Simple ways to make awkward body issues a thing of the past.

Here are 5 of the most common awkward body issues that we have to deal with from time to time, and how you can effectively manage them.

1. Hair sprouting in unexpected places.

All it takes is to see yourself from a different angle one day, perhaps looking in a new mirror with more intense lighting and bam – you’ve noticed that the fine hair on your upper lip or chin is well, sprouting a colony.

Sometimes hormone levels can play havoc with our bodies and lead to darker, more noticeable hair in areas such as the face, chest, abdomen or back. You might have even produced the odd stray mega-eyebrow hair… Or not. Ahem.

Depending on the degree of the problem, bleaching, waxing (or a carefully targeted plucking session) may alleviate the embarrassment caused by any unwelcome fibres on your bodies.

Laser hair removal or electrolysis may be the preferred option for more stubborn hairy issues.

2. Unexpected body odour.

You know when it’s you, don’t you. You’ve worn the wrong material clothes (the single most non-breathable item in your wardrobe) and your day has combined this with heat, unexpected stress and/or sudden physical activity. You are emitting unpleasant smells. You would screw your nose up at you if you had to sit next to you right now.

The solution? Use a deodorant with 48 hour protection, and always carry it with you. Deodorant is small enough to discreetly fit into any bag and is there to calm things down on the B.O. front.

When you think about it, our long-suffering underarms are the most neglected part of our body. When we shave our legs we always moisturise afterwards, but when we shave our underarms? We don’t think about them again, and then expect them to go on functioning for us all day long. (On average, when you shave your underarms, 36% of what you shave off is actually skin – frightening stuff).

So start the day with a deodorant that moisturises your skin and gives your armpits the best chance to function at optimal levels – and then keep it in your bag for back up.

3. Dandruff confetti.

It’s not romantic, tiny snowflakes or sparkling glitter. No, it’s dandruff, and it’s raining down on you, often when you are wearing every shade of black imaginable.

The worst part? When the person you are conversing with kindly stops, narrows their eyes and starts to try and remove a stray flake in your hair for you – oh, the shame.

Dandruff is tricky to hide, but it can be brought under control. The skin on our scalp is constantly renewing, but inflammation can cause the dead skin cells to clump together and form visible flakes. The best solution is to try an anti-dandruff shampoo until the snowstorm subsides, and then wash your hair every day, as infrequent shampooing can lead to more build up.

4. Stinky breath.

It’s never a good time to discover your mouth is producing a rancid, pungent odour, is it? Not in a meeting, not at home in bed face to face with your husband, not during any sort of close up appointment, or on public transport. So, nowhere then.

When you discover you are emitting stinky mouth fumes, you have a few options. Peppermint tea, if you are in a café or at home, can be a discreet way to minimise the harm (for those in your immediate radius). Parsley and unsweetened yoghurt can also help neautralise the stink-party in your mouth.

Otherwise, mints are another great back up to have stashed away in your bag for any oral emergencies.

5. Adult acne.

This one’s a doozy: adult pimples. You’ve survived the ups and downs of the teen years, the insecurities of your twenties only to be confronted with some fairly impressive acne in your thirties.

Nothing this small can throw you off as easily as a stand-out blemish somewhere prominent and difficult to hide, such as your nose or chin.

The solution? Try a product containing an ingredient by the name of salicylic acid. This works to sooth the inflamed skin around the pimple and calm the entire situation down a notch.

No matter what your body throws at you, there are solutions at hand so you can go back to using your body and not being embarrassed by it.

How do you deal with “embarrassing” body issues?