Will sunbeds help my prickly heat?

Q. Every year I get prickly heat rash - it got so bad recently that I was unable to leave my hotel room while I was on holiday. I'm going abroad in September and I'm worried this will happen again. I've heard that frequent sunbed sessions can be helpful. Is there anything I can do? Anna-Louise, 25

A. Prickly heat is caused by your sweat glands becoming blocked, irritating the skin. It's not serious, and the rash should disappear on its own in a few days, but you can soothe it with calamine lotion. The same symptoms can also be the result of an allergic reaction to sunlight, known as polymorphic light eruption, or PLE. Specialist skin hospitals can treat this with regular exposure to particular frequencies of ultraviolet light, but the sessions are time-consuming. Sunbeds emit a wide range of different light frequencies, so are therefore unlikely to be of great use - and as they can expose you to unnecessary radiation, they can be potentially harmful. I recommend using a high SPF sunscreen, and then later applying a cream containing one per cent hydrocortisone such as E45 Hc45. An antihistamine could prove helpful too.

Q. My five-year-old daughter keeps getting really bad ear infections. She loves going swimming - could this be what's triggering them? Nicole, 36

A. Your daughter almost certainly has a condition known as swimmer's ear, caused by constant moisture in the ear canal. It's very common in children and can lead to swelling and soreness. The best solution is to prevent water getting in the ear in the first place, and since your daughter is a frequent swimmer, I suggest you have some bespoke ear moulds made. You can buy earplugs over the counter, but unless they provide a completely tight seal, they're not effective. For existing discomfort, some combination antibiotic drops from the doctor, to treat both infection and inflammation, will do the trick.

HEALTH HERO: LAUGHING

We all know that a good giggle is a brilliant stress-buster, but did you know it can help you lose weight too? Experts at Vanderbilt University in Nashville found that laughing for just 15 minutes a day can use up the same energy as walking half a mile - during one year this translates into a weight loss of 5lb. Cardiologists at the University of Maryland, Baltimore, have also proved that laughing can help to protect against heart attacks. When we laugh, our blood flow increases and gets the heart pumping, keeping it strong and bringing new meaning to the phrase 'laughter is the best medicine'.

FACT vs FICTION

Carrots help you see in the dark: FICTION
This idea is thought to come from advice given to pilots during WW2 who were told to eat carrots to help them see in the dark. There is an element of truth in it, in that beta carotene, which is found in carrots, plays an essential role in providing nutrients to the light-sensitive membrane in the back of the eye. However on a normal diet, eating carrots will not give you better night-time vision than someone who avoids them.

COMPILED BY: JO UPCRAFT, SARAH-JANE CORFIELD-SMITH PHOTOGRAPHY: MEDIABLITZ, MASTERFILE

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