BEAUTY ACHES

5 Solutions For Less Painful and Healthier Ways to Keep Up Appearances

Shoes that pinch, elastic that squeezes, facials that burn. Ladies, there are a lot of less painful--not to mention healthier--ways to keep up appearances.

Cramming your toes into stilettos and stuffing your thighs into control tops might seem like harmless--albeit really uncomfortable--beauty badges of honor. But they can have some surprisingly serious consequences. "Many women think it's normal to experience some suffering to look their best," says Cynthia Vaughn, a chiropractor in Austin, Texas. "But their health may be the thing that suffers." We're not suggesting you trade in your party clothes for an Amish wardrobe. Instead, learn how a few simple adjustments can keep you in sexy shoes and jaw-dropping dresses--and out of the doctor's office.

Girl Problem #1 Being a big bag lady

No matter how much you love your giant piece of arm candy, eventually you're going to feel the effects of the relationship in your neck and shoulders. That's because the trapezius (the muscle that connects the shoulder to the neck) and levator scapulae (which elevates the shoulder blade) fatigue in the effort to support your bag. The muscles begin to tear, and headaches may even develop. "Heavy purses pull the muscles that go up to the base of your skull," says Karen Erickson, a New York City chiropractor. Fast-forward 5 to 10 years and you've got shoulder numbness and tingling from pinched nerves, back pain, and arthritis of the neck. And you're wearing a fanny pack.

Problem solved: First, clean out that cavernous hobo bag. Switch sides every 10 minutes. And every hour or so, drop the bag and roll your shoulders backward and then forward five times to relieve muscle tension. Or try to let your biceps do the work: Put the strap of your purse below the elbow and bend your arm in an L shape. If your shoulders or neck hurt, halt further damage by placing an ice pack on the sore area for 15 minutes.

Girl Problem #2 Stuffing into spandex

Body shapers, compression garments, girdles--they practically give "hardware" a whole new meaning. And while they may make cottage cheese lumps look smooth as butter in the short term, they can cause other unsightly bumps down the line. Like aging, obesity, and pregnancy, constrictive undergarments can create varicose veins. The problem is that your leg veins aren't strong enough to overcome the stranglehold of body slimmers. The force that hides bulges also restricts circulation. That causes the blood to pool, stretching your veins. "The pressure makes veins inflate like balloons," says Lenise Banse, M.D., a dermatologist in Clinton Township, Michigan. Do enough time in sausage casing-like slimmers and nasty blue cords pop up in your thighs.

Problem solved: Minimize the damage by getting your blood flowing again. As soon as you can wiggle free, walk briskly for 5 minutes so the muscles squeeze that venous blood back up toward the heart, Dr. Banse says. Then elevate your legs at a 45-degree angle for as long as you can. And don't jam yourself into a body shaper that's too tight--spandex can't take you from a size 8 to a size 4. Try the Breathe by Barely There Thigh Slimmer ($15, barelythere.com).

Girl Problem #3 Going for the burn

Exfoliating scrubs or peels are like tough love for your complexion: A bit of abrasion can send lackluster flakes and pore-clogging dead cells packing, revealing the soft, dewy skin underneath. But some people take facial discipline too far and cause rashes, breakouts, bacterial infection, and scarring. Exfoliating more than once a week can make skin vulnerable to irritation. Plus, you can instigate acne or make it worse. "If you scrub your face too frequently, you irritate it to the point that it's overproducing oil," says Jeanine B. Downie, M.D., coauthor of Beautiful Skin of Color. And the acids found in at-home peels can be harsh if overused.

Problem solved: Don't treat your face like a juvenile delinquent. If you have sensitive skin, use products that contain retinoids (chemicals that cause skin to slough), or have cystic acne, stay away from exfoliators altogether or risk painful irritation. As for the rest of you: Bypass scrubs with rough particles like apricot kernels. Instead, look for ones featuring smooth beads made from jojoba wax (a moisturizing plant oil) or beeswax. That said, even dermatologists can't always tell by looking at the ingredients what the exfoliating granules are made of, so you may just have to buy and try. "If a product feels like sandpaper, use it on your elbows, knees, or heels--you don't have to waste it," Dr. Downie says. Moisturize to help prevent irritation, wait a week between exfoliating treatments, and limit at-home peels to once every 2 weeks. If you feel burning (a little sting is normal), immediately rinse with water, apply moisturizer, and toss the peel.

Girl Problem #4 Falling into the crack

Never mind butt cleavage and wedgies, thongs can be a pain in the backside for other reasons. That thin strip of fabric may save you from the dreaded VPL, but it also serves as a superhighway for microbes. When the underwear hits your perineum (the patch of skin between the vagina and the anus), bacteria hitch a ride straight to your vagina. "A thong is actually a connector," says Adelaide Nardone, M.D., an ob-gyn in Providence, Rhode Island. As you move, the fabric shifts--and before you can say "Monistat," you've got a yeast infection. To make matters worse, unlike granny panties, thongs tend to rub. This causes tiny tears in the delicate skin around your vulva and clitoris, creating access for microbes.

Problem solved: You don't have to toss your thongs, as long as they're cotton or have a cotton crotch. The breathable fabric keeps you drier, so bacteria can't grow as easily. You might also consider growing out that Brazilian bikini line: Hair serves as a barrier between you and your panties, so leaving more carpet on the floor provides cushioning for your delicates, Dr. Nardone says. And don't wear thongs when you exercise. Invest in some workout bottoms with cotton crotches and go commando.

Girl Problem #5 Wearing skyscraper heels

Trapping your feet in toe-squeezing stilettos may seem worth it for the ­attention your date gives you. But your ankles, knees, and hips will require more attention after too much time teetering on spikes. Heels force your ankle joints to work overtime to maintain your balance, causing unnatural wear and tear, says Kathya Zinszer, D.P.M., of Temple University's Foot and Ankle Institute. This balancing act also erodes cartilage, the spongy tissue between bones. "When the cartilage wears down, you get painful bone-on-bone rubbing," says D. Casey Kerrigan, M.D., a professor at the University of Virginia.

Problem solved: Lower your standards. A 3-inch heel puts seven times as much pressure on your foot (which also affects your ankles and knees) as a 1-incher. Cap heel height at 2 inches and wear platforms or wedges so your joints don't have to strain to balance. And look for soles with shock-absorbing materials like cork and rubber--because no one wants to go from slingbacks and peep-toes to walkers and canes.

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