Q: I have been noticing this problem since I was 12 years old. I have hair growth on my stomach. The hair are not short, they are slightly longer than 1/4th of an inch. I have never seen a woman with hair on her stomach. They are thin and almost grey and some of them are even golden. I have observed that there are 2-3 hair growing from each pore in the skin. None of my relatives have hair on their stomach. At the age of 7, I had long hair on my hands too, which I still do. Some of them are even an inch long. I always feel shy about them and have been avoiding short sleeves even when it is summer. What is the cause for this hair growth? What is the solution? The second problem started a year ago. I go to the bathroom every morning as soon as I wake up. But as soon as I sit down in the class, I have urge to go to the bathroom again. I give off a very bad smell when this urge comes. But when I go to the bathroom and sit on the toilet, I feel normal and don't have the urge to go. So I go back to the class, but again the very instant I sit on my seat, I have to urge to go to the bathroom again. I have burning sensation in my buttocks and I give off an odour again. Its been very embarrassing. I spend hours in the bathroom trying to go so that I don't give off that humiliating smell. But a couple of hours later I feel like going again. This happens at least 3 times a day and I give off bad odour every time this happens. What is my problem and its solution? I am a triplet. I was 4 pounds and 11 ounces when I was born. I am 23 years old now. But I look like I am 12 years old. I have been begging my parents for a check-up ever since I was 16. But they don't listen. Even our neighbours keep telling them that we need to see a doctor. Everybody teases us. My grandparents treat us like we are a blot on their otherwise wonderful dynasty of lawyers, school toppers, doctors and wonderfully healthy cousins. Many neighbours have told me that I look pale and urge me to see a doctor because it could lead to some complications during pregnancy. They have the excuse that we are triplets. So they blame every problem on us being triplets. Why do I look like I am 12 though I am 23 years old? I weigh 90 pounds and I am 5 feet tall.

A:The most important requirement for those who are less favoured in appearance is to learn to accept what is inevitable and to develop a good self image based on character and achievements. Appearances can be changed by clothing, makeup etc, and if the results are inadequate, other approaches may need to be explored. These alternative avenues include psychologic counselling, job or school changes, etc. Functional bowel disorders are often the outcome of stress, and therefore difficulties associated with bowel performance may improve with psychologic help. People often seek a simple physical answer or a medicine to cure all disease, and this may be impossible to find.