Bod Squad
Ick—motion sickness is especially common in girls ages 10 to 13. It happens when your senses get all out of whack. Your inner ear, which keeps you balanced, tells your brain you’re moving. Meanwhile, your eyes only see the back of your brother’s head, so they send signals that you’re not going anywhere. The result? You feel like you might throw up, your mouth waters, you get dizzy, and your skin turns pale. “The front seat is better because you can see your surroundings move,” explains Dr. Rachel Rosen, “so your inner ear and eyes stay in synch better.” If you can’t sit shotgun, try these tricks: Roll the window down, focus on faraway objects, listen to headphones while looking out the window, don’t read or play video games, and avoid greasy foods before riding. If you’re still queasy, take an over-the-counter med like Dramamine before buckling up. Be warned, though, that Dramamine can put you to sleep. Some people get relief from special pressure-point bracelets, such as BioBands.
BY ANDREA T. ON 5/7/2008 1:31:00 PM 124 COMMENTS
Believe it or not, breasts are full of lumps and bumps that are perfectly normal—particularly when you’re developing. You can especially feel them if you’re thin or small-chested. If both breasts feel the same, there is probably nothing wrong. If you feel a lump that is new or unusual and does not go away after your next period, then see your doctor. From the time a girl begins to menstruate, her breasts undergo regular changes each month. Extra fluid can collect around the breasts during your period, making them feel bumpy. These changes and lumps are usually harmless. Although it is extremely unlikely that someone your age would get breast cancer, lumps and other changes in your breasts should be checked by a doctor just to be sure.
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BY ANDREA T. ON 4/30/2008 1:21:00 PM 203 COMMENTS
Chill. What you probably have is a harmless condition called keratosis pilaris. It looks like little dots that are usually white but sometimes red. As your guy friend found out, the area feels bumpy, dry and sandpapery. It strikes the upper arms, buttocks and thighs. Why? The genetic condition happens because dry skin doesn’t flake off like it should. Instead, it gets plugged up in hair follicles and forms little bumps, explains Dr. Irwin. Moisturize your arms with Vaseline after you shower. If it doesn’t clear up within a week, move on to stronger stuff. After bathing, slick on a glycolic acid lotion mixed with a dab of hydrocortisone (the .5-percent kind sold over-the-counter at drugstores). If that doesn’t do the trick, see a dermatologist for an Rx.
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BY ANDREA T. ON 4/23/2008 12:23:00 PM 262 COMMENTS
Doctors have a fancy term for nighttime drooling: sialorrhea. And it’s super common. So rest easy—nothing is wrong. We produce more saliva during the day, but we are tidy about it because we swallow a lot. At night, we forget because—duh—we’re sleeping. If you lie on your side, sial-whatever-hea is more of a problem as saliva pools up in your cheek and seeps out, explains Dr. John Winkelman, associate director, Sleep Disorders Service, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Boston. Sleep on your back—when the spit collects back there, it triggers a swallowing reflex. If you keep slobbering, who cares? Drool is nothing to lose sleep over.
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BY ANDREA T. ON 4/16/2008 10:58:00 AM 158 COMMENTS