Will HRT prevent my daughter’s hairline receding?

MY 59-year-old daughter’s hair is receding — would HRT help?

THE short answer is yes. Hair loss is common after the menopause, when the hormones oestrogen and progesterone dwindle, which are vital for regulating fertility as well as many other bodily processes.

It can be general all-over thinning or just at the front and temples only. Hair loss can start during the perimenopause — the years leading up to the menopause, when hormone levels first begin to fluctuate — but also occur many years after. This can be due to genetics or may be related to the increased effect of testosterone in the body once oestrogen declines.

Taking HRT, which tops up levels of female hormones, can help slow down or even stop hair loss, but it doesn’t always work. The only medication licensed for hair loss in women is a lotion applied to the scalp called minoxidil. It’s available over-thecounter but it’s always preferable to discuss the pros and cons of any drug treatment with a doctor before deciding to start.

One of the major causes of hair loss is poor nutrition — women often find when they lose a lot of weight that their hair thins. The GP should be able to offer blood tests to check if levels of iron are low or spot any problems with the thyroid — both of which are linked to hair loss.

Certain medications, such as tamoxifen or aromatase inhibitors, for women with breast cancer, are thought to cause thinning.

Many people are reluctant to discuss hair loss with anyone — even a doctor. Despite affecting four in ten women and up to eight in ten men, there is a certain stigma surrounding the condition.

It’s a tricky subject to broach, so it’s best to wait for them to say something and then offer advice on how and where to seek help.

I have a large bump on my wrist. I type a lot and wonder if it’s just wear and tear from the pressure against my desk. It’s not painful but is unsightly. Can you help?

A BUMP like this on the wrist is usually something called a ganglion cyst.

This can develop on any joint but it’s typical for it to appear on the back of the wrist. They vary in size, from quite small to very large, and feel like a smooth lump. Although it feels solid, it is actually a build-up of the fluid that bathes a joint.

Ganglions are not normally painful or harmful, but of course they can look unsightly.

They may happen at the same time as a repetitive strain injury from typing but they usually develop for no clear reason.

Previously it was thought that these cysts could be treated by bashing them with a large book to disperse the fluid — but no doctor will now recommend that.

One solution is a treatment called aspiration, where a syringe is used to draw out fluid from the ganglion. This is usually painless but in half of cases, the cysts return at some point. Surgery may also be an option but this is more invasive. It’s possible a ganglion will naturally reduce in size over a few years. Swellings on the wrist can also occur due to trauma, an injury, or arthritis but this would usually be painful.

I HAVE noticed an irregularshaped, brown, mole-like splodge on my belly. It’s crusty and dark brown but doesn’t itch or hurt. A GP friend looked at it and said I shouldn’t worry. Is that true?

IF YOU notice something new on the skin that looks abnormal, it’s always worth getting it checked out. This is particularly true if it is changing over time.

It might be worth taking a picture of the area every week, to spot differences. Any growing skin mark should be examined.

In older people, a crusty, brown mole could be something called seborrheic keratosis. This is a

common, harmless skin problem that can appear as we get older.

It’s typical to see it on the belly or any part of the trunk, although they do also develop on the face.

They can be removed with a liquid nitrogen freezing treatment.

There are some signs to look out for that could mean a mole is skin cancer. An irregular shape or uneven edges is one of them.

Other concerning signs would be a mix of colours rather than one even colour, a mole that is larger than half a centimetre and any changes in shape over time.

Also, look out for symptoms such as bleeding, itching or crustiness.