Can I catch something nasty
from sitting on a public toilet
seat?
Not likely. There are actually more germs
on the floor in a public bathroom (hang up
your purse!) than on the toilet seat. If the
bathroom seems especially gross, cover the
seat with toilet paper.
But don’t worry too much about
contracting a séxually transmitted disease
from your pit stops. If you have a healthy
immune system, you’ll be able to resist
whatever germs you’re exposed to while on
the john.
If you’re really worried, look for stalls that
have toilet paper covers. When a toilet is
flushed, it can spray germs into the air. If
the toilet paper is protected by a cover,
you’re less likely to get germs when you
wipe.
Sometimes I wear my jeans
several times before washing
them. Is that sanitary?
Have a pair of jeans you love above all
others? No worries, as long as you’re
wearing underwéar. Going commando?
Wash your jeans after each wéaring.
Otherwise bacteria growing on your denim
could cause an infection.
Are big-bréasted women more
likely to get bréast cancer?
Being well-endowed doesn’t increase your
cancer risk. That said, being overweight
does. So if your curves are from added
weight, you’re at a higher risk than a
woman who is slim.
Big bréasts can make feeling lumps or
detecting tumors more difficult. The more
tissue there is, the more you have to feel
and inspect. That’s why women with larger
bréasts should visit their doctor annually.
How much bréast sagging is
normal?
As women get older, the ligaments that
hold up the bréasts lose their elasticity.
Plus, bréast tissue becomes more fatty,
which leads to more sag.
Weight gain or loss, pregnancy, and
bréastfeeding all contribute to sagging,
because when the bréasts grow and then
shrink, the skin doesn’t snap back.
Exercise improves skin and ligament
elasticity. But you might benefit from a
super-supportive bra. Look for one that
has a thick back with at least three hooks.
Can I get HIV from oral séx?
Yes. Although the risk is less than with anál
or vaginál séx, there have been cases in
which HIV was transmitted to women who
received oral séx. Infected blood from the
mouth can enter your body through the
vaginál lining.
You can also get HIV by performing oral
séx because semen and seminal fluid
contain the virus. Your risk goes up if you
have sores or cuts in your mouth (which
you may have without even realizing it) and
if he éjaculates in your mouth.
Use condoms or dental dams and make
sure your partner gets tested.
Why do I get a headache after
séx?
Your body may be reacting to the fact that
séx is a strenuous activity. Or it could be
from the increased muscle activity and
dilation of blood vessels around your neck
and brain.
If you’re bothered by coital headaches, ask
you doctor about taking an anti-
inflammatory like ibuprofen or a
prescription migraine medication 30
minutes before hitting the sheets. If the
headaches worsen, or if you start having
them at other times, tell your doctor.
Why does my gynecologist press
down on my stomach?
She’s feeling the size, shape and mobility of
your uterus, and checking for the presence
of cysts, fibroids, or tumors of your ovaries,
uterus, or fallopian tubes. Since many of
these organs are deep inside the abdomen,
she may have to press hard.
Your gyno might also insert two fingers into
your vágina as she presses on your
abdomen. She’s checking for any
tenderness in your internal orgáns. If it’s
more than a little painful, let her know. She
might want to feel around more or run
tests to see if there’s something causing
you to yowl.
My bréasts are lumpy. How can
I tell what’s normal?
Lumpy, or fibrocystic bréasts,
are very common. The lumps
are usually benign, but they can
make it hard to find bréast
tumors.
Women like you have more dense areas of
tissue in their bréasts than others, so
mammograms aren’t as effective a screen
for bréast cancer. Your doctor may
recommend an ultrasound.
Women’s bréasts tend to get lumpier right
before the ménstrual period, so do your
self-exams (and schedule a mammo or ob/
gyn appointment), right after your period.
If you notice a new lump that lasts one
ménstrual cycle, or if it feels different than
others (hard or closer to the surface of
your skin), get it checked out. But don’t
panic: 80 percent of bréasts lumps are
benign.
Bottom line: Get to know your bréasts.
Schedule yearly checkups and annual
screenings after age 40, or earlier if you
have a family history of bréast cancer. Do
monthly self-exams, so that if something
new pops up, you’ll know.
What’s the worst thing I can
catch at the gym?
The staph bacterium MRSA (methicillin-
resistant Staphylococcus aureus) can cause
a very aggressive and difficult-to-treat skin
infection, which can invade the blood.
This bug, which is resistant to most kinds of
antibiotics, can survive on gym machines
between users. Clean the equipment with
an antibacterial wipe before using it.
If you have open sores or wounds or skin
irritation, stay away from the machines.
Broken skin will make you more vulnerable.
One bréast is bigger than the
other. Is that normal?
Yes. Most women have slight differences in
the shape and size of their bréasts (one
nipplé points north, while the other points
south, for example). It’s normal to have
one bréast larger than the other –
sometimes even by a cup size or two.
As long as this size difference isn’t new,
you’re probably okay. But if one bréast gets
bigger or feels different (thicker, fuller, or
lumpy), consult your doctor. A change in
one bréast could be a sign of a cyst or
tumor.
Is it true certain séx positions
give you a boy or a girl?
No, it’s the luck of the draw.
Countless studies have looked for a
relationship between séx positions and a
baby’s gender – and have come up empty.
Same goes for methods of timing séx
around specific days in your cycle.
So no need to twist yourself into a pretzel –
unless you want to, of course!
Why do women’s feet grow after
having a baby?
A pregnant body produces the hormone
relaxing, which causes your pelvic
ligaments and joints to loosen to make
room for the baby’s exit. That same
hormone relaxes ligaments in your feet,
allowing the bones to separate.
Your increased weight also puts more
pressure on your feet, causing your arches
to fall a bit. On average, you’ll go up half a
shoe size.
from sitting on a public toilet
seat?
Not likely. There are actually more germs
on the floor in a public bathroom (hang up
your purse!) than on the toilet seat. If the
bathroom seems especially gross, cover the
seat with toilet paper.
But don’t worry too much about
contracting a séxually transmitted disease
from your pit stops. If you have a healthy
immune system, you’ll be able to resist
whatever germs you’re exposed to while on
the john.
If you’re really worried, look for stalls that
have toilet paper covers. When a toilet is
flushed, it can spray germs into the air. If
the toilet paper is protected by a cover,
you’re less likely to get germs when you
wipe.
Sometimes I wear my jeans
several times before washing
them. Is that sanitary?
Have a pair of jeans you love above all
others? No worries, as long as you’re
wearing underwéar. Going commando?
Wash your jeans after each wéaring.
Otherwise bacteria growing on your denim
could cause an infection.
Are big-bréasted women more
likely to get bréast cancer?
Being well-endowed doesn’t increase your
cancer risk. That said, being overweight
does. So if your curves are from added
weight, you’re at a higher risk than a
woman who is slim.
Big bréasts can make feeling lumps or
detecting tumors more difficult. The more
tissue there is, the more you have to feel
and inspect. That’s why women with larger
bréasts should visit their doctor annually.
How much bréast sagging is
normal?
As women get older, the ligaments that
hold up the bréasts lose their elasticity.
Plus, bréast tissue becomes more fatty,
which leads to more sag.
Weight gain or loss, pregnancy, and
bréastfeeding all contribute to sagging,
because when the bréasts grow and then
shrink, the skin doesn’t snap back.
Exercise improves skin and ligament
elasticity. But you might benefit from a
super-supportive bra. Look for one that
has a thick back with at least three hooks.
Can I get HIV from oral séx?
Yes. Although the risk is less than with anál
or vaginál séx, there have been cases in
which HIV was transmitted to women who
received oral séx. Infected blood from the
mouth can enter your body through the
vaginál lining.
You can also get HIV by performing oral
séx because semen and seminal fluid
contain the virus. Your risk goes up if you
have sores or cuts in your mouth (which
you may have without even realizing it) and
if he éjaculates in your mouth.
Use condoms or dental dams and make
sure your partner gets tested.
Why do I get a headache after
séx?
Your body may be reacting to the fact that
séx is a strenuous activity. Or it could be
from the increased muscle activity and
dilation of blood vessels around your neck
and brain.
If you’re bothered by coital headaches, ask
you doctor about taking an anti-
inflammatory like ibuprofen or a
prescription migraine medication 30
minutes before hitting the sheets. If the
headaches worsen, or if you start having
them at other times, tell your doctor.
Why does my gynecologist press
down on my stomach?
She’s feeling the size, shape and mobility of
your uterus, and checking for the presence
of cysts, fibroids, or tumors of your ovaries,
uterus, or fallopian tubes. Since many of
these organs are deep inside the abdomen,
she may have to press hard.
Your gyno might also insert two fingers into
your vágina as she presses on your
abdomen. She’s checking for any
tenderness in your internal orgáns. If it’s
more than a little painful, let her know. She
might want to feel around more or run
tests to see if there’s something causing
you to yowl.
My bréasts are lumpy. How can
I tell what’s normal?
Lumpy, or fibrocystic bréasts,
are very common. The lumps
are usually benign, but they can
make it hard to find bréast
tumors.
Women like you have more dense areas of
tissue in their bréasts than others, so
mammograms aren’t as effective a screen
for bréast cancer. Your doctor may
recommend an ultrasound.
Women’s bréasts tend to get lumpier right
before the ménstrual period, so do your
self-exams (and schedule a mammo or ob/
gyn appointment), right after your period.
If you notice a new lump that lasts one
ménstrual cycle, or if it feels different than
others (hard or closer to the surface of
your skin), get it checked out. But don’t
panic: 80 percent of bréasts lumps are
benign.
Bottom line: Get to know your bréasts.
Schedule yearly checkups and annual
screenings after age 40, or earlier if you
have a family history of bréast cancer. Do
monthly self-exams, so that if something
new pops up, you’ll know.
What’s the worst thing I can
catch at the gym?
The staph bacterium MRSA (methicillin-
resistant Staphylococcus aureus) can cause
a very aggressive and difficult-to-treat skin
infection, which can invade the blood.
This bug, which is resistant to most kinds of
antibiotics, can survive on gym machines
between users. Clean the equipment with
an antibacterial wipe before using it.
If you have open sores or wounds or skin
irritation, stay away from the machines.
Broken skin will make you more vulnerable.
One bréast is bigger than the
other. Is that normal?
Yes. Most women have slight differences in
the shape and size of their bréasts (one
nipplé points north, while the other points
south, for example). It’s normal to have
one bréast larger than the other –
sometimes even by a cup size or two.
As long as this size difference isn’t new,
you’re probably okay. But if one bréast gets
bigger or feels different (thicker, fuller, or
lumpy), consult your doctor. A change in
one bréast could be a sign of a cyst or
tumor.
Is it true certain séx positions
give you a boy or a girl?
No, it’s the luck of the draw.
Countless studies have looked for a
relationship between séx positions and a
baby’s gender – and have come up empty.
Same goes for methods of timing séx
around specific days in your cycle.
So no need to twist yourself into a pretzel –
unless you want to, of course!
Why do women’s feet grow after
having a baby?
A pregnant body produces the hormone
relaxing, which causes your pelvic
ligaments and joints to loosen to make
room for the baby’s exit. That same
hormone relaxes ligaments in your feet,
allowing the bones to separate.
Your increased weight also puts more
pressure on your feet, causing your arches
to fall a bit. On average, you’ll go up half a
shoe size.
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