10 Personal Care Problems & Solutions

1. What causes foot odour?

When the normal bacteria on your feet interact with moisture trapped in your socks and shoes, they emit stinky sulfurous byproducts.

Way out – For feet to be odour free, they need to be dry; meaning it’s important to wear absorbent cotton socks with shoes made from airy materials, like canvas and leather. You can also shake some OTC drying powder into your shoes to keep moist out. Tea benefit scores here. How? Three days a week, preferable nights, soak your feet for five to ten minutes in a basin filled with tea infusion. The tannic acid in tea briefly stops sweat production. However, if your feet have become red, swollen or scaly, it’s time to see your doctor to make sure a bacterial or fungal infection is not causing the smell.

2. Why do I have bad breath even with regular brushing?

While brushing will assist in preventing cavities, it can only mask bad breath, because the problem is with your throat and tongue, not your teeth. When the bacteria in your mouth has no access to oxygen, which occurs when you use alcohol-based mouthwashes, or swallow specific medication for depression or high blood pressure, or just shut your mouth for a long time; it  releases smelly sulfur compounds, similar to the cause of foot odour. That is why garlic and onion make your breath stink because they contain same sulfur compounds.

Way Out - Contrary to popular belief, a tongue scraper would not banish bad breath - sulfur compounds cannot be removed manually. Instead, keep your mouth oxygenated by drinking water throughout the day and using an OTC oral rinse with chlorine dioxide in both the morning and evening to neutralize sulfur compounds.  Chewing on oxygen-rich vegetables, like parsley and celery, can also diminish odours. If these tricks don't work, see your dentist.

3. What causes spider veins?

Trauma and pregnancy to the leg, like crashing into something, can bring on spider veins. It’s also generic. If your mum has it, you’ll probably get it.

Way Out – If you’re bothered by spider veins, vitamin K is recommended as good treatment, perhaps due to its ability to tighten blood vessels, thus making veins less visible; though still hard for the molecules in the cream to enter the skin and absorbed into the veins. Experts recommend another option, sclerotheraphy, which is a tiny injection of saline solution which irritates and shuts veins. 95% of patients see improvement after one to three treatments, but quite pricey at $300 per treatment per leg.

4. Are the bumps on my buttocks and back of my arms pimples?

No. They are called keratosis pilaris. The cause is not known though some claim it’s a hereditary complaint.

Way Out - You can soften and peel off bumps by rubbing them with a mixture of equal parts petroleum jelly and either water or cold cream. If that doesn’t solve it, Retin-A probably will, though it can irritate skin close to the area. A better alternative is LactiCare-HC Lotion 2.5%, which contains lactic acid to dissolve dead skin cells and hydrocortisone to soothe any acid-induced irritation. Rub lotion onto bumps twice a day until they peel off.

5. What is causing my toenail fungus?

Toenail fungus is actually athlete's foot frequently picked up from showers or borrowed shoes or slippers that spread into your toenails.

Way Out - Anti-fungal pill like Lamisil or Sporanox is effective but word of caution: the treatment is only 70 to 80% effective. In cases where they work, it takes nearly a year and a half for the toenail to grow out completely. You can prevent a recurrence by wearing shower slippers every time you rinse off at the gym and by not borrowing shoes.

 6. Why do I have stained teeth?

Smoking and excessive consumption of dark beverages like coffee, tea, red wine, and soda are the main causes of stained teeth.

Way Out – The longer stains remain on teeth, the more difficult it is to remove, so it’s important to visit your dentist twice a year for scale and polishing. You can lighten your teeth several shades with whitening toothpaste that contains carbamide peroxide, but use it only once a day to avoid drying out gum tissue. Try Rembrandt Plus with Peroxide, or Pearl Drops, or Denivit tooth whitening toothpastes. 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 or in a custom-fitted mouthpiece that you wear an hour a day for about 10 days. Though drugstore bleaching kits are much less expensive, they're not quite as effective because the gel is not as strong, and since the mouthpieces are not created for you specifically, the gel can drip out of them and inflame your gums.

7. Why do I have stretch marks?

It is true that the marks on your tummy, thighs or hips may have been caused by pregnancy or significant weight fluctuations. However, what you may be oblivious to is the fact that hormonal changes that occur during normal growth process can also cause your skin to stretch and scar. This means that stretch marks are not peculiar to women. Men have them too. When your skin stretches minimally or the stretched skin is thick, white or dark marks result.

Way Out - No treatment is guaranteed to remove stretch marks, but you can make them less noticeable. Try twice-daily applications of OTC Striae Stretch Mark Crème. Several studies have confirmed that it can reduce red or white or dark marks in about four weeks. Alternatively ask your doctor about laser therapy, which can tone down the brightness of recently acquired red marks, or microdermabrasion, which can reduce the look of white or dark marks.

8. What causes excess facial hair?

If you battle with hairs on your chin on a daily basis, see you doctor. Polycystic ovarian syndrome, a disorder characterised by high levels of male hormones, or an adrenal gland problem, could be the cause. However if your facial hair is moderate, you can manage it by tidying your brows or upper-lip area once a month.

Way Out – Vaniqa, an odourless prescription cream reduces light to heavy hair growth on the face. You will need to keep using your normal hair-removal method to start with, since you don’t get instant result from Vaniqa. What Vaniqa does is to block one of the enzymes responsible for hair growth; gradually slowing it down.  So long as you continue to use it, it can considerably reduce hair growth for months. A monthly electrolysis session for up to a year can remove hair permanently.

9. Why do I have an excessive shiny face?

If you’re equally losing hair and stopped getting your period, a hormonal imbalance could be the problem and you may need to see your doctor. If not, your skin is just oversensitive to your male hormones which we all have and can trigger the production of excess oil.  Many dermatologists believe that alcohol-based toners and gritty scrubs can over-dry and irritate your skin and make it produce extra oil to compensate.

Way Out - Your best bet is to regulate oil without over-drying your skin. So in the morning, wash your face with an oil-free lotion cleanser, then rub on an alcohol-free toner. Try Purity Plus+2 in 1 Cleansing and Toning Lotion. Mop up shiny spots throughout the day with blotting papers. Try Mary Kay’s. Repeat your morning routine before bed. If you continue to shine, ask your dermatologists about Retin-A Micro which is less irritating than regular Retin-A. This prescription cream was created to treat acne but has also been proven effective against oiliness.

10. What causes hand warts?

The human papilloma virus is responsible for warts. To get them, however, you need to be both genetically disposed and in close contact with an infected person.

Way Out: With a clean nail file, gently slough off the top layers of your warts daily to remove dead skin. Do not use this nail file for anything but wart removal. Then rub on OTC Occlusal HP which is highly concentrated salicylic acid to dissolve 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. Caution: Be careful when engaging in sexual activity, though it’s unlikely, hand warts can spread to your, or your partner’s, genitals. 

Photo Credit: Creative Commons.