Parents: have you noticed younger children wanting to try skincare products?

Children as young as two are appearing in TikTok videos demonstrating their skincare routines, a Guardian investigation has found, raising concerns about the beauty industry’s reach. Dermatologists say children do not need multi-step skincare and warn the trend may be fuelling anxiety about appearance from an early age.We want to hear from parents of children of primary school children or younger. Have your children asked for skincare products or felt pressure to follow routines they’ve seen online or heard about from friends? Have you noticed changes in how they think about their appearance? Do you have concerns?You can share your submission in the form below or by messaging us. We won't use your response without contacting you first

One person diagnosed with cancer every 80 seconds in UK, report reveals

The number of people in the UK being diagnosed with cancer has reached a record high, with one person diagnosed every 80 seconds, a report reveals.Cancer Research UK found that more than 403,000 people were being diagnosed with the disease each year. The rise is largely due to a growing and ageing population, as people are more likely to develop cancer as they get older.The NHS is struggling to cope with rising demand for care. Cancer waiting times across the UK are among the worst on record, according to the report

HRT maker censured by UK regulator for ‘systemic failures’ that put patients at risk

One of the biggest producers of hormone replacement therapy has been censured by regulators for “systemic failures” that jeopardised patient safety.Theramex, the UK producer of HRT drugs Evorel and Intrarosa, was found to have breached fundamental compliance standards including not updating crucial prescribing information – in some cases for several years – and not making it clear that a drug must not be used during pregnancy.The Prescription Medicines Code of Practice Authority (PMCPA), the UK drug industry’s self-regulatory body, issued the public reprimand against Theramex after its own staff blew the whistle over “alarming” compliance issues and incomplete prescribing information for Evorel and Intrarosa that “jeopardise patient safety”.Evorel patches – which contain estradiol – are among the most prescribed form of transdermal HRT, with more than 250,000 items issued in the last financial year, according to NHS Business Services Authority figures.Overall, nearly 10m items of estradiol, including gels, were prescribed in the 2024/25 financial year

‘This is our moment as British Muslims’: MCB leader takes inspiration from New York mayor

Zohran Mamdani’s victory to become New York’s first Muslim mayor took place thousands of miles from the UK. But at the Muslim Council of Britain (MCB), the campaign was being closely studied.“We actually spent some time with his campaign team to work out what the secret sauce was,” said Dr Wajid Akhter, who took over as secretary general of Britain’s largest and most diverse national Muslim umbrella body last year.Akhter, a GP, said he was struck by the Mamdani campaign’s communication strategy. “Even when you talk about Gaza, he would bring it back to talking about rent

Temporary accommodation linked to deaths of 104 children in England in six years

Living in temporary accommodation has contributed to the deaths of 104 children in England in the past six years, 76 of whom were under the age of one, according to data.Statistics also show there were 64 stillbirths and 27 neonatal deaths involving mothers living in temporary accommodation (TA) in the UK in 2024. Experts say the housing crisis is pushing families into conditions that endanger their lives.Siobhain McDonagh, the chair of the all-party parliamentary group for households in temporary accommodation, which compiled the data, said she was appalled to see an increase in child deaths linked to TA, which has soared in use in recent years. It is estimated that 135,000 households are living in TA in England, including nearly 176,000 children

Bill banning people born after 2008 from buying tobacco clears UK parliament

A bill banning anyone born after 2008 from buying tobacco in the UK has completed its progress through parliament in a move that ministers hope will create a “smoke-free generation”.Under the tobacco and vapes bill anyone born on or after 1 January 2009 will never be able to be legally sold tobacco across the UK, in an effort to save lives and reduce the burden on the NHS.The bill will become legislation when it receives royal assent next week. Its long journey through both houses of parliament began when it was introduced on 5 November 2024 and ended on Tuesday, when the House of Lords approved amendments made by MPs in House of Commons.Ministers hope it will end the sale of tobacco products altogether over time and break the cycle of addiction and the disadvantages associated with tobacco