Is your tan not going away? Here's help!

I am an 11-year-old girl. I have three problems: the first being that I used to bite my nails a lot, and this has left them in a bad shape. I have beaten the nasty habit now - but can you give me a solution to improve the condition of my nails? I am also looking for a remedy for my tan, which does not seem to be going away. My final problem is that I have a lot of pimples, both on my nose and my forehead. They hurt a lot and I want to get rid of them. Please get back to me as soon as possible.
- Name withheld
Lemon juice is great for strengthening nails. Just rub some onto your nails and leave overnight. Tomato is an excellent skin cleaner and brightener so it can help with both your pimple problem as well as your tan. Apply it like a mask; it is sure to help control the spread of pimples and lighten the area too.
 
I am a 30-year-old mum with two kids. Ever since I gave birth four months ago, I have had a serious hair fall and dandruff problem. I know that many women experience hair fall after pregnancy, but my case seems to be a bit extreme. So far, I have tried castor oil, olive oil and coconut oil with a bit of lemon in it but I am unable to get rid of the dandruff. Can you please guide me on how to improve the quality of my hair so that it is thick once more, and to stop it from falling?
- Priya
As you are suffering from both dandruff and hair fall, and are hoping to get thick hair, let's first focus on your diet. Remember that it is important to eat fresh, green vegetables every day; make sure you are having sufficient protein, fibre and iron-rich foods, as well as drinking ten glasses of water daily. For your beauty woes, fenugreek, which is rich is protein, will be good for you. Soak two tbsp of fenugreek overnight. In the morning, make a paste by mixing it with yoghurt (which is an excellent cleaner and conditioner) to get a creamy consistency. Massage this into your scalp and wash off after an hour. Do this three times a week - in a few months, you will see a remarkable improvement in your hair's quality.
 
I'm a 13-year-old girl and have a lot of hair on the back of my neck. I hate it and want to get rid of it as soon as possible. Please help!
- Name withheld
Make a paste by boiling oats powder with water until it is of a thick consistency. Apply this to the back of your neck, and when semi-dry, work against the hair growth. Oats powder will help to soften the skin and its sticky consistency will get rid of the hair.
 
Can you give me a remedy to lighten dark underarms and elbows?
- Vini
Potato juice has bleaching properties. Just make thin slices and rub this on the underarms and elbows and leave overnight. This treatment should be done every night for best results.
 
(Got a beauty-related query? Write to ?Rima Soni at wknd@khaleejtimes.com)
Strawberries for Lighter, Brighter Skin
I'm a 16-year-old girl and have my graduation ceremony in April. Please give me an effective home remedy to lighten my skin tone, as my dark complexion is affecting my self-confidence and I'd like to look good on the big day.
- Hiba
Create a daily face mask by blending strawberries and cream. This will lighten and brighten the skin. April is not too far away, so you better start using the mask today itself.