THE DOC REPLIES

What’s the best way to get rid of bags under the eyes? Is plastic surgery an option? I’m a 57-year-old woman.

Complexion can change with stress and lack of sleep – dark marks and a little bit of swelling underneath the eyes can appear. We can also get swelling with sinus infections. Sometimes, kidney problems or allergies can cause temporary swelling around the eyes. However, it is an age-related problem in most people! Plastic surgery is an option – but it is arguable whether this is right for you.

Can children have laser eye surgery? My grandchild is quite keen on having it, but she’s only 12.

Laser eye surgery is used to correct shortsightedness. It changes the shape of the surface of the eye so the focus is brought back on to the retina. This often means that the person no longer needs to wear glasses all the time. Your grandchild cannot be referred for the possibility of surgery until their eyesight has settled. Often, one eye becomes short-sighted through one’s childhood or teenage years and then it eventually settles down into later in adulthood.

How much sun should I be getting a day? I’m feeling a bit down in the darker weather and wondered if sunshine could help.

We should all get out as often as possible, ideally for short periods. I don’t think there is an ideal length of time, though. If it is in a hot country or on a hot day, then one shouldn’t go out without sun screen for longer than an hour or so. Otherwise there are no specific limits. If you live in the north of the UK then you won’t get enough sunshine in the winter months to maintain your Vitamin D levels. It is therefore important to get out more in the summer and that some of your skin is exposed to the light. It is also important that you get calcium and vitamin D in your diet. Dairy products and fish will give you what you need.

My left eye has begun to water constantly. Is this a symptom of a blocked tearduct?

Watery eyes is very common in babies and it is very common in older people. Sometimes this is a tear production problem or sometimes it is a drainage problem. If it has happened quite suddenly and it is just on one side then it might be a blocked tear duct. You should see your doctor. He can assess the cause of the problem and decide whether onward referral to an ophthalmologist is required.

What are blackheads? I’m in my forties but still get them.

Blackheads are pores within the skin that become blocked with dirt. They can then go on to form spots of an acne type. If you maintain a good skincare regime it will go a long way to helping prevent them.

I’ve had shingles four times in the past 15 years. Is this more than usual, and is there anything I can do to prevent it returning?

This is unusual. Some people never get shingles in their life and some people get it once, rarely twice. It is getting more common nowadays and I don’t think we know the reason for this. It is not impossible to get it four times, but it is unusual. It would make me wonder that the diagnosis is accurate or if it is perhaps something else. If it is always coming in the same place it could be a cold sore virus rather than a shingles virus. Next time it happens, if it happens again, go and see your doctor.

I had breast cancer surgery last month and I’m still feeling sharp pain within my breast five weeks later. Is this unusual?

I think this is absolutely usual. Any surgery will heal on the skin within a couple of weeks but there is a lot of tissue underneath that still needs to heal. There will inevitably be bruising which takes several weeks to be absorbed back into the body. As the wound heals, there will be a tightening and this can also be uncomfortable.