Rheumatoid arthritis can be caused by hairspray and lipstick and/or lipstick that you use, and you’re also more likely to be a sufferer if you live near an airport. But one thing’s for sure - it’s nothing to do with growing old!!

Researchers are slowly beginning to understand the origins of rheumatoid arthritis, a chronic inflammatory autoimmune disorder that attacks the joints and often leads to their deformity.

While doctors are often baffled by the disorder, pioneers such as Professor Michael Ehrenfeld, at Tel Aviv University in Israel, believe that environmental factors play a large part in determining who will become a sufferer.

One clue is that people who live near airports are far more likely to develop the condition, as are those who are sensitive to second-hand smoke, chemicals in food, pollutants in the air, jet fuel fumes - and even hairspray and lipstick.

“Most people think arthritis has to do with old age, but this is false”, says Professor Ehrenfeld