REMOVING BODY HAIR

If it's hair on your chest you want to remove you can pretty much pick from all the methods that women have at their disposal. If it's your back you want to remove hair from you will have problems reaching some of the spots and may need professional help removing hair. Fortunately most beauty salons now cater for men as well as women, although this probably won't help you from feeling a little shy when you go in.

THE 2 BASIC METHODS OF HAIR REMOVAL

Depilatories These are creams which literally melt your hair away. They can be very effective, but don't agree with everybody as the ingredients can be harsh. Some claim to make hairs grow back thinner, this is however very unlikely, your genes determine your hair texture.

Hair removers These include waxes sugars and razors. Razor is by far the easiest method but as they only remove the hair at the skins surface the hair will grow back in a short time. Waxing and sugaring are a lot more time consuming and a little painful (although not as painful as women make out) they have longer lasting results because they rip the hair out at the roots.

INSURE FRESH BREATH

Bad breath is most often caused by food that you have eaten recently, the odour typically last for 24 to 48 hours. Other causes are gum disease, tooth decay, bacteria on the tongue, plaque or tartar.

If you have bad breath people often don't like to mention it to you, although they might tell everyone else behind your back.

Mouth wash breath-freshener and brushing your teeth can help mask the smell, brush your teeth and your tongue twice a day and floss once a day. Visit a dentist twice a year, they can clean your teeth properly and prevent gum disease and tooth decay.

Your mouth is the gateway for many sensual pleasures. Keep it fresh.

HAVE WHITER TEETH

There are quite a few options open to get your teeth whitened:

1. You can ask your dentist to bleach your teeth. The process will take several weeks at about half an hour per visit.

2. You can buy a home whitening kit from your dentist, the dentist will fit a mouth guard and supply you with a bleaching gel, usually carbarnide peroxide, you will have to wear the mouth guard for several hours every day for several weeks. The downside is it could make your gums very sensitive.

3. You can buy similar teeth whitening kits at the chemist, the problem with this cheaper option is the mouth guard won't be an exact fit which may cause an uneven finish.

4. Alternatively you can buy bleaching or whitening strips, these don't use gum shields and can be very effective when applied twice daily for 14 days. However you can only use them on the front teeth and they don't whiten right up to the gums leaving a yellow line.

If the above doesn't appeal, you can get your teeth cleaned at your dentist and avoid foods such as chocolate, dark-coloured berries, red wine, and coffee which are likely to colour your teeth.

THINKING OF COSMETIC DENTISTRY

It's a long way to go for a perfect smile but a growing number of people are travelling to Hungary for not only essential but also cosmetic treatment. Hungary offers a high level of competence in its dentists at a fraction of the price of British dentist. For instance a crown can cost £950 in Britain as opposed to £180 over there, implants would cost around £2000 here while in Hungary it would be about £580.

With the price as flights as low as they are at the moment if you need any dentist work its worth looking into. First get a quote in the UK (or where ever you live), make sure the work can be done relatively quickly, remember to factor in the price of a hotel. That said one surgery in Budapest is even advertising teeth package holidays.

If you don't fancy Hungary, it's a longer distance but South Africa could be worth considering.

CARING FOR YOUR NAILS

Not really what most blokes really care about, but tattered overgrown, fungus encrusted nails will not turn most women on, and looking after nails can be a low maintenance job.

1. Don't use your teeth to groom your nails.
2. Keep nails short using the correct tools i.e. nail scissors or clippers.
3. Cut nails after a shower, the shower will soften them.
4. Occasionally massage nail cream into the cuticle.
5. Keep edges smooth will a nail file.

Hangnails are caused when a piece of dry skin splits surrounding the nail. Trim the nail with scissors or clippers, don't tug pull or bite. Apply moisturizer to the nail cuticles.

Fungal problems mostly occur on the toenails but not exclusively. Keep your feet clean and dry and apply anti fungal cream, you can buy over the counter fungal creams from your chemist. If this doesn't work see a GP, only prescription drugs will clear up for some fungi.

Ingrown toenails, often caused by wearing badly fitting shoes. Trimming the toenail below the groove where the skin and the nail meet can make the problem worst. You should be able to wiggle your toes at the end of the shoe, if you're your shoes are too small you might cause an ingrowing toenail.