The Embarrassing Bodies clinic has opened its doors for a one off special looking at the conditions and problems that affect older people. It’s a fact that we’re going to have to get used to living longer in older bodies, and the EB doctors are here to show that there’s nothing embarrassing about getting old. First through the clinic doors is Derek who is suffering from a condition that is very common in women, but is much less understood in men. The condition is called andropause, and is where a man’s testosterone levels dip, causing irritability, lack of energy and a lowered sex drive. Fortunately the condition is simple to treat using a testosterone replacement therapy. Dr Christian takes his dad with him on a visit to the clinic to find out how the body ages, as we get older. Both of them are scanned using an MRI scanner, allowing Dr Christian to compare how the body changes internally as we get older. The doctors have set up a free clinic for the over 65s in Benidorm, where Dr Christian meets Patricia, whose foot has become mangled by an enormous bunion that has left her in constant pain. Dr Christian thinks that the situation has got so bad that surgery is the only option. Fortunately for Patricia, the new techniques are so effective that she will be in and out of the clinic within a day. Patricia’s Operation was a 3 Dimensional Osteotomy of the MTI Joint which is done in 3 important steps: 1. Realignment of the big toe to a 10-15 degree angle 2. Reconstruction of the square and the longitudinal arch by uplifting; using the existing ligament structure 3. De-rotating the big toe to a normal position of the nail showing upright again All is done in one procedure without additional incisions. The diagnosis is not so simple for another lady who’s come to the clinic with a resumption of her periods, four years after she had finished the menopause. Dr Pixie is concerned enough to send her for further tests, as this a potential

In this special episode of Embarrassing Bodies, Dr Christian follows the case of Charlotte Wilson who first came to see him in the clinic at the beginning of 2009. Suffering from a severe case of verrucas. Charlotte and her family were at their wits end; finding it impossible to treat them effectively. Dr Christian recommended that Charlotte’s immune system be checked out, and the results of these tests were to change Charlotte, and her families, lives for ever.

The Embarrassing Bodies doctors are standing up to cancer and taking the emotional medical journey with patients fighting the big C. Dr Christian meets Designer Josh, who tragically lost half his face following the diagnosis of a rare cancer, orbital melanoma. He also meets Dad of two young boys, Danny, diagnosed with bladder cancer at just 39 we follow his treatment to find out if his bladder can be saved. 49 year old Julie comes to see Dr Dawn. Having overcome breast cancer eight years ago, she hopes to have her breasts rebuilt with a pioneering technique. And Dr Dawn first meets 22 year old Natalie at hospital as she undergoes radiotherapy for cervical cancer and we follow her heartbreaking decisions as she battles the disease at such a young age.