Jeremy Hunt, the Secretary of State for Health, announced today that people suffering from the debilitating Scouse Eyebrow Syndrome (SEBS) will be able to receive free treatment on the NHS.
There are thought to be a staggering half a million sufferers of SEBS (or supercilium gigantus) in the UK; around 1 in every 70 women and 1 in every 300 men.
Possible treatments include the chemical removal of any existing dyes or depictions of over-eye hair, and the transplanting of natural hair (if available) from other parts of the body.
Medical experts are divided over whether the £70-80 million these treatments are likely to cost should be borne by the taxpayer.
Many argue that SEBS is a cosmetic problem and should, therefore, be funded by sufferers themselves.
Jeremy Hunt, however, insisted that SEBS is a serious issue that could cause long-term problems, such as social isolation and loss of cognitive function for those affected by it.
“We also need to take into account the aesthetic discomfort experienced by those close to sufferers,” he explained. “On balance I believe it is worth the expense to be able to rid the country of this awful affliction.”
Hunt also appealed for owners of natural, undyed hair to come forward and donate to hospitals suffering from severe shortages, particularly in the Merseyside area.
