Your 10 most embarrassing body questions answered: you're going through puberty , and you have questions . The only problem? You're afraid to ask! No worries—we took your most baffling body Q's to the experts for you

Girls' Life, Feb-March, 2004 by Kristen Kemp

8 Hair recently appeared on my upper lip. It's ugly. Why is it there, and what should I do?

If you have hairs on your privates, fuzz on your upper lip can be part of the deal. As annoying as it is, many females battle the chick's mustache. If you have dark, thick hair on your head, your lip hair may be darker. If you're a blondie or have fine hair, it should be less of a nuisance.

You have options. You can use a depilatory cream like Nair (works well but might leave a rash), pluck (ouch, ouch, ouch), or bleach with a kit like Jolen's (can be irritating and doesn't get rid of fuzz). Another line of attack is to get waxed--but home kits like Sally Hansen's are tricky, and visits to the salon can be costly ($10 to $25 a pop). Waxing works, but it hurts. A new chic technique called threading (a cosmetologist pulls out a row of hair by twisting it between cotton threads) costs about the same as waxing. A dermatologist can prescribe Vaniqa to thwart growth, but it doesn't work for everyone, explains Dr. Michael Tomeo, chairman of dermatology at Philadelphia's Holy Redeemer Hospital. Each technique mentioned has to be repeated every few weeks ... forever. Talk to a beauty guru about what's best for you. Heck, you might decide to live with the fuzz because the fuss isn't worth it. That's what a lot of us do.

9 Why do so many people make fun of masturbation--or make it seem like a bad thing? I can't even ask anyone because it's so embarrassing.

Sex. There, we said it. Because it's personal and private, sexuality makes many people feel funny. It's often easier to avoid the subject--or make fun of it. Your budding sexuality (thanks to puberty), including masturbation, is completely normal, explains Dr. Rachel Rosen, a Buckingham, Pa., physician. Absolutely everyone gets new urges and feelings around age 11 and up. For example, raging hormones might make you think about boys in a way you didn't before.

But just because something is embarrassing doesn't mean it's bad. "It's natural to be curious about your body," Dr. Rosen says. "Masturbation is safe and healthy--and you should decide whether you want to explore or not." Of course, this doesn't mean you want to discuss your feelings with the universe. But, privately, masturbation is nothing to be embarrassed about.

10 Why do I get little zits between my thighs? They are so ugly and embarrassing.

Ugh. Join the crowd. Up to 25 percent of dermatology patients have folliculitis, in which the hair follicles on your thighs (and other parts of your bod) get infected and zit-like. Usually, friction from skin rubbing and sweating sets off the problem. Other triggers, explains Dr. Jeanine Downie, director of Image Dermatology in Montclair, N.J., and author of Beautiful Skin of Color, include acne-causing hormonal changes, irritating lotions or creams, shaving, and genetics. Gently wash the area with a washcloth and oil-free soap, like Neutrogena Body Wash, to exfoliate. If that doesn't clear it up, see a dermatologist. She'll give you a topical prescription to make your thighs smooth as a baby's bald head.