Your body is miraculous but sometimes it can let you down in ways you’d rather it wouldn’t. Here are some solutions to embarrassing problems…

It may not be life threatening, but having a problem that makes you feel self-conscious and reluctant to socialise can make your life a misery. These days, however, there are ways that will, at the very least, lessen your problem, if not get rid of it forever.

Too much body hair
At least 25% of middle-aged women have unwanted facial hair, yet most are reluctant to discuss it or even acknowledge it. It’s usually the result of hormonal changes, which can lead to increased hair on the upper lip, chin and sides of the face. These unwanted hairs can be dark and coarse, too, making them more noticeable. There are several ways of removing hair though – from the short-term solution to more drastic long-term measures.

• Depilatory creams work by dissolving hair at the follicle, and are best used on body hair. The results only last two to three weeks.
• Waxing is good for removing hair on the upper lip and sides of the face but not for chin hair. It can irritate the skin and leave red, raised bumps. You will need to repeat treatment every two to six weeks.
• Laser hair removal causes selective destruction of hair follicles and can achieve long-term reduction after several sessions. The treatment must be performed by an experienced doctor, nurse or licensed aesthetician. After three treatments, six weeks apart, there will be about a 50% reduction in hair but you will need to have follow-up treatments. Works best for people with fair skin and dark hair.
• Light therapy can permanently
• stop hair growth. Rapid pulses of light energy are delivered to the skin, then absorbed by the melanin in the hair which gets so hot that it stops the hair   regrowing. Most systems can vary the number, length and frequency of the pulses of light, so it can be tailored to your skin colour and hair type.

Adult acne
Around 20% of women in their 20s to 40s have acne. The problem kicks in, most notably, during puberty, pregnancy, part of the menstrual cycle and during menopause. Some acne can leave scars, too, and there are various treatments and procedures to help to smooth these out.

• Dermabrasion is when your face is ‘sanded down’ by a hand-held machine which takes off the surface layer of skin. You will have a local anaesthetic to numb the area and, once the skin is smooth, superficial scars can be removed completely and the appearance of deeper scars much improved. It can also reduce the appearance of whiteheads and blackheads. The downside is that it can be painful and can leave skin feeling raw for months afterwards. After dermabrasion, sun exposure can cause problems with darkening of the skin, too.
• Chemical peels. Mild or superficial peels that gently remove a top layer of skin cells are done with alpha hydroxy or trichloroacetic acid. For severe acne, phenol peels are usually done under general anaestheic by cosmetic surgeons and have a longer-lasting effect. For average scarring, you might get a trichloroacetic acid peel administered by a doctor that works well on reducing the appearance of shallow scars.  
• Laser and light therapy treatments work well on acne scarring but, like dermabrasion, it is best to avoid direct sunlight for up to a year after treatment.

REDUCE ROSACEA
Rosacea is a common inflammatory condition, in which a rash develops on the face. It causes a burning and itching feeling and pimples may form, too, as well as the nose becoming red and swollen. The condition runs in the  family and can be triggered by alcohol, caffeine and spicy foods. It’s not always a lifelong condition and can disappear after five to 10 years.

• Light therapy can help to reduce the appearance of rosacea because the light is absorbed by oxyhaemoglobin that heat up, causing the capillary walls to become damaged. They are then absorbed by the body’s own natural defence mechanism. Treatment sessions last less than 30 minutes and can be carried out at six- to 12-week intervals, depending on the severity of the condition. The skin can sting for a while after a session and some people experience swelling of the treated area, but it can substantially reduce the appearance of rosacea.

BORN WITH A BIRTHMARK
A small birthmark can be endearing; something that makes you unique.
But when it is large, obvious and brightly coloured, it can be a problem. Vascular birthmarks are the most common type and are caused by irregularities in the capillaries or vessels that supply blood to the skin.These include stork marks and angel kisses, haemangiomas and port wine stains. In the first three types, the mark usually disappears as the child grows.

• A port wine stain (naevus flammeus) is a permanent, flat, red or purple mark that can be anything from a few millimetres to several centimetres in diameter. They tend to be on one side of the face and are more common in girls than boys. Laser surgery can help lighten the area of the skin and is more effective on lighter stains which, following treatment, can disappear altogether. However, the treatment’s effectiveness will depend on how prominent, and dark, the affected area is. If it is dark to start with, even after many treatments, the mark may still be visible.
• A brown birthmark is a variety of mole known as congenital melanocytic naevus, or CMN. While brown birthmarks affect one in 100 babies, large ones are quite rare. They’re permanent and treatment is not always possible. Plastic surgery may be offered, but this is not a simple option, because the scarring it leaves may not necessarily be better than the birthmark itself.

DON’T SWEAT IT
Severe sweating (hyperhidrosis) is usually a genetic condition and occurs when the ‘perspiration’ glands (the apocrine and eccrine) go into overdrive. In the past, an overactive thyroid or anxiety have been blamed, though both have now been dismissed as causes.

Sometimes, people sweat heavily because of other illnesses such as hyperthyroidism, psychiatric disorders, menopause and obesity. These must first be ruled out before primary hyperhidrosis can be diagnosed. Surgical options are available, but before going down this drastic route, there are other alternatives to explore.

• Botox (Botulinum toxin) is worth trying. Better known as a treatment for facial frown lines, it is now also licensed as a treatment for excessive sweating from the armpit. A small amount of the toxin is injected into multiple sites in the armpit skin and the procedure normally takes about 30 minutes to complete. The effects can last for three to six months and can then be repeated – so if it works, it’s well worth doing again.
• Iontophoresis is a treatment that could help if severe sweating on the palms or soles of the feet are causing you problems. This involves putting the affected areas into shallow baths of an electrically charged solution, using a special machine. You will need to have the treatment regularly for it to be effective.

Success at last…
Jessica Roberts, 33, had tried to get rid her of her facial hair before.

‘I’d tried electrolysis but wasn’t happy with the treatment or the service I’d received until I went to Renew Medica,’ says Jessica. ‘Electrolysis has been a great way for me to permanently remove individual facial hairs that I’d been really self-conscious about for a long time.’

For details call 0800 027 2029 or visit www.renewmedica.com