Doc Q & A

Disclaimer: Medical advice provided is for interest only and should never be substituted for seeing a doctor or seeking medical advice. If you have specific medical concerns please seek advice from a qualified medical professional.

Bump in the road

Q A hard bump has formed on my finger after writing with a pen at work. Could this be dangerous?

A The formation of this bump is aresult of the skin’s natural process of creating aprotective layer of dead skin cells to shield the underlying skin.

While the hard bump is unsightly and possibly can become abit sore or inconvenient, it is not dangerous at all and will not turn into anything sinister. This is acallus formation that can remain unchanged.

If the overlying skin becomes hard like calluses on your feet, it can be filed down. However, you should have anurse look at it beforehand.

To remove the callus, you can soften it by soaking and gently exfoliating the affected area.

Moisturising may also help with this. Going forward, it may be beneficial to invest in finger protectors, pen grips or pens made to prevent these calluses.

Another way to avoid developing writing calluses is to take regular breaks from writing every few minutes to stretch your hands and fingers.

A real bugbear

Q My son has come home from school with nits. He has very sensitive skin. Are there any suitable treatments I can use on his scalp to get rid of them?

A For sensitive skin, trying wet combing may be a good step. To do this, wet your son’s hair and apply conditioner. Then, divide the hair into multiple sections and comb repeatedly through each section using a fine-toothed comb or nit comb.

This method removes each individual lice and egg and allows you to see them in the comb.

Ensure that each section has been cleared of head lice, nits and eggs before moving to the next.

Natural products like coconut or olive oil to the hair including the scalp can be used to ‘smother’ the lice.

Using these with afine-toothed comb will do the trick.

You should then wash your son’s hair with regular shampoo, rinse, and then wash again. There are also over-thecounter treatments that can be used with sensitive skin.

Ignoring persistent symptoms can lead to complications, making timely medical attention crucial.

Bloated belly

Q I suffer with painful bloating after eating. This even goes for small snacks, not even full meals. Why is this happening?

A It could