All posts tagged: Health (section)

Sun cream banned from sale in UK as shoppers warned it is ‘high risk’ | UK | News

Sun cream banned from sale in UK as shoppers warned it is ‘high risk’ | UK | News

Published by Sam Flores

Shoppers have been warned that a popular brand of sun cream has been rejected at the UK border. It poses a “high risk” as the Office for Product Safety and Standards (OPSS) issued a message. The OPSS has declared the item is “high risk” due to its labelling information. The Bubble Cosmetics Sunscreen Pack has come from the United States and was rejected at the UK border; therefore, it cannot be sold to UK customers. The brand is sold in a range of UK retailers, including Boots and ASOS, as well as on its own website. The affected product is a yellow cardboard box that is filled with a range of Bubble sun cream items. The OPSS said: “The product presents a risk due to inadequate labelling and traceability information. “Multiple mandatory cosmetic labelling requirements have not been met, including omissions relating to sunscreen use instructions and product traceability. “As a result, consumers may not have sufficient information to use the product appropriately, and effective regulatory traceability is impaired.” It added: “The product does not …

New nail gel ban starting Saturday after UK rule change decision | UK | News

New nail gel ban starting Saturday after UK rule change decision | UK | News

Published by Sam Flores

Friday will be the final day for manufacturers and importers (stock image) (Image: Getty) Great Britain is preparing to prohibit the use of trimethylbenzoyl diphenylphosphine oxide (TPO) in cosmetic products — including nail gels. From Saturday, 15 August 2026, manufacturers and importers will be forbidden from introducing any new cosmetic products containing the ingredient to the market in England, Scotland and Wales, following a regulatory change. Despite the forthcoming restriction, the ban does not mean gel manicures are being outlawed; it simply means the use of the ingredient in any new cosmetic products is prohibited from Saturday. TPO acts as a photoinitiator, a crucial component that swiftly cures gel polish under UV or LED lamps. The ban specifically targets the raw ingredient rather than the treatment itself. Customers can continue to enjoy gel nail services, and salons are not currently facing emergency recalls of their existing product ranges. The prohibition stems from a new safety classification. Animal studies linked high-dose ingestion to reproductive toxicity and potential fertility complications. While the risk to consumers remains low, …

John Lewis urgently recalls 15 popular products over ‘health risk’ | UK | News

John Lewis urgently recalls 15 popular products over ‘health risk’ | UK | News

Published by Sam Flores

John Lewis has issued an urgent recall notice for 15 of its popular products. The retailer is urging customers who have the items to “stop using them immediately” after identifying a serious health risk. A range of door stops and draught excluders is being withdrawn from customers due to potential asbestos contamination. The products were available for purchase from January 31, 2021, to June 11, 2026. The Office for Product Safety and Standards (OPSS) published the recall notice, which will also be displayed in stores. It stated: “The products present a risk to health as the marble chips sealed within the doorstops and excluders may be contaminated with a small quantity of asbestos. “Asbestos is a banned substance because it poses a health risk even at low levels of exposure. The products do not meet the requirements of the General Product Safety Regulations 2005.” Asbestos is known to cause serious lung damage and can even trigger cancer. The OPSS further stated: “The products have been recalled from end users by John Lewis and Partners. “We …

Drivers told to take item out of car ‘every time’ or risk ‘explosion’ | UK | News

Drivers told to take item out of car ‘every time’ or risk ‘explosion’ | UK | News

Published by Sam Flores

People are urged not to leave the item behind in their car (stock image) (Image: Getty) People across the UK are being urged not to leave one particular item inside their car every time they get out this week, as the third heatwave of the year arrives. The warning comes as temperatures are forecast to reach 30C or more over the coming days, and leaving the item in a car could risk an “explosion”. As warmer temperatures once again hit the UK, experts are urging drivers not to leave their vapes in the car. The significant change in temperature can lead to the vape battery exploding, causing a fire and resulting in £1,000s worth of damage and risk to health. Markus Lindblad, Head of Legal and External Affairs from Haypp, has shared the dangers of leaving vapes in a car as the weather starts to get warmer. He also explains what to do if your vape overheats. On a hot day, the inside of a parked car can become 30C to 40C warmer than the …

NHS difference between heat exhaustion and heat stroke explained

NHS difference between heat exhaustion and heat stroke explained

Published by Sam Flores

The NHS is urging the public to know exactly when the situation progresses from a little too hot to the point where emergency services need to step in. It comes as the UK faces more intense heat, with highs reaching almost 40°C in parts of England. The Met Office has issued another yellow weather warning for thunderstorms as people continue to face high temperatures. With the intense heat comes the risk of people being overexposed to the elements and suffering from health problems like heat exhaustion and heat stroke. Posting on Instagram, the health service said: “Know the different signs of heat exhaustion and heat stroke. Heat exhaustion does not usually need emergency medical help if you can cool down within 30 minutes. “But if it turns into heatstroke, it needs to be treated as an emergency. It’s important to know the signs of heatstroke and how to get help. Call 999 if you or someone else has signs of heatstroke.” What are the differences between heat exhaustion and heatstroke? The symptoms of heat exhaustion …

Dr Amir Khan reveals 5 conditions made worse by the heatwave

Dr Amir Khan reveals 5 conditions made worse by the heatwave

Published by Sam Flores

Dr Amir Khan is one of the UK’s leading medical experts (Image: Daily Mirror) The scorching heatwave continues to blast the UK, with this week seeing the temperatures ever recorded in June. While some love the hot weather, for others it can be very uncomfortable – and for people with a range of health conditions, it can be even more problematic. Dr Amir Khan, a familiar face on ITV’s Good Morning Britain and Lorraine, where he regularly dishes out useful health advice, posted a video on TikTok revealing the five health conditions which could be made worse during the heatwave, and urged anyone living with them to take extra care. “We are in the middle of a heatwave, and hot weather can actually make some medical conditions worse,” he said. “So here are five common ones to watch out for in this hot weather.” Asthma and lung conditions Dr Khan said: “Hot air can irritate the airways and higher levels of pollution and pollen during warm weather can trigger symptoms. “If you have asthma or …

Mum who cracked skull in Spain faces £30k bill after easy insurance error | UK | News

Mum who cracked skull in Spain faces £30k bill after easy insurance error | UK | News

Published by Sam Flores

Lynn Smith, right, faces a £30,000 travel insurance bill (Image: Kennedy News and Media) A mum has been lumbered with a £30,000 bill after cracking her skull in a horror holiday incident. Lynn Smith mistakenly believed she was covered by a family travel insurance policy when she flew out to Majorca for an early 60th birthday party. She had also headed to the sun-kissed Spanish island for her 40th and 50th celebrations, but this trip turned into a nightmare. Lynn, 59, began to feel faint in her hotel lobby on May 22 but assumed it was because of the heat. She then fainted on the marble floor and smashed her head on the tiles. She was rushed to hospital where doctors diagnosed her with a fractured skull and a brain bleed. The NHS employee had two surgeries to stop the brain bleed before she was placed in a medically induced coma. Lynn’s daughter, Rose Rushbrook, was forced to borrow £30,000 to afford a medical flight home to Colchester General Hospital in Essex on June 9. …

NHS alert as millions told to ‘use Vaseline’ this week

NHS alert as millions told to ‘use Vaseline’ this week

Published by Sam Flores

People are being told by the NHS to rub Vaseline around their nose ahead of a wave of Met Office ‘Very High’ alerts across the country. Certain areas will fall under the highest warning for pollen, triggering allergies for millions across the UK. The full forecast shows that from Friday, June 19, the wave of ‘red’ alerts spreads from isolated areas to cover almost all of England, as well as the entire regions of Wales and Northern Ireland. As levels reach their peak, people are being reminded to prepare in advance by stocking up on medication and avoiding certain habits during the worst of the ‘pollen bomb’. The NHS has reminded people of a technique of using Vaseline that could help the millions of people suffering this week. In its online guidance, the NHS is telling people to try putting petroleum jelly (such as Vaseline) around their nostrils. Applying a thin layer of Vaseline around your nostrils creates a sticky, physical barrier. This barrier traps airborne pollen. It can stop it in its tracks before …

Horror Victorian disease kills 2 as warning issued | UK | News

Horror Victorian disease kills 2 as warning issued | UK | News

Published by Sam Flores

Two children in England have died from measles this year, health officials have said. The tragic deaths come as the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) warned the highly infectious virus continues to circulate across the country, with outbreaks earlier this year driving a rise in cases. Latest figures show that 736 laboratory-confirmed measles cases were recorded in England between January 1 and June 8, 2026, compared with 959 cases during the whole of 2025. A further 106 cases have been confirmed since the last UKHSA update two weeks ago, including a recent case linked to an Amazon warehouse in Gateshead, where health officials urged staff to check their vaccination status and remain alert for symptoms. Most infections have been among unvaccinated children aged 10 and under. Measles activity increased earlier this year, mainly because of outbreaks in London and the West Midlands. Over the past four weeks, the highest levels of activity have been also been recorded in the East of England, as well as London and the West Midlands. Dr Vanessa Saliba, Consultant Epidemiologist …

MV Hondius hantavirus cruise ship cleared to sail again after deadly outbreak | World | News

MV Hondius hantavirus cruise ship cleared to sail again after deadly outbreak | World | News

Published by Sam Flores

The cruise vessel at the heart of a fatal hantavirus outbreak has been given the all-clear to return to service, Oceanwide Expeditions has announced. MV Hondius triggered a worldwide health emergency earlier this month when passengers contracted the disease. A total of 13 confirmed cases have been linked to the outbreak, resulting in three fatalities. Hantavirus is an uncommon rodent-borne virus for which no vaccines or specific treatments are available, and the virus can remain dormant in the body for up to eight weeks. However, following comprehensive cleaning and disinfection procedures, the vessel is now ready to resume operations, with the Dutch public health agency stating there are ‘no longer any obstacles to putting the Hondius back to sea’. The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) instructed the 22 British passengers aboard to remain at Arrowe Park Hospital on the Wirral, in Merseyside for testing – they began quarantine on May 10. Six individuals were permitted to depart the hospital to complete their isolation at home on May 13, but the remaining 16 passengers continue to …