In this episode Dr Hilary speaks with Rae Denman, one of the UK’s leading specialists in medical tattooing — a treatment used to camouflage scars, birthmarks and skin grafts, and to restore natural colour after surgery.

Rae talks about how medical tattooing helps people feel more comfortable in their own skin; the difference between cosmetic and medical tattooing; how she works with burns units and post-surgery patients; and why sensitivity and honesty are vital in her work.

Also in the episode:
• The woman who covered her birthmark every day for 30 years
• How a tattoo can restore what surgery can’t
• The link between skin, confidence, and identity

Ask Dr Hilary: Whether it's advice on sleep, diet, mental well-being, or everyday medical concerns, now's your chance to get answers. Each week, Dr Hilary answers your health and wellness questions. If it’s on your mind, he wants to help. Send your questions to Ask@drhilaryjones.com

Sign up for the weekly newsletter with tips and advice on health and wellbeing: https://www.drhilaryjones.com

Follow Dr Hilary:

X: @DrHilaryJones

Instagram: @thedrhilaryshow/

Support the show: https://www.drhilaryjones.com/dr-hilary-jones-show/

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this episode, Amy Dowden joins Dr Hilary to reveal how Strictly Come Dancing helped save her life. She speaks openly about living with Crohn’s disease since childhood, her breast cancer diagnosis at 32, and the brutal realities of chemotherapy, sepsis, and medically induced menopause.

Amy also talks about how dance has shaped every stage of her life — from starting at eight years old to becoming the first Welsh professional on Strictly. She recalls competing alongside her husband, the thrill of performing live, and how being part of the show gave her a sense of purpose even during treatment.

Ask Dr Hilary

Whether it's advice on sleep, diet, mental well-being, or everyday medical concerns, now's your chance to get answers. Each week, Dr Hilary answers your health and wellness questions. If it’s on your mind, he wants to help. Send your questions to Ask@drhilaryjones.com

Sign up for the weekly newsletter with tips and advice on health and wellbeing: https://www.drhilaryjones.com

Follow Dr Hilary:

X: @DrHilaryJones

Instagram: @thedrhilaryshow/

Follow Amy:

Instagram: @amy_dowden

https://linktr.ee/amy_dowden

Support the show: https://www.drhilaryjones.com/dr-hilary-jones-show/

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

When leading architect and urban designer Lucy Musgrave OBE was suddenly diagnosed with acute myeloid leukaemia, life changed overnight. In this inspiring conversation, Lucy tells Dr Hilary how she went from near collapse to remission — and how one cartwheel sparked a national campaign to try to raise £200,000. From the moment she heard the word “curable,” to the gruelling six months of treatment and the daily ritual that became her symbol of survival, Lucy’s story is one of resilience, gratitude, and joy. She shares how Cartwheel for a Cure is helping fund vital research through Leukaemia UK.

Ask Dr Hilary
Whether it's advice on sleep, diet, mental well-being, or everyday medical concerns, now's your chance to get answers. Each week, Dr Hilary answers your health and wellness questions. If it’s on your mind, he wants to help. Send your questions to Ask@drhilaryjones.com

Sign up for the weekly newsletter with tips and advice on health and wellbeing: https://www.drhilaryjones.com

Follow Dr Hilary:

X: @DrHilaryJones

Instagram: @thedrhilaryshow/

Cartwheel for a Cure: https://www.justgiving.com/campaign/cartwheel-for-a-cure

Instagram:

@leukaemiauk

@cartwheelforacure

Support the show: https://www.drhilaryjones.com/dr-hilary-jones-show/

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What does it take to stay sharp at 85, sell over 300 million books, and keep going after criticism, controversy, and cancer? Lord Jeffrey Archer reflects on his life and work — from running for his country to facing near-bankruptcy, from building global bestsellers to dealing with prostate cancer.

He explains how he keeps his energy, why discipline and resilience matter, why he reworks every book through as many as 17 drafts, and his support for Mary Archer’s drive to build the UK’s first children’s hospital that treats mental and physical health together. They also discuss Olympic security, fairness in sport, assisted dying, and the challenges of living longer.

Ask Dr Hilary
Whether it's advice on sleep, diet, mental well-being, or everyday medical concerns, now's your chance to get answers. Each week, Dr Hilary answers your health and wellness questions. If it’s on your mind, he wants to help. Send your questions to Ask@drhilaryjones.com

Sign up for the weekly newsletter with tips and advice on health and wellbeing: https://drhilaryjones.com

Follow Dr Hilary

X: @DrHilaryJones Instagram: @thedrhilaryshow/

Support the show: https://www.drhilaryjones.com/dr-hilary-jones-show/

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Andy explains how unlicensed and counterfeit weight-loss injections are entering the country, why they can contain the wrong dose or even insulin, and the risks of buying any medicine outside the regulated supply chain. He also describes how the MHRA works with Border Force, social media companies, and international partners to seize illegal products and raise public awareness.

You can use https://yellowcard.mhra.gov.uk/ to report any concerns — whether with a legitimate medicine or an unlicensed version — and the MHRA will investigate.

Ask Dr Hilary
Whether it's advice on sleep, diet, mental well-being, or everyday medical concerns, now's your chance to get answers. Each week, Dr Hilary answers your health and wellness questions. If it’s on your mind, he wants to help. Send your questions to Ask@drhilaryjones.com

Sign up for the weekly newsletter with tips and advice on health and wellbeing: https://drhilaryjones.com

Follow Dr Hilary

X: @DrHilaryJones

Instagram: @thedrhilaryshow/

More about the show and to sign up for weekly newsletter: https://drhilaryjones.com

Support the show: https://www.drhilaryjones.com/dr-hilary-jones-show/

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Dr Anil Joshi is an ENT and facial plastic surgeon who repairs the damage from drug use, trauma, and cancer — and is helping to shape the future of reconstructive surgery. In this conversation with Dr Hilary, he explains how 3D printing is changing what’s possible, and the ethical challenges of saying no when surgery would do more harm than good.

They discuss the progression of cocaine-related nasal injury, the dangers of unlicensed injectors and bargain medical tourism, and how AI is starting to support surgical planning. Dr Joshi also shares how musicianship informs his surgical judgment, why fitness and mindset matter for eight-hour operations, and what’s next for training and global standards.

Ask Dr Hilary
Whether it's advice on sleep, diet, mental well-being, or everyday medical concerns, now's your chance to get answers. Each week, Dr Hilary answers your health and wellness questions. If it’s on your mind, he wants to help.

Send your questions to Ask@drhilaryjones.com

Sign up for the weekly newsletter with tips and advice on health and wellbeing: https://drhilaryjones.com Follow Dr HilaryX: @DrHilaryJonesInstagram: @thedrhilaryshow/

Support the show: https://www.drhilaryjones.com/dr-hilary-jones-show/

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In her mid-forties, Claer Barrett, associate editor at the Financial Times, turned to weight loss medication, a decision that transformed her health, her habits, and her outlook on life.

In this episode, Claer explains what it feels like when “food noise” finally stops. She tells Dr Hilary how portion control became possible for the first time, and why she invested in medical monitoring, body scans and therapy. She also speaks honestly about the side effects, the discipline required to keep the weight off, and the challenge of doing all this while being open with her readers.

Beyond the personal story, the discussion explores the wider issues raised by these new drugs. From the black-market risks and rising costs to the question of whether the NHS should fund treatment; a frank look at obesity, health and longevity, and the difficult choices many people face when trying to live better for longer.

Ask Dr Hilary
Whether it's advice on sleep, diet, mental well-being, or everyday medical concerns, now's your chance to get answers. Each week, Dr Hilary answers your health and wellness questions. If it’s on your mind, he wants to help.

Send your questions to Ask@drhilaryjones.com
Sign up for the weekly newsletter with tips and advice on health and wellbeing: https://drhilaryjones.com

Follow Dr Hilary

X: @DrHilaryJones

Instagram: @thedrhilaryshow/

Support the show: https://www.drhilaryjones.com/dr-hilary-jones-show/

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What does it mean to live a life through music? Dr Hilary speaks with world-renowned soprano Lesley Garrett about her extraordinary career on the global stage — and how singing has been her anchor through life’s biggest challenges.

From her beginnings at the English National Opera to show-stopping nights at Wembley and beyond, Lesley reflects on the joys of music, memory and community. She also shares her health battles, including a rare thymus tumour and an early menopause, showing how her voice and spirit endured through resilience, medical innovation and the healing power of song.

Lesley also talks about why choirs transform health, her time on Strictly Come Dancing, and why — at 70 — she has no plans to retire.

Ask Dr Hilary
Whether it’s advice on sleep, diet, mental well-being, or everyday medical concerns, now’s your chance to get answers. If it’s on your mind, Dr Hilary wants to help.

Send your questions to Ask@drhilaryjones.com

For more information about the show and to sign up for the weekly newsletter: https://drhilaryjones.com

Support the show: https://www.drhilaryjones.com/dr-hilary-jones-show/

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.