Feeling good about yourself doesn't just come from being a healthy weight and liking your body - these mean nothing if you're paranoid about your breath, skin, body odour or any other "little things" that can undermine your self-esteem. Luckily, it's quite easy to do something about them.

Body Hair
Body hair has its roots in the days when a club was something you hit dinosaurs over the head with, rather than somewhere you spent your Saturday nights. Though you no longer need it to stay warm, it's going to be a while before you evolve to be hairless. In the meantime, you'll have to live with it. For girls, the pressure in most western countries is to be fuzz-free, so there are hairy legs, bikini lines, armpits and unwanted facial hair to contend with. Meanwhile, from a bloke's point of view, there's paranoia about chest hair and the hassle of having to shave your face. Before you get too fixated on your fuzz, remember that it's exactly the same as big noses, small boobs, fat bums, freckles and gappy teeth - some people love it (remember Julia Roberts and her famously photographed hairy pits?) and some people hate it. There's no right or wrong amount of body hair and one person's hairy horror is another person's downy dreamboat.

If you're determined to de-fuzz...

• Shaving - Quick, easy and mess-free. Triple-blade razors give a closer shave then ever before, but expect to see stubble within one to three days.
• Depilatory creams - These go slightly deeper than shaving, so the smoothness lasts a little longer, but they can be messy to apply, as well as smelly.
• Waxing - Not for the faint-hearted - warm wax strips are applied to the skin and then torn away, taking the hair and root with it. It's best done in a salon, so it can be expensive, but you'll be hair-free for up to six weeks.
• Sugaring - Similar to waxing but a bit gentler on the skin - a warm sugar solution is pasted on and then quickly pulled away. It can be done at home (if you're brave) or in a salon.
• Plucking - Ideal for eyebrows and stray facial hairs. Invest in a good pair of tweezers, grip the hair close to the root and pull in the direction of hair growth. Done properly, you hardly feel a thing.
• Bleaching - If you don't want to deal with re-growth, this is the perfect way to disguise dark hair on the face or body. Spread it over the chosen area, leave for a few minutes and then wash away.