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What is a haemangioma? A haemangioma is a type of birthmark that is formed by a collection of blood vessels just under the skin. It is often referred to as a “strawberry mark” because of its reddish colour and texture. Haemangiomas can be superficial or deep. A superficial haemangioma...

What is haematuria? Haematuria is the presence of blood in the urine. The blood may come from the kidney (where urine is formed) or any other part of the urinary tract. The urinary tract includes the ureters (the tubes connecting each kidney to the bladder), the bladder, the prostate (in men) and the urethra. In most cases, haematuria is not serious. Nevertheless, the cause should be sought because in exceptional cases the cause may be a serious disease. There...

What is haemochromatosis? Haemochromatosis is an inherited condition in which the blood has too much iron in it. Although iron is an important component of the blood, iron overload can damage the liver, pancreas, heart, and joints, among other body parts, leading to unpleasant symptoms. Haemochromatosis most...

What is haemoglobinopathy? Haemoglobinopathy is a clinical term that describes a group of blood disorders that affect red blood cells. Blood cells contain haemoglobin, a protein that carries oxygen around the body and removes carbon...

What is haemoglobinuria? Haemoglobinuria is the presence of excess haemoglobin in the urine. Haemoglobin is a molecule in red blood cells (RBCs), which helps transport oxygen and carbon dioxide through the body. Red blood cells tend to live about 120 days and then break down into parts that can produce a new red blood...

What is haemophilia? Haemophilia is a rare inherited blood disorder that affects the ability of the blood to clot correctly during bleeding. This is because the blood has low levels of clotting factors which are specific proteins found in the blood. These clotting factors help the platelets to clot the...

What is haemorrhoid surgery? Haemorrhoids, also known as piles areswollenveins that can be found around the anus. They can be located either inside or outside of the rectum. A lot of flare-ups of the condition...

What is hair loss? Hair loss, to an extent, is normal and we lose up to 100 strands of hair a day, usually without noticing. There are different types of hair loss, some are permanent, whilst others are temporary. Hair loss can also be hereditary, such as male and female pattern baldness. There are other types of hair loss, also called

What is a hair transplant? Hair transplantation, sometimes known as a hair graft,is mainly a cosmetic treatment that involves restoring a head of hair using donated hairs which are implanted onto the rest of the scalp. Patients with hair loss and baldness are increasingly turning to hair transplant treatments. There are two main types of hair transplant surgery: follicular unit extraction (

What is halitosis? Halitosis is a common problem characterised by an unpleasant odour on the patient’s breath. Normally, halitosis is caused by poor oral hygiene, with bacteria breaking down pieces of food trapped in the teeth and releasing foul-smelling gases. Halitosis can affect the patient psychologically, due to the stigma of bad...