Dear Doctor,
I am a 28-year-old man and suffering from a problem, which is causing a lot of mental agony. The shape of my nose is quite different; it is shorter and broader than usual. My mother says that I was born like this and there is no history of any trauma to my nose. Can this be corrected?
- Troubled

Dear Troubled.
I cannot comment on this problem without examining the nose. It sounds like you need corrective rhinoplasty. By this procedure the shape of your nose can be considerably improved. Sometimes two or more sittings are required to get adequate results. Here the nose is reconstructed using cartilage from other parts of the body, or sometimes even artificial implants are used. You should contact a surgeon who is experienced in this field, as it is a very specialised procedure.

Hello Doctor,
I am a 35-year-old man and have a receding hairline. I am very worried as I think I will turn bald very soon. What can I do to stop this?
- Bald

Losing hair at the front is a very common problem for males. This is known as male pattern baldness. It starts with a receding hairline and then progresses backward. It's a condition that affects young adults. The hair on the front of the scalp has androgen receptors which when stimulated cause hair loss. This condition affects all individuals in different proportions thus some people have more hair loss than others.

We suggest a hair restoration therapy for patients who have started losing their hair. It's a combination of different drugs that stop hair fall, and help to strengthen the remaining hair.

For patients who already have baldness in different degrees there is the choice of hair transplant. Follicular hair transplant is the latest technique for this procedure. Hair follicles are taken from the donor area at the back of the head and implanted into the bald area. However, I really can't comment on your condition without taking a look, although, as you can see, you have a lot of options to choose from.

Dear Doctor,
I am 6 months pregnant and have noticed dark areas on my right cheek. It was not there before. As I am pregnant I do not want to take any medication. What should I do?

During pregnancy some people develop pigmentation on their skin due to the hormonal changes. Usually these tend to go away once the child is born. But in some patients, it stays. It cannot be predicted beforehand what the outcome will be, so take care that the spots do not spread. You can start by using sunscreen, especially when you go out into the sun. Sun exposure is the worst that can happen to any kind of pigmentation. Different kinds of ointments are available to reduce the pigmentation. You can consult with a dermatologist and start using one of these. It will not affect your pregnancy in any way.

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