Meet the toddler TWICE the size of his mother: Woman who cannot walk or stand due to brittle bone disease has her 'miracle' child thanks to surrogate

Marie Andrews with brittle bone disease has 'miracle' child thanks to surrogate

Marie Andrews is 17in tall while her 19-month-old son Mark is 32in. The 32-year-old, from Milton Keynes, Buckinghamshire, suffers from a condition called osteogenesis imperfecta. She had endured over 200 fractures because of the disease and once broke her knee while rolling over in bed. Pictured, Marie and son Mark.

It WON'T stop you tanning, it MUST be worn on cloudy days and luxury brands AREN'T better.. experts bust the sunscreen myths

EXCLUSIVE: Consultant dermatologist Dr Noor Almaani and sun cream developer Seena Seka reveal the truth about sun cream and the common - and dangerous - mistakes many of us make.

Medical students mistakenly SLICE into newborn's penis as they cut his umbilical cord

Students delivering the newborn at a hospital in Saltillo in north-eastern Mexico accidentally sliced the boy's foreskin as they went to cut the umbilical cord.

Losing weight really IS impossible: The vast majority of people who pile on the pounds never lose them (at least not in the long run)

Just one in every 210 obese men and one in 124 obese women actually manage to achieve a healthy body weight, according to a decade-long study at King's College London.

'Eat no more than SEVEN teaspoons of sugar a day': Government advisers tell families to slash intake by HALF (to less than one can of Coke)

The Scientific Advisory Committee on Nutrition recommend that an adult consumes no more than 30g of sugar a day - that's less than the 35g of sugar in one can of Coke.

Women's Running magazine praised by readers after featuring a plus-size model jogging on its latest cover to prove that athletes come in all shapes and sizes 

Women's Running magazine praised by readers after featuring a plus-size model

The August issue of the fitness magazine features plus-size model Erica Schenk, 18, on its cover. Editor-in-chief Jessica Sebor said that not all runners are skinny, and she wants readers to be able to see themselves in the magazine's pages. The issue also includes a piece on athletic brands that are making more sizes for plus-size shoppers.

'It damages every inch of you': Woman, 23, who suffers from a terminal illness that is turning her to STONE details how the disease is slowly destroying her body

Chanel White was a 20-years-old newlywed just off her honeymoon when she was diagnosed with systemic scleroderma, a disease characterized by the hardening of the skin and connective tissues.

Man's severed hand is grafted to his LEG for a month to keep it alive - before doctors successfully re-attach it

Factory worker Zhou was rushed to hospital in Changsha, in China's Hunan Province, after his hand was chopped off during a work accident involving a spinning blade machine.

Italian nurses recruited to work in England put up in £120-a-night four-star spa by cash-strapped NHS trust 

A spokesman for Colchester General Hospital, in Essex, said the package was in a bid to help the new nurses settle in and deter them from moving on quickly from the trust.

Some people really ARE born with a sweet tooth: Genes mean some of us DO need more sugar to get the same hit

People with a 'weak sweet taste' may need extra sugar to get the same sweet hit as others experience, researchers from Monell Chemical Senses Center found.

Did swine flu jabs give scores of children a crippling sleeping sickness? Chloe and Sam are two of 100 Britons thought to have developed narcolepsy after having injection

Did swine flu jabs give scores of children a sleeping sickness?

Scottish 16-year-old Chloe Gasson, pictured left with mum Sandy Young, and Sam Forbes, aged 10, pictured right with mother Di, are two of 100 Britons believed to have been affected by narcolepsy as a result of receiving the Pandemrix vaccination to fight swine flu. During the swine flu pandemic of 2009/10, it was administered to around six million people in this country. They were mainly those most at risk - children and asthma sufferers - and health care workers. But now there is mounting evidence to suggest that the injection can cause narcolepsy, with one in every 55,000 children who were given the injection consequently suffering from the sleeping disorder.

Cut the crunches! Personal trainer insists doing sit-ups every day WON'T give you washboard abs - and can actually do more harm than good 

Nike Master Trainer Joslyn Thompson Rule explains that doing even 500 sit-ups a day won't help you get a six-pack, as the exercise doesn't engage the right muscles for getting hard abs.

Step away from the chocolate! Fifteen healthy foods that will curb your appetite (and stop mindless snacking)

From foods that are full of fibre to nibbles containing nutrients that tell the brain that you are full, FEMAIL examines the smart snacks that will keep hunger pangs at bay for longer.

How to get a flat stomach TODAY: What you should eat for breakfast, snacks, lunch and dinner to beat bloat in just 24 hours (and the foods to avoid at all costs)

EXCLUSIVE: Nutritionists Lovisa Nilsson from Lifesum and Shauna Wilkinson from Nutricentre have devised a one-day and three-day healthy-eating plan for FEMAIL to help flatten your tum.

PMS and fertility problems in your 30s, insomnia and menopause in your 40s and memory loss in your 50s: Here, we reveal how to stay healthy at every age...

EXCLUSIVE: Leading nutritionist and women's health expert, Dr Marilyn Glenville tells MailOnline her top tips to stay healthy throughout your 30s, 40s and 50s.

Baby becomes first person in the world to have 3D printed SKULL: Doctors use technology to save Chinese toddler whose head was four times normal size

Chinese baby becomes first person in the world to have 3D printed SKULL

Known as the 'big-head baby', Han Han, 3, from China's Hunan province, was born with hydrocephalus - a build up of fluid on the brain (left). The danger with hydrocephalus is that the excess fluid puts pressure on the brain, damaging it. It can also increase the risk of going blind and even of having maggots infest the brain. But thanks to a new 3D printed titanium skull, she should now live a normal life - and has made medical history after becoming the first person in the world to have her entire skull reconstructed by 3D printers. Prior to surgery, medics had used CT scans and 3D data to create three titanium mesh skull implants which combined, would replace the entire top portion of the toddler's skull. During the operation, Han Han's scalp and skull were removed. Her brain was then repositioned and the huge volume of excess fluid drained away (right). To her family's relief, the operation was a success - and doctors say the toddler should make a full recovery.

Dangerous trend of social smoking among women: Having fewer than 5 cigarettes a day still 'triples the risk of heart disease'

A fifth of women smoke five or fewer cigarettes a day - but they shouldn't 'fool themselves' into thinking smoking is harmless, say University of Texas at Austin researchers.

Tax on fizzy drinks 'DOES help tackle obesity': But taxing ingredients like sugar 'would have an even bigger impact'

Scientists at the American Cancer Society found a tax on sugary drinks in Mexico has helped reduce consumption, but added taxing sugar levels in the drinks rather than a flat tax could be more effective.

Obese woman who was addicted to pub food drops THIRTEEN STONE after breaking a hotel bed... and she inspired her partner to lose weight too

Obese woman drops 13st with Slimming World after breaking a hotel bed

Nannette Young (right), 39, from Kidderminster, Worcestershire weighed 24st when the embarrassing incident happened on holiday. Afraid she would break more furniture, the pub manager resorted to carrying her own fold-up chair to parties. Her partner Melanie Ramsdale (left), 30, dieted with her and lost six stone.

It's official! Speaking more than one language makes you smarter: Bilingual people have more grey matter than those who only know their mother tongue

Researchers at Georgetown University Medical Centre found that being bilingual increases the size of the part of the brain responsible for attention span and short term memory.

First borns really ARE smarter - but only by a single IQ point, find researchers

Kim KARDASHIAN and Kourtney KARDASHIAN at the Dorchester who are promoting their "Kollection" for Dorothy Perkins, Pictured with Philip Green

First born children are smarter than their siblings - but only by a tiny margin, researchers have found in the biggest every study of sibling intelligence and personality.

Would YOU use this bizarre contraption to treat your ingrown toenail? Gruesome video reveals how 'eye-watering' Japanese gadget unfurls embedded nail out of the skin

The Makizume Robo Ingrown Toenail Fixer, a Japanese gadget promises to cure ingrown toenails in 30 minutes. But consultant podiatric surgeon Dr Mike O'Neill called it an 'instrument of torture.'

Beachgoers beware! The sand you're sitting on might be covered in POO: Faecal matter is more common on the shore than in the sea, study reveals

Researchers at the University of Hawaii found that microbial communities tended to decay much slower in beach sand than in sea water when simulated in the lab using sewage.

The identical twins who really ARE mirror image of each other: Boys have their hearts, liver and spleen on opposite sides of their bodies

The identical twins who really are an exact mirror image of each other

Lucas and Louie Cooke, from Newcastle, are not only identical, they are mirror-image - which means Lucas has his heart, liver and spleen on the opposite side of his body. Mirror-image twins occur very rarely in pregnancy when a single embryo splits at a very late stage - around seven days after conception. Lucas and Louis' embryo split into two at the 10-day point - and had it been a day or so later, they would have been born conjoined. The boys were born by emergency C-section at 30 weeks and their tiny umbilical cords were so wrapped around each other they resembled a plait.

Mosquito bites ARE impossible to avoid: Scientists discover the infuriating insects are 'skilled hunters that use a trio of senses to hone in on prey'

The mosquito's hunting strategy is 'annoyingly robust' and for now we must accept the insect is a force to be reckoned with, researchers from the Californian Institute of Technology said.

How to halve your risk of breast cancer? Exercise for 45 minutes every day

Researchers from Alberta Health Services, Canada, recommend that women aged 50-plus do five hours of exercise a week - twice the recommended guideline - to keep breast cancer at bay.

Now GPs will help patients choose the best hospital: Doctors are told to be honest about mistakes and waiting times 

Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt gives a keynote address during the Chief Nursing Officer for England's Summit 2013 at the Hilton Metropole, Birmingham.

Launching what he called a 'reformation' in the transparency of the health service, Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt said he wanted to make British people the 'most powerful patients in the world'.

Alcoholic mother, 48, who drank up to FOUR bottles of wine a night now has two months to live - and warns others 'don't ruin your lives by heavy drinking'

Hazel Birnie who drank FOUR bottles of wine a night has two months to live

Hazel Birnie, 48, of Aberdeen (pictured left as she is today and right, before her addiction took hold), began drinking 10 years ago when her partner Victor died of a stomach aneurysm. To cope with the loneliness, she was soon drinking a box of wine, which usually contain up to four bottles, a night. Now, she has end stage alcohol-related liver disease and doctors have told her she is not fit for a transplant and there is nothing more they can do. This week she is expecting to be admitted to hospital for end-of-life care,  after being told she has only up to two months left to live. The mother-of-three (pictured) described her ordeal as a slow, painful death and urged others not to become addicted to alcohol because it 'robs' your life. One of her daughters is due to give birth in December, but she knows she won't be alive to see the birth. She said: 'I would have loved to have held that baby in my arms, I would have spoilt it rotten like a granny should. I feel guilty about that every day.'

Major gains in human health over the last 150 years 'could be REVERSED because of climate change and Earth's natural resources running out ', major report warns

The landmark publication in The Lancet calls for urgent action to protect the health of mankind and the ecosystems on which it relies. It warns the world's poorest will be at greatest risk.

Now too much STANDING is bad for you: Being on your feet for long periods of time at work can lead to painful back and muscle problems in later life 

Up to half the world's employees spend 75 per cent or more of their working day on their feet and the long-term effects they suffer could be painful back problems to muscle damage, researchers say.

Can this underwear spare a man's blushes? New boxers claim to protect men's modesty if they become aroused in public

The new boxers, called 'Bloxers' contain a 'deflector shield', essentially a large pocket which covers the crotch, say the Washington D.C. developers.

British people drink almost 15,000 pints of beer and over 3,200 bottles of wine EVERY MINUTE, spending £30,000 in 60 seconds 

White wine is the nation's favourite tipple, with 24 bottles drunk every second, according to a new graphic. But beer is far more popular in pubs, with 247 pints sank every second.

The girl who has NEVER eaten a meal: Toddler cannot eat or drink and must be fed through a tube due to horrific digestive condition

The girl who has NEVER eaten a meal: Toddler cannot eat or drink and must be fed through a

Maci-Louise, Muller, two, from Essex, has the most severe intestinal failure known to doctors, and cannot stomach any food or drink. She has never eaten a meal, and must be fed through a tube directly into her bowel overnight (she is pictured, left, with her feeding tube). If she is even an hour late for a feed it can be life-threatening. Due a lack of energy, she can barely walk and has only managed to attend nursery three times this year. Recently, after she suffered seizures, doctors found a cyst covering two thirds of her brain. Now, her parents Sophie Muller, 27 and Stephen Newman, 31, (pictured right) are fundraising to take her to America for an operation.

You don't let YOUR families go to hospital at weekends because it's too dangerous: Hunt slams NHS double standards as consultants fight orders to work seven days a week

Jeremy Hunt this morning revealed he had not met a single doctor who would be happy to let their own family be admitted to hospital on a Saturday because of the high death rates at weekends.

How being jealous can turn you into an alcoholic: Those who lack self-confidence are more likely to hit the bottle if they suspect cheating

People who rely on their relationship for self-esteem are more likely to be jealous, and in turn, are more likely to turn to drinking to cope with these feelings, said experts from the University of Houston.

Teach mindfulness to save pupils from life of drugs, say experts: Brain exercises 'could help youngsters resist peer pressure'

Research suggests brain exercises which focus on self-control may enable youngsters to resist peer pressure - and stop them engaging in 'risk-taking' behaviours such as joining gangs (file photo).

How eggshells are a cracking way to soothe insect bites: They can also clean clothes, nourish your garden and scour stains from pots and pans

There's one part of an egg you've almost certainly overlooked - the shell. Most of us throw them away without a second thought, but RACHELLE BLONDEL insists we're missing out.

From couch potato to YouTube star! Student who filmed her year-long attempt to become a fitness fanatic gets thousands of fans online AND a modelling contract

Elle Darby filmed her attempt to become a fitness fanatic gets thousands of Youtube fans

Elle Darby, 19, decided to ditch her lazy lifestyle during university and become a fitness expert. The teen from Trowbridge, Wilts, filmed her transformation on YouTube and now has thousands of fans on her own channel on the website. Pictured left: Elle before she became involved in fitness, pictured centre, inset and right: Elle after her transformation.

How the first signs of heart disease can be detected in children as young as FIVE, study reveals

This is essentially because they were not getting enough vitamin D, which is produced by the body when it is exposed to sunlight, say researchers from St. Michael's Hospital, Toronto.

How to survive the curse of giant hogweed: Leading experts reveal exactly what it is, why it's so deadly, and what to do if you come into contact with it

Families can protect themselves from hogweed by washing with soap, avoiding sunlight and reporting the plant to the council hogweed expert Mike Duffy and Dr Dawn Harper advise.

Dawn of the GM baby? Cure for deadly mitochondrial disease is on the horizon - but it involves cloning

The breakthrough by Oregon Health and Science University scientists, offers hope to families by mitochondrial disease but also raises the spectre of babies being cloned to order.

Heartbreak as new mother whose bone cancer symptoms were misdiagnosed as an exercise injury dies aged 33

Kaley Fitzsimmons dies after bone cancer was misdiagnosed as exercise injury

Yesterday, MailOnline told the story of Kaley Fitzsimmons, from Birmingham, who tragically lost her battle with aggressive bone cancer at 7.31am this morning, her family have said. The mother-of-one had suffered from hip pain after returning to work as a sports instructor following the birth of her daughter Gracie last year. But her GP told her she had 'overdone it' and when she returned with worsening pain arranged physiotherapy for a suspected muscle strain. Eventually she was in so much pain she had not slept for four nights and was finally referred for a scan that revealed a mass. Despite chemotherapy and the full amputation of her right leg in May, the cancer spread to her lungs and last week she was given days to live. Yesterday, issuing heartbreaking plea from her deathbed, she said: 'I had all the signs and they should have been investigated. I don't want this to happen to another family. Please, I beg all GPs to just consider the alternatives and not put it down to being postnatal symptom every time a new mother presents with unexplained pain. If I had been diagnosed earlier perhaps my treatment would have been a success and my family would not be going through this now.'

How your SMARTPHONE could diagnose you with depression: Using it for 68 minutes a day 'may be a sign of mental illness'

When using their phones, people are more likely to avoid thinking about things that are troubling or painful - an avoidance technique seen in depressed people, Northwestern University researchers said.

Depression really CAN run in families: Scientists finally discover two gene variations linked to the condition

The findings, published in the journal Nature, help settle the debate over whether people inherit a susceptibility to the illness - or if another factor, such as the environment - is the true culprit.

Cystitis sufferers should be able to buy antibiotics WITHOUT a prescription, says leading GP who claims the move would free up 3 million scarce appointments a year

Dr Kyle Knox wrote in the BMJ that women should be able to treat the painful urinary tract infection themselves without a prescription to try and relieve pressure on busy GPs.

Your weekly shop and a health check-up? Tesco and Asda are set to offer NHS heart checks at in-store pharmacies

The Greater Manchester Devolution board, tasked with taking control of the city's £6 million health and social care budget, plan to trial health checks at Tesco and Asda branches in Trafford and Oldham.

What's it like to be in a COMA? Teenager gives vivid account of being in a sleep state for 2 weeks - and the bizarre hallucinations she experienced

Teen Claire Wineland gives vivid account of what it’s like to be in a coma

Claire Wineland, 18, from California, has cystic fibrosis and five years ago suffered an infection. She was put into a medically-induced coma for a fortnight so doctors could save her life and prevent her brain from swelling (she is pictured, right, while unconscious). After being revived, she has spoken of her experience in a YouTube video (pictured left). She said she was aware of everything around her and could hear conversations in a coma, but her brain interpreted them through a haze of drugs. The best part of her experience was her dreams of being in Alaska, she said (pictured inset). 'Being in a coma is a very magnified and intense version of our own dreams. There's a lot we can we about ourselves,' she said.

Patients should be given an NHS 'Oyster card' and yearly itemised bill 'to reveal their cost to the health service in treatments and missed appointments'

Speaking in a House of Lords debate Lord Meghnad Desai said health 'Oyster cards' would make clear to patients the financial implications if they miss appointments and waste expensive resources.

Cancer risk for women who sit down for too long: Staying seated for more than six hours a day increases chance of breast, ovary or bone marrow tumors

American Cancer Society researchers found the risk associated with leisure sitting held even after factors such as total physical activity, body mass and other factors were taken into account.

Up to 35,000 wrongly prescribed antipsychotics: Doctors found to be regularly handing out drugs to vulnerable people who should not be taking them

In a letter to doctors and patients, senior NHS England officials admitted that drugs were being used across the UK as a 'chemical restraint' to control behaviour, in place of other treatments.

How taking antidepressants with painkillers can increase stroke risk

A study of four million people found that those taking the two types of drug were almost four times as likely to suffer a 'bleed of the brain' than those on antidepressants alone (file photo).

'I didn't choose to become a woman, I GREW into one naturally': Born a boy, Charli developed breasts at 13 as a result of an extremely rare condition - which means she's both male AND female

Charli Darling, born a boy, developed breasts at 13 due to Kleinefelter's syndrome

From the age of 13, Charli Darling, from Salford, Manchester knew he was different to other boys his age (left and centre). Rather than enduring the embarrassment of his voice breaking, the teenager faced another, altogether more difficult change - he began to grow breasts. His hips began to develop, taking on a more feminine silhouette, leaving him feeling like a freak. He hid his body under baggy clothes for the next five years, struggling to come to terms with the changes to his body. But, at the age of 18, doctors revealed he was suffering the very rare Klinefelter's syndrome - a condition which means he was born with an extra female chromosome. Since embracing his new identity, and choosing to live as a woman, she now goes by the name of Charli (right). She said: I've gone through a lot to get where I am now but I'm a proud, strong lady. 'When I look in the mirror now I see a beautiful woman who's gone through a gruesome journey, but thankfully I'm at the other end of it now and I'm happy.'

Could you live without coffee? One espresso-loving woman gives up her five shots-a-day habit for a week... and the results may surprise you

Financial writer Amy Andrew, 29, relies on a caffeine boost to get through gym workouts and busy days in the office...so, how would she fare if denied her five shots of coffee a day?

From head to toe, the 7 health tests that really could save your life - and why you should NEVER ignore them 

The NHS offers a raft of free screening programmes to help detect diseases including breast, cervical and bowel cancer. But many of us fail to attend, often due to embarrassment.

Supervise child's teeth-brushing until age of eight: Dentists' advice as tooth decay cases soar 

The advice from dental experts at the Royal College of Surgeons comes after a startling rise in tooth decay cases, which are the primary cause for a trip to hospital for under-nines.

Thousands of children with fatal food allergies remain undiagnosed - because tests aren't sophisticated enough

Dr Kate Grimshaw, from Southampton Children's Hospital, warned tests to measure levels of immunogloblin in the blood do not pick up all allergies in children.

Size 26 woman who downed 15 pints of cider a week loses ELEVEN STONE after falling off a chair on a night out because she was 'so massive'

Obese woman who downed up to 15 pints of cider a weekend loses 11 st

Verity Kenney, 27, from Leicester, weighed 23st by age 24 because of her calorific weekend binges. After slipping a disc on a night out, the head of year at a secondary school overhauled her diet and joined the gym to shrink to a size 14. Pictured from left to right: Verity on a night out, at her heaviest, and slim and happy after losing the weight.

Have YOU been ruining your hair with the wrong shampoo? Use oily treatments for thick, protein-rich for thin and beware of 'organic' products

Woman washing her hair.

There is, in fact, a wrong shampoo or conditioner for your hair type, and getting it wrong can take your hair from silky and shiny to totally lackluster and damaged.

Junk food IS addictive: Saturated fat found in cakes, biscuits and pies has a 'similar effect on the brain as Class A drugs'

The University of Montreal study found foods rich in saturated fats heighten reward-seeking behaviour - much like an addict has to increase their dose over time.

Is modern life making YOU deaf? Online game puts your hearing skills to the test as you navigate around virtual worlds

The challenge was created by Manchester-based hearing experts Amplifon. Called The Art of Hearing, it is an immersive site in which users must navigate around 360° landscapes.

Anorexic student whose weight plummeted to just FIVE STONE turns her life around and graduates... just a year after being told she was too ill to finish university course

Anorexic student Jade McKenna turns her life around and graduates

Jade McKenna, from Coventry, West Midlands, amazed doctors by putting on nearly three stone in 12 months, and graduating (right) even though she was advised to defer her final year in her second year. Jade, who celebrated her 21st birthday on Sunday, began skipping meals at the start of her second year at university and after giving up chocolate for Lent in 2014, she became obsessed with calorie counting and saw her weight drop to just 5st 3lbs (inset, and left, pictured with her sister Amba).

Lotions that turbocharge in water, creams that prevent peeling and mood-enhancing SPFs: The ultimate guide to protecting your skin this summer 

Thanks to innovative technology in the beauty industry, a clever plethora of creams are hitting the shelves; FEMAIL rounds up the ones to pack this summer.

Watch a heart beat in 'extreme 4D': Revolutionary software can reveal exactly how blood is flowing around the body

Dr Bijoy Khandheria from Luke's Medical Center in Milwaukee described animations by the cSound software as similar to 'opening up someone's chest and watching their heart beat.'

'I'm on a gluten-free diet and feel great': Michael Douglas, 70, reveals how popular diet that 'boosts memory' is transforming his health five years after cancer battle 

Michael Douglas, 70, reveals how gluten-free diet is transforming his health

Speaking on ITV's Lorraine, the 70-year-old American actor (left) has revealed that he is currently gluten-free - a diet popular with celebrities for improving memory and energy levels. The Oscar winner also spoke about his 14-year marriage to actress Catherine Zeta-Jones (inset), 45. It comes five years after he was diagnosed with throat cancer (right).

Drugs damage women's brains more than men's: Cocaine abuse affects areas that control emotions and decision making

After 13.5 months of abstinence, women who were previously dependant on stimulants had less grey matter volume in their brains, experts at the University of Colorado found.

Surge in terrifying new strain of flesh-eating bug across the world: Infection KILLS one in four victims in severe cases 

In severe cases, the form of group A streptococcus bacteria can cause necrotising fasciitis - the 'flesh eating' condition which destroys body tissue - pneumonia and blood poisoning.

What kind of a drinker are YOU? From the Nutty Professor to the Mary Poppins, psychologists reveal how our personalities change when we've had a few

University of Missouri-Columbia psychologists identified four types of drunk personalities: The Hemingway, the Nutty Professor, the Mary Poppins and the Mr Hyde.

Summer holiday survival guide: From blowing up a balloon with your nose to stashing your aftersun in the minibar

Fun giraffe; Shutterstock ID 295302812

Busy preparing for your summer holiday? Don't leave home before ticking off the items on our essential travel checklist, says LOUISE ATKINSON.

Bearded woman forced to shave three times a day left devastated after NHS refuses laser treatment on her skin - because the procedure is 'too cosmetic'

NHS refuse bearded woman's treatment because the procedure is 'too cosmetic'

Mother-of-two Cheryl Howe, 32, from Morecambe, Lancashire, has to remove hair from her face, breasts and stomach every day due to a lifelong condition which affects her hormones. She was diagnosed with Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS), which typically leads to excessive hair growth, infertility and miscarriage in the rare event of conception - and even increases the chances of developing certain varieties of cancer. Miss Howe claims to have spent £2,000 a year on razors and shaving cream since her problem began. Then, last January, after a ten-year wait for help on the NHS, she finally got approved for NHS funding for laser hair removal treatment, which costs a minimum of £10,000. But last month, she received the devastating news she was no longer on the waiting list as her treatment was 'cosmetic.' She said: 'I am no different to a burns victim or a woman seeking breast implants to enhance her confidence. I feel completely devastated. This horrid condition has dictated my entire life and gets too much for any man to handle. They can't deal with the fact that I can grow a beard quicker than they can.'

Are Shrek, Homer Simpson and Porky Pig making children FAT? Overweight cartoon characters encourage young people to gorge on junk food, study warns 

The first study of its kind led by experts at the University of Colorado found children are more likely to eat high-calorie foods after watching seemingly overweight cartoon characters.

'Dear NHS, you rock!' Mother pens tongue-in-cheek 'complaint' letter to London A&E; department after they deal with her broken elbow TOO quickly 

When mum-of-two Yael Birin broke her elbow last month, she saw a trip to hospital as a chance to read her book for a few hours. Unfortunately, the famously long NHS waiting times eluded her...

Eating avocados, shunning Botox and ALWAYS wearing lipstick: Dame Joan Collins, 82, reveals age-defying secrets as she launches 'seductive' new fragrance

The actress, who insists 'no one is born glamorous' shared her beauty tips before the launch of 'seductive' new fragrance, I Am Woman, which she says is 'unquestionably female'.

How jam tarts and a kiss on the forehead helped save little Charlie: Family friend recognised the signs of cystic fibrosis

27 May 2015: ..Charlie York (10) from North Yorkshire and his mum Sasha. Charlie is featuring in a new documentary series on Great Ormond Street (GOSH). He was diagnosed as a baby with the genetic condition cystic fibrosis which affects the lungs. His condition began to deteriorate from age 7 and last year he was put on the lung transplant waiting list. Within 2 weeks, GOSH found a suitable donor and Charlie was taken by RAF helicopter then by ambulance to the hospital. His operation was a success and this July he will mark a year since his transplant operation...Picture: Sean Spencer/Hull News & Pictures Ltd..01482 772651/07976 433960..www.hullnews.co.uk   sean@hullnews.co.uk..

Cystic fibrosis sufferer Charlie York, 11, from North Yorkshire, has survived major surgery to replace his failing lungs. He is pictured with his mother Sasha.

Dog walker was hospitalised for four days after she brushed against giant hogweed and suffered massive agonising blisters

Enfield dog walker hospitalised after she brushed against giant hogweed

WARNING: CONTAINS GRAPHIC CONTENT. Ann Quinlan, 56, (left) was walking her three dogs through Forty Hall Country Park near her home in Enfield, north London, when she unwittingly brushed past the poisonous plant (right) with her bare legs. That evening she noticed her legs and hand begin to tingle and burn but put it down to sunburn due to the sunny weather last week and slathered them in Sudocrem and yoghurt to ease the heat. But the pain and the redness started to spread and by 5am the health and safety worker had to be rushed in agony to hospital by her partner. She was left with blisters the size of her fist (inset) and remained in hospital for four days.

Is your beauty routine damaging your health? From nails falling off to skin burns from chemical peels, we reveal how to avoid popular treatments going horribly wrong...

Use vegetable-based hair dye or henna instead of chemical-heavy peroxide, experts advise. And instead of a chemical peel, opt for a Japanese facial to diffuse puffiness instead, experts suggest.

The science behind stinky feet: Video reveals the processes that cause a nasty stench, and how to stop it 

The video, by the American Chemical Society, explains how the bacteria that live on your skin and in your shoes eats your sweat, producing an acid by-product that reeks.

Snacks without the guilt! From nuts that taste like chocolate tart to gummy bears with vitamins, we test the treats with plenty of taste and no regrets 

Supermarkets have realised we all want to enjoy a snack occasionally without ruining our best intentions and, in typical style, they've even given it a name - 'guilt-free snacking'.

Baby's first POO can reveal if their mother drank alcohol during pregnancy - and if their child will suffer intelligence problems in later life because of it

Mother and baby indoors.

B3FABN

High levels of fatty acid ethyl esters (FAEE) found in the meconium (a newborn's first stool) from a mother's alcohol use during pregnancy can alert doctors that a child is at risk for problems.

The deadly skin cancer you can get in your EYE: They're one of the most virulent cancers of all. And malignant melanomas DON'T just develop on sunburnt skin 

The deadly skin cancer you can get in your EYE

Kelly Luff, 35, who lives in Stevenage, was taking her children to the opticians for a check-up when it occurred to her to book herself in, too. 'My last test had been several years before,' says the mother-of-four. That routine test changed Kelly's life for ever.

Transplant drugs 'can save lives after heart attacks': Treatments could significantly limit damage caused when surgeons unblock clot that cause attack 

Experts at Newcastle University have identified the reason hearts suffer so badly when surgeons unblock the clots that cause heart attacks and they think an existing drug could reduce the harm.

How going from rags to riches can wreak havoc on your health: Poor teenagers who better themselves 'age faster and may die younger than their peers'

The will-power needed to leave poverty behind may put the body under severe stress, and racial discrimination can add to the pressure, researchers from from Northwestern University found.

The little girl with TWO wombs, no vagina or rectum: But despite her incredibly rare condition, doctors still believe Poppy could have children one day

Cloaca suffering girl has TWO wombs, no vagina or rectum but could still have children

Poppy Wadsworth, eight, of York, was born with cloaca, an incredibly rare condition affecting just 1 in 50,000 girls. She has no vagina or anus; just has skin where her excretory passages should be. She is unable to use the toilet, and has her waste taken from her body by a stoma bag, which she has had from birth. She was also born with two wombs, and one kidney, which does not work properly. She is left permanently on antibiotics to fight infections. After trying but failing to create a new rectum (Poppy is pictured in hospital, right) doctors in the UK say there is nothing more they can do for her. Now, her mother is trying to raise £50,000 to take her to a surgeon in the US who promises he can carry out surgery to allow her to use the toilet and maybe even have children one day. Her mother, Alison, 45, (pictured left with her daughter) says she is happy girl despite being different. She said: 'She's very positive. She says that when she has the op she will be able to do everything that any other little girl can do.'

Is fasting for five days a month the best way to slim? It's the latest twist to the diet everyone's talking about. So why are some doctors still sceptical? 

Hungry!

Feast for five days, fast for two. Eat whatever you want and lose weight. Stay healthier, live longer. These are the kinds of claims being made for intermittent fasting.

The herbal pills with no herbs in them: What is in that echinacea pill you are taking?

milk thistle

The new series of BBC2's Trust Me I'm A Doctor decided to find out whether there is actually any ginkgo inside the bottle when it says ginkgo on the lid.

'Mummy, please let me die,' begs boy, 5, with eczema so severe he can barely sleep or walk

Morgan Bishop, 5, with severe eczema says 'Please let me die'

Dana Bishop, 36, of Tadworth, Surrey, says her five-year-old son Morgan suffers such severe eczema he can barely walk was in such pain he begged his mother to let him die (he is pictured, left, during a flare up). The family are at breaking point, having tried almost every treatment available on the NHS - including a form of chemotherapy (Morgan is pictured in hospital, right and inset). The skin on his feet and legs become so sore he cannot walk and must use a mobility scooter to move around during a flare-up. And as the eczema stops him from sleeping, he can only attend school for half days at a time and is rarely able to play with his friends. Now, the family are fundraising to take him to a clinic in France for treatment. Mrs Bishop, 36, said: 'People don't recognise skin conditions as debilitating. They hear eczema and just think it's a bit of dry skin, but the reality can be much, much worse.'

ASK THE DOCTOR: Should I tell my travel insurer about my op? 

Bussiness Travel

A patient has avoided mentioning an op to remove his whole prostate gland when buying insurance. He asks Dr Scurr if he is safe to do this.

ME AND MY OPERATION: Super-size tube that means you don't need open heart surgery 

Mike Amos of Smallfield Surrey. 9/7/15. Mike, 67, received a new "mega-stent" the first in the world at Brighton Hospital in May after collapsing at home with a severe heart attack in May..Photo by James Clarke. www.jamesclarke.me, james@jamesclarke.me. 07941676821. Strictly not to be reproduced without permission.

Mike Amos, 67, a retired Gatwick Airport mechanic, from Surrey, was the first person in the world to have a new type of stent, as he tells DAVID HURST.

Maimed by a TREADMILL: Mother-of-four's horror after becoming one of thousands badly injured by a running machine

After a long day at work, Yvonne Myers from Manchester was looking forward to her usual run on the treadmill at her local gym. But as she stepped onto the machine, disaster struck.

Just how safe is the HPV jab? Health experts launch review amid concerns over cervical cancer vaccine's side effects 

The European Medicines Agency has launched a review into the safety of the HPV vaccine, which is given to all girls aged 12 to 15, amid concerns the jab causes chronic pain, fainting and dizziness.

The drinks with up TWENTY teaspoons of sugar: Doctors urge ministers to slap a 20% tax on sugary drinks to fight obesity crisis 

British Medical Association demand 20% tax on sugary drinks

In a landmark report the British Medical Association will urge Downing Street to take on the food industry. It found that poor diet costs the NHS £6billion a year while claiming 70,000 lives. The BMA's proposed levy on fizzy drinks would raise the price of a one-litre bottle of Coke from £1.50 to £1.80. Professor Sheila Hollins, who led the team behind the report, said: 'If a tax of at least 20 per cent is introduced, it could reduce the prevalence of obesity in the UK by around 180,000 people.'

'Hardworking and vibrant' schoolgirl, 15, dies after contracting meningitis brain bug just days before the summer holidays

Chloe Morris from Bolton was just days away from the summer holidays after completing a work placement. She died 'peacefully' in her sleep after contracting meningitis last weekend.

Want to protect your sight? Follow the EYE diet! Cheese, red wine, salmon and peanuts can all help prevent blindness

EXCLUSIVE: A new survey has revealed 60 per cent of people in the UK are unaware that the food we eat can affect the health of our eyes, with one in five incorrectly believing what they eat has no bearing on their vision at all.

Cancer breakthrough as scientists discover 'master switch' that causes the disease to spread, paving the way for new life-saving treatments

Scientists at the Thomas Jefferson University have for the first time identified a crucial protein, instrumental in causing prostate cancer tumours to spread to other parts of the body.

Kinder form of chemotherapy could drastically improve  treatment of thousands of cancer patients

Manchester scientists have worked out how to soften up tumours ahead of treatment, making them more sensitive to chemo drugs and allowing doctors to give lower doses, reducing side-effects.

Don't die, dad: The heart-rending moment a little boy tearfully begs his father to stop drinking and smoking so he won't leave him

Little New Zealand boy begs his father to stop drinking and smoking

A touching video has gone viral on social media after it showed a tearful little boy from New Zealand (left) telling his father that he wants him to stop smoking and drinking because he'll die. He constantly wipes away tears (centre, right) as he speaks to his dad. The Facebook post has already received 81,524 views and 3,580 likes in just eight hours as the touching plea made by the young boy to his dad tugged at the heart strings.

Revealed, the foods that help ease the agony of arthritis... from a turmeric latte and a cup of bone broth to a helping of avocado

Osteopath Antonia Boulton reveals how various foods can help ease the painful symptoms of arthritis, which causes swollen joints and affects around 10 million people in the UK.

Train your brain to stick to ANY diet! New book from leading psychology professor aims to help slimmers stay on track

What woman hasn't abandoned a low-carb plan at the sight of a Jaffa cake or tumbled headlong from the 5:2 when someone protests that they made chocolate cake 'just for you'?

Parent's joy as toddler born with just 2% healthy brain tissue makes miraculous recovery, with scans showing the organ is fully functioning

Noah Wall's parents were warned he was unlikely to survive as he had developed hydrocephalus. This is a build-up of fluid in his skull that destroyed all but two per cent of his brain.

Rising number of teenagers are being given anti-psychotic drugs, study reveals

Mark Olfson, a research psychiatrist at Columbia University in New York, said: 'Great caution should be exercised in the use of anti-psychotics, especially for young children.'

Girl, ten, is left in agony with third-degree burns after picking up giant hogweed while playing on a riverbank

Girl, 10, left with third degree burns after picking up giant hogweed

WARNING GRAPHIC CONTENT: Lauren Fuller from Thornbury, Bristol, was building a den by a riverbank in Loch Lomond during a family holiday with her parents, Charlotte and Russell and her brother (left), when she plucked the weed out of the ground. Within days the schoolgirl's hands were covered in giant blisters while her red burns appeared on her face. (inset) She may now need skin grafts to repair the damage.

The woman who ate herself to death: 23-year-old who was 4ft 8in and 19 stone with condition that made her constantly hungry died after care home staff left her fridge unlocked

Kirsty Derry, 23, of Heath Hayes, Staffordshire, died from heart failure after putting on 7st in nine months after moving into an assisted living care home Victoria Mews in Stone, Staffordshire.

The poison giant invading Britain: How the sap from hogweed can cause third degree burns and even blindness 

Last week, five children suffered severe burns and one was scarred for life after brushing past giant hogweed growing in two country parks.

Shocking rise of 'mate crime': How children with autism or Asperger's are being bullied, abused and robbed by so-called friends 

Nearly 90 per cent of teenagers with the condition said they had been subjected to 'mate crime' - where a vulnerable person is manipulated or abused by someone they believed to be their friend.

Do micro workouts really work? Fitness apps promise results in just THREE minutes a day... but experts say there's a catch

Fitness apps promise results in just THREE minutes a day

Australian health and fitness experts say the results promised by three to seven minute 'fast workouts' are almost impossible to achieve for the average person, as you have to work out at 100 per cent of your capacity. People who sit down all day should be doing longer workouts in their free time as long periods of sitting down counteract any benefits the short bursts have on the body.

Fears elderly women are putting themselves at risk of breast cancer after half cannot name another symptom apart from a lump 

A third of those diagnosed with the disease - around 13,400 -  are aged over 70 and every day it kills around 15 of those women.
While one in three have reported a symptom other than a lump.

Why do you always get ill on holiday? Experts reveal ten reasons for feeling below par on your travels and how you can stop poor health from sabotaging this year's break

From day to day, you rarely develop a sniffle - but the moment you down tools for a much needed break, along comes a crushing migraine, chest infection or a heavy cold. Sound familiar?

Revolutionary new drug set to be available on NHS cuts risk of fatal epileptic seizures

The once-a-day pill, to be available on the NHS, helps prevent the most dangerous seizures, which leave patients unconscious and can lead to serious injury or sudden death.

Obese couple who were addicted to fast food lose sixteen stone between them... after quitting KFC and coating their chicken in WEETABIX instead

Couple who binge on takeaways shed 16 st for wedding swapping KFC for weetabix

Peter, 36, and Tracey Needham, 32, from Plymouth, now cover chicken breasts with crumbs from their favourite cereal and bake it in the oven. The couple, who have a three-year-old son Ethan, say the cheat is the secret of their success. Tracey said: 'It tastes just like KFC - just not as greasy.' (Pictured left, Peter and Tracey Needham before they lost weight, and, right, on their wedding day. Inset, fried chicken)

Cheap and easy 'toothpaste' test that spots risk of stroke and heart attack by spotting danger areas in the arteries 

Scientists claim the technique, which users sodium fluoride tagged with radioactive tracer, will transform the way doctors are able to identify patients at risk of a heart attack or stroke.

How ultrasound helps wound heal THREE TIMES faster: Sound waves can even heal injuries that would otherwise lead to amputation 

The high frequency soundwaves - commonly used to scan pregnant women - have been found to stimulate the body's natural healing process in wounds.

First digital GP service allowing patients private appointments via video link 7 days a week goes live across the country 

The service, called Push Doctor, already has a network of more than 7,000 doctors and operates from 6am to 10pm, covering everything from minor ailments to sports injuries.

The freezing needles that turn prostate cancer into ice cubes: Treatment that destroys tumours being offered to men as alternative to surgery

Doctors hope the highly accurate technique may help spare more patients from risks associated with full surgical excision of the gland - such as incontinence and erectile dysfunction.

Flipping giant tyres, hauling 'dead' soldiers, and lugging huge logs - MoS writer attempts Bear Grylls' new boot camp-style extreme endurance race

Flipping giant tyres, hauling ‘dead’ soldiers, and lugging huge logs – MoS writer attempts

The 41-year-old has already taken his survival shows around the globe. He has written 13 books, launched a unique fitness class - BG Epic Training - and, as Chief Scout, started the complex process of reinvigorating the organisation for a new generation.Now he is moving into the live events arena, launching what is effectively a giant obstacle race for 8,000 people. MoS writer Victoria Fletcher (pictured with Bear, and attempting an Army crawl, inset) was invited to a special taster session, led by Bear, to give an idea of what's in store.

HEALTH NOTES: Transgender boxing promoter Kellie Maloney back in the gym following surgery to feminise appearance  

The 62-year-old former flyweight boxer revealed her transition last summer and admits that exercising in a new body has taken some adjustment.

THE MIND DOCTOR MAX PEMBERTON: Is the misery of the menopause all in the mind?

Distraught woman crying

The discomfort women suffer may largely be the result of the West's obsession with youth, and our reluctance to embrace ageing.

Rotten teeth in toddlers hits crisis point as dentists call for cigarette-style warnings on sweets and fizzy drinks 

Figures show 46,500 children are now being admitted to hospital each year to have teeth removed, with 26,000 of those aged under nine. File photo

Superberries coming to the UK: Blue honeysuckle berries packed with antioxidants to hit shelves next year 

The blue honeysuckle berries, also called honeyberries or haksaps, have been grown for the first time in the UK, by farmers in Hampshire, Somerset and Scotland, and will arrive next year.

Bing

Get the Health RSS feed

More RSS feeds...
   

DON'T MISS