I cannot stop biting my nails, Please advise because it is embarrassing

I cannot stop biting my nails, Please advise because it is embarrassing

Wally

Dear Wally,
Nail-biting (onychophagia) is a common habit beginning in children and may continue in adults. People usually do bite their nails when they are nervous, stressed, hungry or bored.
This, however, can sometimes be a sign of an emotional or mental problem, especially if it continues to uncontrollable levels.
That said, a few people trim their nails by biting them but unfortunately this may turn into a habit that is continued into adulthood. Since finger nails protect the fingertips, bitten off irregularly apart from the nails getting deformed can lead to pain and saliva may soften the fingertips, leading to infections.
Also, finger nail-biting can transmit intestinal parasites. Nail-biting can cause cosmetic problems because it may deform finger nails with the victim getting embarrassed and always trying to hide the fingers.
The problem can be discouraged by applying nail creams or polishes that do not smell or even taste nice. If this fails to help, then counselling one out of the habit may be required.

Tit bits
Replace the nail-biting habit with a good habit: When you feel like biting your nails, try playing with a stress ball.
This will help keep your hands busy and away from your mouth.

My uncle, 59, has been married to a 40-year-old woman for 15 years and have failed to give birth. Both have been checked and found to be normal. What can the couple do?
Majorie,

Dear Majorie
For about 10 per cent of all couples who fail to get children, fertility tests may be normal, meaning the ultimate proof of fertility is in having children but not merely having normal fertility tests.
Age is very important in fertility of a woman. At 30 years a woman will have lost up to 90 per cent of her eggs. At 40, a woman only has a 5 per cent chance of becoming pregnant in any month, making it even much more difficult for her to get pregnant, especially if she has never gotten pregnant. A man usually has less problems of fertility with age (with the oldest father recorded at 94 years) compared to a woman.
Even when this lady gets pregnant chances of miscarriages, birth defects such as downs syndrome, or complications while pregnant such as high blood pressure (eclampsia) may be rife.
What remains then may be to get the man’s sperms and eggs from a younger woman (eggs at 40 years are usually deemed inappropriate for IVF) and through IVF, get them fertilised and use a younger woman to carry the pregnancy (surrogacy) or the mother if deemed medically fit may carry the pregnancy herself. Other options are adoption or if they are Muslims, the man might have to marry another wife.

I have stretch marks yet I am not fat. Although my husband says they are a sign of beauty, how can I get rid of them?

Betty

Dear Betty,
Stretch marks (stria) are common in women, especially during or after pregnancy, but may appear in anybody at puberty or when one gains or loses weight fast. They may occur on the tummy, butt, arms, breasts, shoulders, behind the knees and thighs, depending mostly on family history.
They are called stretch marks because it is assumed that this is when one’s body becomes bigger due to pregnancy or growing fat hence the skin stretches to cover the expanded body. Stretch marks can form due to hormone changes as well.
A hormone, cortisol, both when given as a drug treatment or in cases of abnormal natural increase (Cushing’s syndrome) can cause stretch marks and therefore in a few cases appearing without reason, stria may indicate disease.
Diseases where water accumulates in body parts such as what happens in heart, kidney and liver disease may also lead to stria. Since you are small and have stretch marks, please visit your doctor to rule out medical problems as the cause.

I am 17 years old but I have become too hairy even on my bum. Is there a way I can remove it or drugs to take?
Kafeero

Dear Kafeero,
A human body except for a few places like the palms and soles of feet is covered by hair. There are two types of this hair; vellus which are short, fine, light coloured and barely visible and terminal (thick) hair which is thick, black and covers only the head, eye brows, and eyelashes in children.
And in male adults in addition, thick hair covers the armpits, pubis and bearded areas. In many males the chest, arms and legs may also be covered by thick hair.
Too much body hair may happen in a woman in areas where only men grow such hair for example the beards and chest (hirsutism) or may happen generally in both man and women. This is called Hypertrichosis which may be present at birth (congenital) or may arise later in life (acquired).
Whereas before puberty you may have had less hair because it was the vellus type, this same hair can change into the thicker type, especially at puberty determined by genetics. And not surprisingly this may be absent in your peers making you get anxious or stressed by the difference.
Excessive hair sometimes may be associated with medical conditions, including thyroid disease, cancers or may be a side effect of some drugs requiring that you see your doctor for proper investigation and further help. Yours is likely to be a cosmetic rather than a medical nuisance requiring that you take it as a normal difference from other peers. If this does not help stem your stress, then its removal of which there is shaving, waxing and using hair removing creams and more permanently laser treatment can help out.