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Caution raised Over Potential Immune System Impact of Cosmetic Filler

Dermal fillers have gained in popularity, partly influenced by reality TV shows like Love Island and social media; but medical experts are issuing cautions that the injected substance may cause immune reactions.

Hyaluronic acid, which is the key compound in most fillers, has been found to block lymphatic channels, which help the body drain fluid and are obviously a key component of the body's immune system that helps to fight disease. Fillers have also been linked to cysts, lumps, swelling and facial pains.

A US research team unveiled the findings during the Annual Scientific conference of the British Association of Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons in London which brings together the best surgeons from around the world to speak about advancements in facial surgery & body contouring.

Dr Spero Theodorou, one of the conference speakers and director of the leading bodySCULPT plastic surgery practice in New York, spoke out about the study that will be published later this year in the international plastic surgery literature.

“Under-eye filler is one of the biggest problems. You see women everywhere with swollen eyes. It’s taken us 20 years but we’ve proved it I don’t gain anything from doing this. I will be a pariah. You have young women having fillers in their faces. It’s never going to go away. It’s very hard to remove and it blocks lymphatics in your face. This is a very important system. Not all patients will have swelling, but evidence suggests all will have some degree of lymphatic blockage,” said Dr Theodorou.

BAAPS president Marc Pacifico added: “People don’t need to panic and have fillers dissolved as if it's an emergency. This is preliminary research but it gives us a scientific explanation for side-effects we are witnessing with fillers. Whether it has more medical ramifications is not known at this stage. But this does highlight the importance of using a medically trained clinician for injectable fillers.”

Earlier this year a study of BAAPS Facelift surgeons showed a trend in women enquiring and having facelifts at a younger age which could be linked to the rise in concerns about using fillers.

The study found:

70% of surgeons had observed a trend of younger patients, under 50, enquiring about facelifts.

65% of surgeons observed that patients interested in facelifts are more circumspect about using facial fillers.

80% surgeons noticed an increase in intra-operative anatomical distortion due to the use of fillers in facelift patients.

Commenting on the findings of the study President Marc Pacifico said “Our surgeons have seen filler lasting longer than expected, well over a year in many cases. Many have noted that anatomical structures are certainly more tethered and scarred when fillers have previously been used and have seen an increase in intraoperative and preoperative anatomical distortion due to the overuse of fillers.”

Currently, the UK does not tightly regulate who can inject fillers and what they can use, with government officials now developing strategies to regulate the industry.

“This research will help us recognise some of the previously unappreciated biological impacts of these products. Even if it’s only a small percentage who are affected, the numbers will be quite high” said Pacifico.

The BAAPS based at the Royal College of Surgeons, is a not-for-profit organisation, established for the advancement of education and practice of Aesthetic Plastic Surgery for public benefit. Members undergo thorough background screening before they can join. 

Information about specific procedures and surgeons’ contact details can be found on the website, http://www.apscouk.org or by contacting their office at 020 7430 1840.

(Image courtesy of 13687374 from Pixabay)

NHS workforce crisis needs immediate reforms alongside longer-term plans

With healthcare strikes in the news again, the Association of Professional Staffing Companies (APSCo) has warned that the NHS Workforce Plan is still missing the mark and will have little immediate impact on the skills crisis.

Tania Bowers, Global Public Policy Director at APSCo commented: “The workforce crisis in the NHS isn’t easily resolved and while the NHS Workforce Plan has been designed to create a more sustainable access to resources, the impact of most tactics could take 15+ years to be truly felt. APSCo has previously highlighted that access to globally trained healthcare professionals needs to be more widely available, but conversations with our members have highlighted a number of additional changes needed in this strategy.

“This includes a plan to ensure there are not only sufficient, but also appropriate, flexible training pathways that enable new routes into careers in healthcare. We also believe that there needs to be an assessment of how the funding and contractual terms for the supply of clinical staff are affecting the ability to change the supply pipeline and skill-mix.

“While attracting resources is a problem, retention issues also prevail and haven’t been covered in much detail in the plan. Workforce unrest and burnout are real problems in the healthcare sector and if these aren’t adequately addressed, the success of any recruitment strategies will be limited.

“Conversations with our members have also highlighted that there needs to be a more detailed assessment as to how the plan can be successfully delivered across all regions and what the implications of over or under supply will be.

“With strikes once again plaguing the sector, more immediate solutions are required beyond the Workforce Plan. In particular, the red tape many employers face when hiring agency workers needs to be cut. An example is the lack of conformity around pre-hiring compliance and safety checks of permanent and agency staff which is contributing to the increased costs and delays of getting nurses and doctors in front of patients. 

"A specialist, compliant to work for a Trust hospital under one CCG, may not necessarily be so at another hospital or primary care centre that operates under the same group, meaning there is minimal agility or responsiveness in workforce management.”

Find out more: www.apscouk.org

HSE campaign highlights dangers from metalworking fluids

Businesses and workshops are being warned to ensure their staff are safe when they are working with metalworking fluids or coolants.

It’s a highly technical, specialist field applying precision engineering, but can also cause harm to the lungs and skin.

Past inspections by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) have uncovered poor performance around control of metalworking fluids in businesses that use computer numerical control (CNC) machines.  

Exposure to metalworking fluids, also referred to as ‘white water’ or Suds Oil, can cause harm to lungs and skin through inhalation or direct contact with unprotected skin; particularly the hands, forearms and face.

Breathing in the mist generated by machining can result in lung diseases like occupational asthma and occupational hypersensitivity pneumonitis.

Manufacturing businesses must implement control measures and undertake health surveillance checks with qualified occupational health professionals.

More about the campaign, and tips on how to keep workers safe, can be found here https://tinyurl.com/2u3d69kk

Machinists and metalworking fluid - Work Right to keep Britain safe

Said HSE inspector Fiona McGarry: “Lung problems and irritated skin don’t have to be associated with working with metalworking fluid if you've  taken the correct precautions.

“It's vital control measures and fluid quality checks are in place to keep workers healthy. Health checks are essential to identify signs of ill-health early.”

To support the campaign, HSE will carry out inspections to look at how employers are ensuring workers are protected from exposure to fluid or mist generated by CNC machines across Great Britain.

Britain’s workplace regulator plans to carry out unannounced inspections between now and March 2024.

One business to have received such a visit was Nottingham-based engineering firm CNTL Ltd, earlier this year. Dane Rawson, the firm’s director, was apprehensive at first but soon saw the inspector was only there to help.

He said: “I’m new to this side of the business, I haven’t dealt with a health and safety inspection before. At first, I was cautious, but it didn’t take long for the inspector to make us feel comfortable. She wasn’t trying to catch us out.” 

The inspection showed the company had safe working practices in some areas, but it was asked to install local exhaust ventilation (LEV) on its CNC machines. 

Dane and the team have noticed the difference: “We have several high-tech machines that constantly use pressurised coolant – it’s bound to create a mist.

“It was something we were aware of and had explored the option of installing LEVs, however as a result of HSE’s visit we wanted to follow their advice and action this sooner.

“We’ve noticed now that the smell of coolant is no longer there and air quality is much improved. It’s definitely a cleaner and safer environment to work in. The staff feel like we’ve done the right thing for them and know their wellbeing is a priority of ours.” 

To reduce exposure, you must have control measures in place. Local exhaust ventilation (LEV) should be fitted on CNC machines to carry away any harmful metalworking fluid mist, which is difficult to see in normal lighting.

Fluid quality should be regularly checked focusing on concentration, pH, bacteria and contaminants. Fluid systems can become highly contaminated with harmful bacteria.

Where there is exposure to fluid or mist, it's a legal requirement to carry out health surveillance even when preventative controls are in place. You will need to involve an occupational health professional and workers should be encouraged to report any health symptoms that occur.

Regular fluid checks are a part of CNTL’s weekly routine. They outsource to a company that undertakes weekly coolant and dipslide checks.

The HSE inspection has had a positive impact on Dane, making him more interested in creating an environment that protects his team’s health as well as safety. He recently attended a trade fair in Germany, partly to understand the approach on the continent.

Dane’s message to any company that will be inspected is simple: “Don’t feel intimidated. They are only there to benefit you, your company and your staff."

(EDITOR: In the 1970s I worked as a technician in a grey cast iron foundry laboratory and we had a Denison Tensile Testing machine and we had a lathe for turning samples of cast iron to place in the Dension Tensile Testing Machine to pull them apart and register the breaking force required.

We used water-based Suds Oil to cool the metal when we or the machinist who usually operated the lathe were turning the cast iron sample pieces. There was no fume extraction of any kind for the Suds Oil fumes, although there was a window we could open. 

And there was a special allowance of one pint of milk a day for Bert, the machinist, to drink. Although there was no real explanation given as to why it was thought that machinists such as Bert required a pint of milk to drink a day, other than a vague idea of "helping to settle the dust." 

I am so pleased Health and Safety in the Workplace is taken much more seriously now than it was years ago.)

For general information and guidance on health and safety in the workplace in the UK please visit https://www.hse.gov.uk

(Image courtesy of Paul Reynolds from Pixabay)

New research can help policymakers prioritise funding needs and allocate resource for cancer

Results from the largest ever review of clinical trials in cancer screening, prevention, and early detection (SPED) have been published.

The review, published in BMC Cancer and funded by the National Cancer Research Institute, discovered 61% of all SPED trials focused on just three cancer types, colorectal, breast, and cervical cancer. This compares with 6.4% in lung cancer and 1.8% in liver cancer, which are responsible for 26.3% of global cancer deaths compared with 19.3% for colorectal, breast, and cervical cancer.

Researchers identified areas of unmet needs worldwide to highlight where more research and funding is required. 

88% of all SPED trials were conducted in North America, Europe, or Asia, with a lack of trials conducted in Africa and South America and a very low number of trials per head of population in Asia.

Results also highlighted that significant disparities exist between the proportion of SPED trials for certain cancer types and their global burden of disease. EG, colorectal cancer accounted for 32.9% of all SPED trials and 9.4% of global cancer deaths, whilst gastric cancers accounted for 1.5% of SPED trials and 7.7% of global cancer deaths.

This study, led by researchers at the universities of Nottingham and Manchester, involved researchers from seven different universities across England and Scotland.

Said Dr Emma O’Dowd, who is Consultant Respiratory Physician and Associate Professor at the University of Nottingham: “Cancer is the most common cause of death and disability in the UK and the second most common cause worldwide. Global annual cancer incidence is forecast to rise to 27.5 million by 2040, a 62% increase from 2018. For most cancers, prevention and early detection are the most effective ways of reducing mortality.

“We looked at all trials published between 2007 and 2020 covering cancer screening, prevention, and early diagnosis to map what research had been done by cancer type, trial focus and geographical area, and to highlight research gaps.

“Over 117,000 papers were identified, and 2888 trials were included. There were disparities in terms of geographical location, type of research conducted and a clear focus on a small number of cancer types. We hope that this important piece of work can be used to guide and prioritise future trial funding.”

Dr Samuel Merriel, GP and NIHR Academic Clinical Lecturer at the University of Manchester, went on to add: “There are finite resources governments can allocate for cancer healthcare and a limited amount of money available for cancer research. Until now there's not been a detailed summary of all the studies of cancer prevention, cancer screening, and earlier detection of cancer.

“We hope these findings and the database of studies we generated can be used by policymakers, healthcare commissioners, and cancer research funders to address the disparities in cancer screening, prevention, and early diagnosis trials.”

Dr Elizabeth Roundhill, who is Research Fellow in the School of Medicine, University of Leeds, commented: “Our research revealed even though lung and liver cancers together cause more than a quarter of cancer deaths worldwide, they are less likely to be examined in screening, prevention and early diagnosis (SPED) trials. We also found a distinct lack of trials in cancers common in children and young people including sarcomas, blood cancers and brain tumours.

“Importantly, only 12% of SPED cancer trials took place in the Global South, meaning that the benefits of implementing SPED interventions in some of the world’s most populous regions remain unknown. With almost half of all cancers in the UK having a potentially preventable cause, this work calls for a greater focus on SPED research, including in the UK. We hope that these findings will encourage funders, policy makers and researchers to target resources towards addressing these major health inequalities in the future.”

For further information, the full report can be found here https://bmccancer.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12885-023-11300-8

(Image courtesy by Ernesto Eslava from Pixabay)

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Flu shots? Get 'em when you get you groceries!

Supermarkets with pharmacies are offering flu shots to their customers.

A way to avoid the seasonal flus that usually sweep through the country is to get yourself a flu shot, either at your doctor's surgery, or your pharmacy, like Boots, a local independent pharmacy or a pharmacy linked to your favourite supermarket, so long as they have a pharmacy attached to them.

Morrisons.com offers a special deal for More Card members. Normal shoppers will pay £14, but those with More Card membership will only have to pay £12.

However, NHS flu shots are dispensed without cost at Morrisons pharmacies. 

Morrisons pharmacists accept flu vouchers from Bupa, Flu Xpress Ltd, healthyperformance, etc. 

To learn about where your nearest Morrisons Pharmacies are check here https://my.morrisons.com/storefinder/

(Image courtesy of LuAnn Hunt from Pixabay)