airbrush Root Spray, which is available in blonde, brown and dark brown. While the product is designed as a "temporary quick fix" to disguise stray greys or strips of regrowth between colouring, Yasmine has found it is also the perfect solution for her thinning hair. She said: "I'm not wanting to cover grey hair, I'm wanting to stain my scalp. Which the Josh Woods root spray is really good at doing. "It's like a dry shampoo kinda texture, I don't even use dry shampoo anymore because my hair doesn't look greasy after using it." 5 Yasmine's tutorial using the miracle root spray proved a huge comfort for others Credit: Tiktok/@yasminefagerson 5 She swears by the bargain product as part of her haircare routine Credit: Tiktok/@yasminefagerson The Josh Woods root spray is priced at £10 on Amazon or just £8 from Boots - with a current buy one, get one half price offer bringing that cost down even more. Yasmine uses the miracle product two to three times a week and only has to stock up once a month. She swears by the root spray for covering her scalp to "hide the fact she has thin hair on the top". And she insists it is both sweat-proof and waterproof if you go swimming. She added: "It lasts for ages, I had to wash my hair multiple times to show how thin I am. I just do a light touch up here and there." Yasmine took to TikTok ( In the clip, she said: "When I tell people I have thin hair on the top, they're always like, no you don't. "This is me out of the shower, I've washed it really well and this is because I normally use root spray to cover my head so I don't look bald. But as you can see from here, that is a very thin head. "So I'm going to do my hair and then I'm going to show you what I do to hide it." 5 Social media users hailed Yasmine's amazing results Credit: Tiktok/@yasminefagerson Yasmine revealed she always dries and straightens her hair as normal, before generously applying the root spray to the thin patch on the top of her head. After she's sprayed it, she uses her hairdryer and a large paddle brush to set the product and style her hair. And the results are incredible, with her locks looking instantly thicker and fuller. "Look how much better that is already. I feel so much more confident and happy with my hair", she gushed. "So yes, that is my insecurity but this little thing helps with it massively. So if anyone else has got this kind of problem, have a wee check out of the root spray because it is amazing. "I normally buy it off Amazon but I actually went to the website this time because they didn't have my colour and I'm using the dark brown for obvious reasons." SOCIAL MEDIA SUPPORT Yasmine's video quickly racked up 11,000 views and proved a huge comfort for other women who struggle with insecurities over their thinning hair. One exclaimed: "WOW would never have known, lots of people suffer with this, myself included." "Looks great, it makes it look so thick", insisted a second. A third wrote: "What a fab tip! Thank you for sharing. I have thinning hair on top too, I believe PCOS has caused mine. I think it's much more common than we think!" A fourth echoed: "Thanks for sharing - I have thin hair on top, so to hide it I usually pull it back to hide, but my sides are very thin too, and can't stand having my hair down." "I have a similar problem and have tried a few things but this looks fab. Your hair always looks so thick so thanks for sharing", added a fifth. Meanwhile, a sixth said: "Thank you for posting this - I have the same problem and just ordered this spray." HAIR LOSS REASONS Jack Merrick-Thirlway, creative director at This type of hair loss can start from teen years and although will be difficult to treat, it can be slowed down if treated immediately. Hormonal imbalances may also cause you to lose hair. Pregnancy and the menopause are two key times when hormonal imbalances can occur, leading to changes in hair thickness. However, chronic stress and certain medications can also contribute to these imbalances. Another hair saboteur is excessive friction. Jacks says those who are wearing a tight ponytail repeatedly may find themselves experiencing hair loss. Finally, using the wrong products or having too many chemical treatments can lead to hair loss. HAIR GROWTH TIPS So, how can we encourage our hair to grow? Jack says that when shopping for new products to help with hair thickness, there are few ingredients to look out for. 'I'd advise looking out for ingredients such as biotin, collagen, amino acids and products containing vitamin B3. These all help strengthen the hair follicles and promote growth. 'That said, if you feel out of your depth, you can also seek advice with your hair stylist.' Be wary of too many chemicals in your styling products as they can exacerbate hair loss - and you should also not wash it too often. 'To ensure your hair stays healthy it is important not to over wash it,' advises Jack. 'Instead try and limit washing your hair to two or three times a week. "Use a gentle shampoo and conditioner to make sure you do not remove any moisture.' Hair expert reveals how to repair damaged hair TINA Farey, Editorial director at Rush Hair, shares her advice… HOW TO RESTORE DAMAGED HAIR Whilst you can't fully reserve the effects of damaged hair, you can stop the problem from growing. Depending on the condition of your hair, I'd recommend getting a trim every six to eight weeks - this will prevent any split ends from travelling further up the hair shaft, which weakens the hair's overall structure and leads to more breakage. Even just an inch of the ends will completely transform the appearance of your hair – trust me. When it comes to products to help restore damaged hair, Goldwell's Rich Repair Treatment Mask is a firm favourite – strengthening damaged locks to be healthy and shiny once again. HOW TO PREVENT DAMAGE My number one tip is to always use a heat protectant – even if you're only blow-drying your hair. Consistent heat styling without one will leave your hair open to heat damage. I'd also recommend refraining from over-washing your hair as this can strip the hair of its natural oils – nobody wants a dry and irritated scalp! And finally, swap your sleek, slick back for a hair down day! They may be in fashion at the moment, but over time all that tension on your strands from being pulled will wreak havoc on your hair follicles – this could lead to thinning and bald spots in areas where the hair is constantly pulled.
The Irish Sun
15 hours ago
- The Irish Sun
The rare cancer that affects three major areas of body – key signs to watch out for as 235 people diagnosed each year
The HSE is reminding Irish people of the symptoms you may spot that could be a sign of a rare cancer during its awareness month. July is Sarcoma Awareness Month - and the 2 A sarcoma is a rare cancerous tumour Credit: Getty Images - Getty 2 July is sarcoma awareness month Credit: X Every year in Ireland, around 235 people are diagnosed with some type of sarcoma. A sarcoma is a rare In a post on "About 235 people are diagnosed each year in Ireland with some type of sarcoma." READ MORE IN HEALTH Spotting cancer early means that it is less likely to have grown bigger or spread, and may mean that it is easier to treat. To help the chances of detecting it early, you should know the signs and symptoms and be aware of changes to your body that are new or you cannot explain. You should then contact your If your GP thinks it may be cancer, they will refer you to a specialist for more tests. Most read in Health There are a range of signs and symptoms to keep an eye out for, including: a new lump or bump a lump or bump that changes in size or look bleeding that you cannot explain - from anywhere in your body bruising you do not know the cause of pain that will not go away and has no clear cause pooing more often than usual or constipation blood in your pee or peeing more often than usual changes on your skin - a new or changing mole difficulty chewing, swallowing or moving your tongue losing weight without trying or that you cannot explain feeling tired all the time - more than is normal for you a new, persistent cough or a change to your usual cough shortness of breath - more than is normal for you night sweats you cannot explain The seven major symptoms of 'aggressive' rare cancer you might notice when using bathroom as HSE say 'know the signs' But it's important to remember that these are the common symptoms, and having them does not mean you have cancer as they can be caused by other If you have symptoms, you should contact your GP and not wait for your next cancer screening appointment. You should regularly check your body for any new lumps or changes - especially in the breasts, underarms, groin or testicles. You should contact your GP if you notice: a lump that is new a lump that is changing in size or appearance a lump in your breast or under your arm a testicle that feels different or has changed size a new cough that lasts for more than 3 weeks a cough that has changed or is different to your usual cough chest or shoulder pain that does not go away shortness of breath more than is normal for you blood when you cough have chest infections that keep coming back have blood in your poo have diarrhoea or constipation for no obvious reason. Feel you still need to poo after pooing have a pain in your stomach or bottom feel your tummy is bloated all the time have tummy discomfort have no appetite or you are full very quickly after eating Your poo is loose, pale or looks greasy have blood in your pee need to pee more often feel that you cannot fully empty your bladder strain or feel that it is difficult to pee often get up in the middle of the night to pee have a weaker flow of pee You may also see changes in your skin, including on moles, freckles or on a patch of skin. CHANGES IN SKIN Contact your GP if you have a mole that: has an uneven or crooked shape is changing shape or appearance has an uneven border with jagged edges is changing colour or has more than 1 colour - it may have brown, black, red, pink or white flecks or patches is bigger than 6mm wide, or is getting bigger is itchy, crusting, bleeding or sore A change in a mole could be a sign of a type of skin-cancer called melanoma, while a lump, unusual patch or crusted area of skin that has not healed is usually the first sign of non-melanoma Contact your GP if you have any unexplained bleeding, such as: blood in your pee or poo bleeding from your bottom blood when you cough blood in your vomit vaginal bleeding between periods or after sex vaginal bleeding when you are postmenopausal (at least 1 year after your last period) bruising you do not know the cause of You should contact your GP if you have lost weight and either do not know the cause, or did not lose it through dieting or You should also contact your GP if you have bloating that does not go away, or you experience indigestion, heartburn or acid reflux. HIGHER RISK Other signs include pain anywhere in your stomach or back, itchy or yellow skin or whites of eyes, or feeling tired and unwell but you're not sure why. you are age 50 and over - but it can happen at any age genetic tests show you have inherited specific genes, for example, BRCA or Lynch syndrome one or more of your close relatives have had cancer (such as parent, brother, sister or child)
