I’ve heard that putting vitamin E on scars will help them fade. Is there a way to get rid of them?

“Scars will never go away, but their appearance can be improved dramatically. The younger you are, the more time a scar has to diminish and disappear,” says Dr. James Spencer, a dermatologist at Mt. Sinai Hospital in New York. Doctors can use a laser to shrink the scar tissue. “You can even move the scar to a more unnoticeable place—good for facial scars. With raised or indented scars, smoothing procedures even out the surface of the skin.” As for the wonders of vitamin E? “It does nothing,” says Dr. Spencer.

BY ANDREA T. ON 5/14/2008 12:12:00 PM 52 COMMENTS

I'm having a b-day party—yay! This is my first boy/girl party, and I have no idea what to do! Usually, it’s just me and the gals, and we do gossip and girl stuff.

BILL: This is why music was created. Play it loud. Smile, and keep the party short. You’ll be surprised how much you enjoy guys if you don’t have to actually speak to us and discover how dopey we are

DAVE: Bill’s on to something: Cut the chat, and cue the iPod. Before the big night, e-mail everyone for playlist requests. Just be sure to invite more girls than guys; otherwise, you’ll be jamming Rage Against the Machine all night.

BY ANDREA T. ON 5/10/2008 8:54:00 AM 186 COMMENTS

I have a million things I should do (and want to do), like keep up with schoolwork but, instead, I laze around and do nothing. Where's the inspiration?

Dear Totally Bored with No Inspiration,

We all have couch-potato days, but then it feels good to get busy. It could help to schedule something fun—IM chats, movies, skating—then use the hours beforehand to get lots done. A change of scenery might help too. Can you move from the bedroom to the kitchen to do homework? Or go to the library? If you feel overwhelmed, break work into small tasks. And talk to your parents about helping to motivate you. They might think up rewards to inspire you to take on challenges. Think of long-term goals, too. Can you take an art class or join choir? If you continue to feel a complete lack of motivation, you should talk to a counselor to see if something deeper is going on.

Want More Advice? Order Carol Weston’s Girltalk Fourth Edition: All the Stuff Your Sister Never Told You. It’s got the answers to all of your most important questions. So if you're looking for tips, quotes, advice, or just plain info about growing up, friends, boys, school, family stuff, substance abuse, or any problems big and small, check out Dear Carol's Girltalk or For Girls Only. They'll help you feel confident, inspired and energized!

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BY ANDREA T. ON 5/9/2008 11:30:00 AM 143 COMMENTS

My brother's best friend has a crush on me. Every time he comes over, he tries to sit by me or flirt with me.

Subtlety can be the best bet to avoid hurt feelings, but it doesn’t always get the message across. First off, don’t flirt back. Drop hints, like talking about how great it is that you can be friends (key word) with your bro’s buds. If he doesn’t get it? Be more direct or ask your brother to nicely clue him in. Tell him you like him as a friend, nothing more. If you’re worried about how he’ll take it, tell him you have a rule against dating your brother’s friends.

BY ANDREA T. ON 5/8/2008 9:02:00 AM 116 COMMENTS