Here is a series of problem/solutions for some pretty common problems:
1. What causes foot odor?
The fix:
Since dry feet will always make you and your spouse happy. Try to wear absorbent cotton socks with shoes made from breathable materials, like canvas and leather. That 'pleather' stuff will not cut it! With these breathable socks and shoes, add some Zeasorb - an over-the-counter drying powder - into your shoes every morning. If you try this three nights a week you'll see some serious improvements. Something else you can do is soak your feet in a basin of regular tea bags for five to 10 minutes. The tea bags are filled with tannic acid. This can temporarily inhibit sweat production. Now if nothing gets better or your feet are also red, swollen or scaly - you'd better see a doctor. It is possible that bacterial or fungal infections isn't causing the smell.
2. Why does my breath smell despite constant brushing?
Brushing your teeth sometimes will only mask bad breath; but don't stop brushing. The problem really lies within your throat and tongue, not your teeth. What happens is: the bacteria in your mouth lose access to oxygen and this causes the bacteria to emit a sulfur compound. This can happen when you use alcohol-based mouthwashes, take certain prescription medications for depression or high blood pressure or simply sit with your mouth shut for a long time. It's basically the same things at work with foot odor. Eating garlic and onion also makes your breath stink because they contain - surprise - those same sulfur compounds.
The fix:
Contrary to popular belief, a tongue scraper won't resolve the problem - sulfur compounds cannot be removed manually. DRINKING WATER keeps your mouth oxygenated throughout the day. Also give using an over-the-counter oral rinse with chlorine dioxide in both the morning and evening a try. This will neutralize sulfur compounds. (Try something like TheraBreath Oral Rinse.) Parsely and celery also helps. These vegetables are rich in oxygen compounds. If you still can't seem to get the problem under control - see your dentist.
3. I've heard that spider veins are hereditary.
My mom doesn't have them, so why do I? Genetics isn't the only cause of these unsightly blue veins. Pregnancy and trauma to the leg (like bumping into something) can bring them on.
The fix:
Though vitamin K cream has been touted by some as the next big thing in spider-vein treatment (possibly because of its ability to constrict blood vessels, which supposedly makes veins less visible), there's no way the molecules in the cream can penetrate the skin on your legs and be absorbed into your veins. The best option - with 95 percent of patients seeing improvement after one to three treatments (up to $300 per treatment, per leg) -- is still sclerotherapy, tiny injections of saline solution, which irritates veins and causes them to swell shut.
4. What's causing my toenail fungus?
Toenail fungus is actually athlete's foot (often picked up from shared showers or borrowed shoes) that has spread into your toenails.
The fix:
The most effective treatment is a prescription antifungal pill like Lamisil or Sporanox, but be warned: These treatments are only 70 to 80 percent effective at best, and even when they work it takes nearly a year and a half for the toenail to fully grow out. Prevent a recurrence by wearing shower slippers every time you rinse off at the gym and by not borrowing shoes.
5. Why do my teeth look so dingy?
Smoking and excessive consumption of dark beverages (like coffee, tea, soda and red wine) are the main causes of stained teeth.
The fix:
As with clothing stains, the longer discolorations remain on your teeth, the harder they are to remove - so keep up those twice-a-year dental visits. You can lighten your teeth several shades with a whitening toothpaste that contains carbamide peroxide, but use it only once a day to avoid drying out gum tissue. (Try Rembrandt Plus with Peroxide toothpaste.) Floss treated with the whitening agent silica has also been proven to polish away stains, which often form between teeth. (Try Johnson & Johnson Reach Whitening Floss.)
For more dramatic results, your dentist can bleach your teeth up to eight shades brighter with a highly concentrated peroxide gel administered via laser ($800 to $1,500) or in a custom-fitted mouthpiece ($600 to $1,000) that you wear an hour a day for about 10 days. (Though drugstore bleaching kits are much less expensive, they aren't quite as effective -- the gel isn't as strong, and since the mouthpieces aren't created specifically for you, the gel can drip out of them and inflame your gums.)
6. Why is my face so shiny?
If you are also losing hair and have stopped getting your period, a hormonal imbalance could be the culprit, and you should see your doctor. If not, your skin is just oversensitive to your male hormones (we all have them) - and this is triggering the production of excess oil. Another possibility: a too-harsh cleansing routine (some of you have written to us saying you use rubbing alcohol to nix shine!). Many derms believe that alcohol-based toners and gritty scrubs can overdry and irritate your skin and make it produce extra oil to compensate.
The fix:
Your best bet is to regulate oil without overdrying your skin. So in the morning, wash your face with an oil-free lotion cleanser, then rub on an alcohol-free toner. (Try Cetaphil Daily Facial Cleanser for Normal to Oily Skin and Bath & Body Works Bio Face Oil-Control Facial Toner.) Top with the OTC oil-absorbing gel Clinac OC. Sop up shiny spots throughout the day with blotting papers. (Try Hard Candy Shiny Sheets.) Repeat your A.M. routine - minus the gel - before bed. If you continue to shine, ask your dermatologist about Retin-A Micro. Less irritating than regular Retin-A, this prescription cream was created to treat acne but has also been proven effective against oiliness.
7. What causes hand warts?
The human papilloma virus is responsible for warts - but to get them you have to be both genetically predisposed and in close contact with an infected person.
The fix:
With a clean nail file, gently slough off the top layers of your warts daily to remove dead skin, says Day. (Do not use this nail file for anything but wart removal.) Then rub on over-the-counter Occlusal HP - its highly concentrated salicylic acid dissolves warts. If warts remain after several months, consult your dermatologist about other remedies, including laser therapy and liquid nitrogen treatments. Despite treatment, however, warts can come back. A warning: Be careful when engaging in sexual activity - though it's unlikely, hand warts can spread to your (or your partner's) genitals.