Real Health: Busting online myths about women's fitness with Dr Lauren Colenso-Semple
One of the areas where Dr Lauren spends most of her time dispelling myths online is the question of whether men and women should train differently.
The muscle physiology expert explained, 'The major difference is the starting point. So as an adult, if you are a man; you will have more muscle than an untrained woman. And that is because as a man, you went through puberty, and you had a surge in testosterone that was accompanied by an increase in muscle mass.
"The starting point is different. However, once you start to lift weights, then the rate of muscle growth relative to that starting point is the same regardless of sex.'
You can listen to the full episode here or wherever you get your podcasts.
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The Irish Sun
3 days ago
- The Irish Sun
‘Traumatised' mum watches doctors ‘peel' her screaming daughter's ‘erupting, bleeding skin' after SPF mistake
A "TRAUMATISED" mum had watch doctors peel off her daughter's skin after the tot got so badly sunburned, her skin erupted in giant yellow blisters. Lauren McMaster, 30, was enjoying the sun in her mum's back yard in Luton, Bedfordshire, while her six-year-old Paisley McMaster played in the pool on July 5. 12 Paisley McMaster, 6, got badly sunburned while playing in the pool on July 5 Credit: Kennedy News 12 The tot's skin broke out in large, pus-filled blisters Credit: Kennedy News 12 The tot was rushed to hospital where her blistered skin had to be 'peeled' off Credit: Kennedy News 12 Her mum Lauren McMaster, 30, said she was 'traumatised' by the experience Credit: Kennedy News Lauren said her daughter was running in and out of the house so she wasn't in the sun for too long, but the mum still made sure to She even placed an umbrella over the pool when it got to midday, when the sun is the hottest. Lauren normally dresses Paisley in a t-shirt to avoid the sun, but she let the youngster try out her new swimsuit - which exposed her shoulders to the sun's rays more than usual. The mum chose Read more on sun safety Later that day, Lauren noticed the tot's shoulders, back and chest were red. Early the following morning, a "horrified" Lauren woke up to Paisley screaming - her sunburn had worsened and she erupted in "painful" The mum-of-two took Paisley to Luton and Dunstable Hospital the next day where doctors had to burst her blisters and "peel" her skin off. She describes the ordeal as the "worst experience of her life" and is warning other parents to keep children covered up in the sun. Most read in Health "Put clothes on them, do your research," the mum said. Lauren, from Glasgow, Scotland, said: "We were in Luton at my mum's, in the garden, and she was in and out, it wasn't like she was out all day. I laid on the beach for just ONE hour but the sunburn was brutal and left me looking like a wasp-stung dog - don't make my mistake "She was inside watching telly, playing on her iPad and then she was out in the pool with her cousins. "She wanted to wear her new swimming costume and I said you can wear it for a little while but then she had a swimming top. "I put sun cream on her every half hour to 45 minutes, because she's ginger. I've always been worried about this happening, but we've been on holiday to Spain and she didn't get like this. "I put an umbrella over the pool around the middle of the day because I know that's the hottest time of the day. 12 Paisley was 'hysterical and screaming' as she had her blistered skin removed Credit: Kennedy News 12 The tot begged to go home while it was happening Credit: Kennedy News 12 She was later covered up in bandages Credit: Kennedy News 12 It could take up to two years for Paisley's skin to recover Credit: Kennedy News "When she was in the shower, I noticed she was a bit red so I put some after sun on her and then got her ready in her pyjamas. "She woke up at 4am just screaming in pain and the "The next day the blisters started, very little, and the blisters started forming together to make a bigger blister. "I called 111 and they called me back the next morning and told me to take her to hospital." The mum watched horrified as medics removed Paisley's burnt and blistered skin. "They literally just pinched [blisters] and pulled them from her skin. "It was the most traumatic thing I've ever watched, it was horrendous. "They had to rub her skin down, to scrape her skin off. 12 Paisley's skin now looks like she has 'really bad eczema' Credit: Kennedy News 12 Lauren said the tot would be spending the rest of the summer indoors Credit: Kennedy News "She was hysterical, screaming. It was the worst experience of my life, I wouldn't wish that upon my worst enemy. She was begging for them to stop and go home. "Even touching the sunburn was hurting her so scraping down her skin was the worst experience. "They had to put plasters on her wounds because the air hitting them was making them worse." The next morning, Paisley had to return to hospital and her skin started 'bleeding' as doctors reportedly continued to remove and wash her skin. Sun protection tips Sunburn increases your risk of skin cancer. Sunburn does not just happen on holiday - you can burn in the UK, even when it's cloudy. There's no safe or healthy way to get a tan. A tan does not protect your skin from the sun's harmful effects. Aim to spend time in the shade when the sun is strongest. In the UK, this is between 11am and 3pm from March to October. Make sure you: Spend time in the shade between 11am and 3pm Never burn Cover up with suitable clothing and sunglasses Take extra care with children Use at least factor 30 sunscreen Most people don't apply enough sunscreen - adults should aim to apply around six to eight teaspoons of sunscreen if you're covering your entire body. If sunscreen is applied too thinly, the amount of protection it gives is reduced. If you plan to be out in the sun long enough to risk burning, sunscreen needs to be applied twice: 30 minutes before going out Just before going out Sunscreen should be applied to all exposed skin, including the face, neck and ears, and head if you have thinning or no hair, but a wide-brimmed hat is better. It needs to be reapplied liberally and frequently, and according to the manufacturer's instructions. This includes applying it straight after you have been in water, even if it's "water resistant", and after towel drying, sweating or when it may have rubbed off. It's also recommended to reapply sunscreen every 2 hours, as the sun can dry it off your skin. Source: NHS Lauren said: "I took her back and they took the plasters off and started ripping her skin off again, she started bleeding. "They had to wash it and clean it, put different bandages on her. "They then started to rip her skin off and she was screaming, she was begging for a break. "At one point I had to say, I can't watch this anymore, you're really traumatising her." The sun will never see her skin ever again Lauren McMaster Paisley was then referred to the Broomfield Hospital burns unit in Essex. There, the tot was seen by a plastic surgeon who was able to remove her blisters using scissors. "A plastic surgeon came and he got some scissors, made a little hole and just let the liquid pour out and then cut the blister with the scissors and she was much calmer that way." The mum said Paisley is now doing better but it could take up to two years for her skin to return to normal. How to care for sunburn safely WE should all avoid getting burnt in the sun as it can cause skin cancer. But if you do get burnt this summer, it's important to take care of your skin safely. Your skin will likely feel hot to the touch, be sore and painful, and flake or peel after a few days. If your burn is severe, your skin may also blister. According to the NHS, the best ways to ease Get out of the sun as soon as possible Cool your skin with a cool shower, bath or damp towel (take care not to let a baby or young child get too cold) Apply aftersun cream or spray Drink plenty of water to cool down and prevent dehydration Take painkillers, such as paracetamol or ibuprofen for any pain Cover sunburnt skin from direct sunlight until skin has fully healed You should also avoid using petroleum jelly, putting ice or ice packs directly on sunburnt skin, popping blisters, scratching or trying to remove peeling skin and tight-fitting clothing. Most of the time, sunburn can be treated at home. But you should ask for an urgent GP appointment or call 111 if you've been out in the sun and: Your skin is blistered or swollen Your temperature is very high, or you feel hot and shivery You feel very tired, dizzy and sick You have a headache and muscle cramps Your baby or young child has sunburn Severe sunburn can lead to heat exhaustion and Source: NHS "It looks like really bad eczema , she has to be out of the sun for two years, always protected. "I said the sun will never see her skin ever again," Lauren said. "She is just happy she can move and that she is not blistered." Lauren vowed to keep Paisley indoors this summer to protect her skin. "It's been hot and she's not allowed to go in the sun, she has to be covered up. We just stay in and play games," she said. 12 Lauren warned other parents to take extra care with protecting their kids from the sun Credit: Kennedy News 12 Paisley 'is just happy she can move and that she is not blistered' Credit: Kennedy News
The Irish Sun
12-07-2025
- The Irish Sun
Mum shares agonising photos of her baby's blistered face after making chilling SPF discovery all parents should know
IT was an overcast day when Lauren Leishman and partner Kai took their little girl Rhegan on a family day out to a farm show. The weather was 'chilly' and both parents wore jumpers, but they applied factor 50 sun cream to their daughter 'just to be safe'. They were only outside for three hours, but later that day, 12-month-old Rhegan was 'literally bright glowing red'. By the next morning, she was covered in huge fluid-filled 13 Lauren Leishman and her daughter Rhegan, who was severely burned despite wearing SPF 50 on an overcast 18C day Credit: SWNS 13 The 12-month-old was left with huge, fluid-filled blisters on her face Credit: SWNS The youngster was rushed to the Royal Hospital for Children and Young People in Edinburgh, where a nurse warned that her face would peel back to raw skin. Lauren, 22, now wants to warn other parents. The carer, from Dalkeith, Midlothian, tells Sun Health: 'I just want to make people aware. 'I thought, 'It's Scotland, how can she burn that badly with sun cream?' It's crazy. 'She's in agony. It's such a wee shame.' The family visited the farm show in Haddington, East Lothian, on June 28. It was an overcast day, with highs of just 18C. 'Kai and I both had jumpers on,' Lauren says. 'It was chilly and I actually remember thinking to myself, 'Do I bother with sun cream or not?', but I thought, 'I'll put it on just She applied Malibu Kids Factor 50 sun cream, which is labelled as 'high protection' and 'clinically proven to be kind to skin'. Parents warned 3 common summer foods are dangerous to toddlers - and eating a specific fruit can cause nasty sunburn 'We were out from 10.30am to 1.30pm then went straight home,' Lauren says. 'Rhegan was sleeping in her car seat and when she woke up, she was literally bright glowing red. 'The highest recorded temperature that day was 18C and that would have been later in the afternoon, so we would have been home by then.' Lauren initially applied 'She woke up in the morning and she was just so blistered - huge big filled blisters,' Lauren says. 'As soon as we saw we took her right to hospital. 'I just felt panic straight away and just the guilt was awful.' We weren't even abroad, we were literally on our doorstep in Scotland - you wouldn't think that it could ever happen Lauren Leishman Mum Doctors were 'shocked' by the injuries and Lauren says: 'She's in agony. Every time I have to put the cream on her I literally have to pin her down. 'It's so sore for her. It's open skin I'm having to touch with the cream.' Lauren says she trusted the 'It's so, so sad and you feel so guilty, but you just look at a bottle and think, 'Factor 50 for kids, perfect, what can go wrong?',' she adds. 'You just think that if they've got sun cream on then they can go and play in the sun. 'We weren't even abroad, we were literally on our doorstep in Scotland - you wouldn't think that it could ever happen. 'We've never used that sun cream before, that was the first time. God I would never ever again use it.' 13 Rhegan and her family had been at a farm show for a few hours on June 28 Credit: SWNS 13 Mum Lauren says her daughter was 'in agony' afterwards Credit: SWNS 13 She was 'literally bright glowing red' hours after returning home Credit: SWNS 13 'The guilt was awful,' Lauren, from Scotland, says Credit: SWNS Lauren is now urging other parents to check UVA star ratings on products before using them on children. The index ranges from 0 to 5 stars, indicating the percentage of UVA radiation absorbed by the sunscreen in comparison to UVB. The higher number, the more balanced the protection is. The NHS recommends using lotions with a UVA star rating of at least four. The product Lauren used was only rated three. It doesn't mean it doesn't work, but a higher rating means better protection against 'I would say just absolutely research the sun cream you're using on your child beforehand,' she says. 'Check the ratings. Ratings on sun creams go by stars. Five-star is the best and that one was only a three-star. 'Had I known that, I would never have bought that product.' Rhegan is still in pain, and Lauren says her daughter's face 'only seems to be getting worse'. What does the UVA star rating mean? THE star rating for sun cream bottles was developed to illustrate the balanced protection that a product offers against both UVA and UVB rays. The index ranges from 0 to 5 stars. These indicate the percentage of UVA radiation absorbed by the sunscreen in comparison to UVB. The higher number of stars means the more balanced that protection is. You may also see the letters 'UVA' in a circle, which means the product has been approved by the EU. It is another way of saying that the product provides good balanced protection against UVA and UVB. Why should people care about choosing a sunscreen with high SPF and high UV protection? Extended exposure to the sun can lead to skin damage, experts say. There are four types of skin damage: skin ageing, hyperpigmentation, sunburns, and skin cancer. "By protecting yourself from the sun, you reduce the likelihood of damaging your skin," the British Association of Dermatologists says. "Make use of the shade during the hours of high intensity (11am and 3pm in the UK typically), wear clothing that will shade your skin, and use sunscreen with at least SPF30 and either the UVA logo or 4 to 5 stars, making sure you're applying it well and re-applying it regularly." Source: British Association of Dermatologists 'She is still so sore,' she adds. 'The nurse in the hospital said that pretty much her whole face will just peel back to just raw skin. 'But she still is herself I suppose, just a bit less so. 'I am worried about scarring. 'Obviously because it's her face and with her being a wee girl, I just hope that it doesn't leave her marked.' SUMMER FEARS Lauren says she now fears taking her daughter out in the sun. 'I'm worried, so we definitely won't take her out again this summer,' she says. 'She will have to stay indoors for two weeks but the rest of the summer she won't be out in the sun. 'It was just her birthday and she got loads of garden toys, including a sand pit, but that will definitely not be used this year.' A spokesperson for Malibu Sun said it has sent the company's complaints information pack to Lauren and is waiting to hear back to investigate further. 13 Lauren wants no other family to make the same SPF mistake Credit: SWNS 13 The sun cream she used, which has a three-star UVA rating Credit: SWNS 13 Rhegan's severe sunburn after a family day out Credit: SWNS 13 The youngster woke up the next day with huge blisters on her face Credit: SWNS 13 'It's so sore for her,' Lauren says Credit: SWNS 13 Hospital staff told the family to keep Rhegan out of the sun for at least two weeks Credit: SWNS 13 Mum Lauren is terrified to take her daughter outside again this summer Credit: SWNS
The Irish Sun
03-07-2025
- The Irish Sun
Skincare whizz urges beauty fans to hit high street store for £2.49 spray that works a treat to stop spots on hot days
FOR oily girls, there's nothing worse than hot, sweaty days. As perspiration can end up blocking pores and often leads to annoying breakouts. 5 Skincare whizz Lauren took to TikTok to share her must-have beauty buy for the summer Credit: tiktok/@thefacialisthants 5 She headed to high street store Savers to pick it up Credit: tiktok/@thefacialisthants 5 The spray costs just £2.49 and is in the baby section Credit: tiktok/@thefacialisthants 5 The spray's main ingredient is hypochlorous acid Credit: tiktok/@thefacialisthants But one beauty whizz has shared a £2.49 that can work wonders to stop spots - but it's not from the skincare aisle. Instead, you need to head to the baby section in high street store Savers, to pick up Vital Baby's Hygiene Aquaint cleansing water spray. "If you're in the UK and you are sweating out of every orifice this one's for you," Lauren, who has worked in the beauty industry since 2017, said "I'm going to show you the ultimate product that you need for this summer when you're absolutely sweating. Read more Skincare stories "Don't say I don't bring you the best of the best for a fraction of the price." The main ingredient of the Vital spray is hypochlorous acid. And explaining why the liquid is so good for the skin on summer days, Lauren continued: "The reason I love hypochlorous acid, and why it's so good if you're oily and prone to acne, is because it fights bacteria without drying the skin." She added that a lot of the products she's tried to fight acne end up drying out the skin, which then means you need "other products to combat that dryness". Most read in Fabulous "It's also an amazing anti-inflammatory - it helps with wound healing and you can use this on kids' skin, hence why it's in the baby section," she said. "I literally just love it as an all-purpose!" 'Love these' shoppers cry as Primark launches new skincare range with £3.50 masks & SPF & it'll save you hundreds on the viral brand Another benefit is that you can use it as many times as you want during the day, and you can even spray it over make-up. "It doesn't leave like a wet residue on your skin," she added. "I absolutely love it and it's really cooling as well." Lauren has long been a fan of Clinisoothe's hypochlorous mist, but at £19.50, it's an expensive purchase. So for just £2.49, she concluded that it's a case of "Savers for the win". " I'm back with another high street find," she captioned her video. Biggest skincare trends for 2025 1. Exosomes Exosomes are the buzzword for 2025, taking advanced skin regeneration to new heights. These micro-messengers signal skin cells to repair damage, boost collagen, and accelerate recovery, and they're a gamechanger for targeting ageing. 2. Streamlined Skincare The age of 12-step routines is fading as consumers shift to more intentional, multi-functional products. Streamlining skincare not only saves time but also reduces the risk of overloading your skin. In 2025, we'll see a rise in hybrid products that combine active ingredients for simplified, effective results. 3. Vegan Collagen Plant-based collagen will dominate the skincare world this year, providing a sustainable, ethical alternative to traditional animal-derived collagen. Expect vegan collagen in everything from moisturisers to serums. 4. The Rise Of AI AI is revolutionising the beauty landscape, making it possible for consumers to get truly personalised skincare solutions. In 2025, we predict a dramatic shift towards AI-powered tools that help people understand their skin on a deeper level. 5. Hair Loss Solutions - Hair loss is an issue that affects more men than we often realise, and it's no longer just something we're talking about behind closed doors. This year, expect to see a continued rise in demand for treatments that not only tackle hair loss but also nurture overall scalp health. "This time @Savers doing the Lord's work with this hypochlorous acid ." "Need to get this!" one person wrote in the comments section of the TikTok. "I sweat profusely from my face and head, it literally drips off," another said. "I've tried every known product on the market and prescription is this going to work?" "I suffer with hyperhidrosis myself too," Lauren replied. "This doesn't stop the sweat but it stops me from breaking out due to the sweat sitting on the surface." "I know where I'm going on lunch," a third laughed. "So this would be good for teenage spots.... Easy to apply, doesn't dry skin, sounds like a winner to me!" someone else said. To which Lauren responded: "Absolutely - amazing for after sports too for teenagers". She added that it's also the "perfect size for a school bag". "Off to Savers I go," another wrote. 5 You can use it as many times as you want throughout the day, and it can also be applied over make-up Credit: tiktok/@thefacialisthants
