Dr Gareth: Can my girl go flat out for a tan

0 Comments | Sunday Mail (Glasgow, Scotland), Oct 9, 2005

Byline: Dr Gareth Smith

Q MY 19-year-old daughter went on her first foreign holiday this summer with her friends. Since her return, she has been using tanning beds regularly to top up her colour. I'm worried she'll damage her skin. How dangerous are these beds?

A TANNING, through exposure to the sun or the use of tanning beds, can be dangerous. Sun beds emit UVA that has been connected to melanoma - skin cancer. It also prematurely ages the skin.

Self-tanning lotions give a natural looking, healthy colour without putting health at risk. Discuss the dangers with your daughter.

Q I'M a healthy male of 33. I go to the gym regularly but get a dull pain in my stomach whenever I run or exercise vigorously. What is it?

A IT may just be a stitch. No cause for them has been discovered but it may help if you wait up to an hour and a half after meals to exercise. Also, try longer, low- intensity workouts, ensuring you warm up properly and avoid large intakes of water or sports drinks before and during exercise. If the pain continues, see your GP.

Q WHEN I chew, the right side of my jaw often pops and sometimes swells up. The swelling goes away in a day or so. Why does this happen?

AIT sounds like temporomandibular joint pain (TMJ). This joint connects the lower jawbone to the skull and is what allows your jaw to open and close. Grinding your teeth can cause TMJ, as can clenching the jaw or stress, where tension is put on the muscles of the shoulder and neck.

If you have bumped or injured your jaw this may have knocked out its alignment. Taking ibuprofen to relieve swelling and pain will help, as will learning to relax the muscles involved and stop eating when pain starts. You should also get regular dental check-ups.

Q I EXPERIENCE tingling in my toes at night and sometimes get leg pain. I have been dieting and exercising a lot lately. Could this be connected?

A IT could be leg cramps if you are not stretching properly following exercise. You could also have nocturnal leg cramps, which are easily treated with medication. Try stretching before bed. If there is no improvement, see your GP.

Q I'M 38 and have a lump high up on my thigh. My GP wasn't concerned, saying it could be a soft tissue tumour but I am still very worried. What is this?

A GET a second opinion. There are malignant and non-malignant tumours and a biopsy is needed to diagnose which of the two you have.

Q I'M a man of 30 and have been getting pain under my right arm. I have not injured it and it is not sore to the touch or swollen.

What is wrong?

A YOU may have an abscess, a cyst or muscle inflammation that has led to irritation of the nerves. You can try anti-inflammatory medication but if you are still experiencing pain, your GP may send you for tests

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Danger: UVA rays from the sun and tanning beds increase your risk of skin cancer