Body Clinic: Whiteheads, Drooling and a Broken Nose

Feeling crook? FHM’s doctor will see you now.

Nose ointment

I’m 29 and still get a breakout of whiteheads on my nose on a regular basis. Is there a cleaning/washing routine that can help stop them? (Shubham, Chandigarh) I’ve got to agree that it’s not ideal to still be afflicted with this condition in your late 20s, but don’t worry, it is curable, usually without pills and potions. Whiteheads (and blackheads for that matter) are formed from a build up of excess sebum and dead skin cells. Technically called ‘comedones’, they are best avoided by religiously following a daily hygiene routine. Using a mild soap or facial scrub twice a day, without fail, paying particular attention to the worst affected areas.

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Pillow drool

I dribble in my sleep, how can I wake up without a soaking pillow.

Amol, Mumbai

The most common cause is the position you sleep in. Perhaps you’ve got used to sleeping on your side, hugging your pillow, so that it pushes your mouth open. Do a bit of pillow feng shui, so either they are softer on your face, or arranged so they encourage you to sleep on your back.

Often the drooling is caused because you’re breathing through your mouth at night, because your nose is blocked. So if you’re a snorer as well as a drooler, you may need to get a specialist to take a look at your hooter.

Conk shank?

I broke my nose seven years ago, deviated my septum and only breathe through one nostril. My girlfriend says I snore, but I don’t want an operation to correct it. Are there any long term health risks or can I continue as I am? (Ritul, Kolkata)

You’ll be pleased to know that long-term health risks from a deviated septum are very low. Well, at least to you, anyhow – your girlfriend and her chronic insomnia might be a different matter. If you are not having any other effects, such as recurrent infections or sinusitis, you can continue as you are. The other thing to watch out for is if you are getting ‘sleep apnoea’ – where you don’t breathe properly at night, which leads to poor quality, broken sleep.

I never encourage people to have surgery where they don’t need it, but if you do want something done, the treatment is called ‘septoplasty’. In the hands of an experienced surgeon, it has a low complication rate and a recovery time of only a few days. I’d suggest that the decision on this one is not entirely yours –

From the March 2011 issue of FHM India.