Embarrassing Bodies

First through the door this week is 18-year-old Cherie who’s suffering from back pain caused by extremely large breasts. The best option to ease the discomfort caused by her gigantic 30JJ bust is breast reduction and Dr Pixie refers Cherie to a specialist surgeon to get the procedure done. Visiting the dental clinic is Richard, 27, who has painful, aching teeth. Dr James’ examination reveals that Richard’s teeth are worn down as a result of Bruxism, an involuntary grinding of the teeth. Richard is sent to a specialist to clear the decay in his gums and teeth before Dr James can restore his smile with veneers and crowns. Read Dr James’ guide to How to Look After Your Teeth > Next in is Vicky, 28, who’s been dealing with boils in her groin area. Dr Christian believes the boils are caused by a condition in the sweat glands called Hidradenitis Suppurativa. As Vicky’s case is fairly mild, Dr Christian recommends treatment with antibiotics, the contraceptive pill, or acne treatments as opposed to more invasive surgery. The EB Bus heads out on the road, and first in is Amanda who feels that she has very large labia – but Dr Pixie’s examination reveals she’s perfectly normal. Meanwhile, Sharon shows her severe skin condition to Dr Christian who sends her to a dermatologist for a more accurate diagnosis. The specialist seeing Sharon prescribes topical creams to treat her scaly skin that’s been badly sun damaged. Julie visits the clinic because her ear is flaking skin and secreting gunky liquid. Dr Priya believes July has chronic otitis externa, an infection and inflammation of the ear, and sends in some sample swabs to be analyzed. An Ear Nose and Throat specialist injects an ointment into Julie’s ears and clears up her infection. Next in the clinic to see Dr Christian is Sarah who’s been suffering from lumps around her eyes for years. The condition is known as xanthelasma and it causes fatty growths around the eyes. Dr Christian recommends that she try make-up to start with as other methods carry the risk of scarring around the eyes. Allison, 23, is suffering from a funnel chest, a common hereditary condition where the chest is sunken. Because funnel chest can affect cardio and respiratory functions, Allison is sent to see a specialist for a check-up. After positive results from her test, the specialist attempts to re-contour Allison’s chest with a cosmetic filler. The EB doctors head out to rural Staffordshire to meet with the locals and discuss their health. Dr Christian speaks with some young farmers about the perils of STIs whilst Dr Pixie gets people talking about their bowels. And finally, this week’s body check sees our guinea pig group checking their poo for signs of ill health. Dr Christian talks to them about the reasons behind the differing colours and what different shapes and consistencies can indicate.