Topical anesthetics, used in conjunction with steroid cream, can be used before a bowel movement to reduce pain caused by anal fissures. Xylocaine, lidocaine, tetracaine, and pramoxine are topical anesthetics. While some anesthetics are available over the counter, many require a prescription. Ask your doctor for a recommendation and, if needed, a prescription for an anesthetic to treat your anal fissures. Creams are applied gently on the rectal region before a bowel movement, with a clean paper towel or wipe. Some drug stores sell wipes specifically designed for applying such creams. A small amount of a steroid is often combined with creams and ointments. This helps reduce inflammation and numb some of the pain associated with bowel movements. If using steroids alongside aesthetics, you should not use the medication for more than 2 weeks. Using steroids for a longer period can thin parts of the rectum, resulting in further trauma to the area. Your physician should be able to recommend a stool softener for you. This will help ease the pain and labor involved during bowel movements, giving fissures a chance to heal. While stool softeners are generally available over the counter, you should ask your physician for a recommendation. If you are breastfeeding especially, you want to find a brand of softener that will not harm your baby. Take stool softeners as directed on the medication's label. Only take the suggested dosage and be aware of any possible side effects. Talk to your physician if you experience any side effects. Combing stool softeners with home remedies, like drinking extra fluids and eating a high fiber diet, can help with anal fissures. Some ointments contain a muscle relaxant called nitroglycerin. Nitroglycerin can relax the sphincter muscles and reduce contractions and spams during bowel movements, and also help increase blood flow to the anus. This reduces the trauma around the rectal region, giving anal fissures the chance to heal. Nitroglycerin should be applied using a q-tip. Apply a small amount of ointment to the q-tip and insert the cotton tip into the anus. Do not go farther than this, only inserting the cotton portion. The concentration of nitroglycerin in ointments is relatively low, usually only around 0.2%. Topical use of nitroglycerin for treating anal fissures is considered safe while breastfeeding. Side effects do occasionally occur when using nitroglycerin. The most common side effect is a headache or lightheadedness.
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One-sentence summary -- Try topical anesthetics and steroids. Use stool softeners. Ask your doctor about nitroglycerin.

Being a woman also involves maturing emotionally, psychologically, and behaviorally. Most importantly: you will have to learn how to be independent. This will involve learning new skills and habits that will pave a pathway toward success as an adult. There are a lot of things to learn. You might not be able to learn them all right away, but these life skills will allow you to carve your own path through the world without relying on anybody else. Consider purchasing or checking out of the library books that can help orient you to the world of womanhood. Pay attention to how-to guides to help you learn valuable skills. The internet, your friends, and trusted adult mentors are also great resources for learning the skills you will need to be an independent woman. Financial responsibility is important as you mature from a girl into a woman. Perhaps you are working in your first job, preparing to pay for college, or thinking about moving out of your parents' home. In all these cases you will have to learn important life skills such as: Balancing your checkbook. Keeping careful track of your income and expenses. Paying your taxes in a timely way. Saving up for large purchases and to create a safety net. Learning when it makes sense to take on debt, and when it does not make sense. One way to become a more independent young woman is to figure out how to get from Point A to Point B without depending on your parents. Depending on how old you are and where you live, you might inquire about getting your driver's license or learning permit. Otherwise you can look into public transportation options so that you can travel freely to school, work, and other locations. Being able to keep your commitments, show up on time, take responsibility for your actions, and respond appropriately to criticism will all serve you well in your life as a woman, especially if you work in a career. Finding and keeping a job will allow you to learn how to be independent and will also give you some financial freedom as you mature into womanhood. As your body develops, your body will have different requirements for appearing put-together and healthy. For example, you might have to shower more often than you did when you were a girl, and you might want to use different products to clean your face now that it is more acne-prone. Other things to keep in mind are: Keeping your hair tidy. Whether your hair is long or short, straight or curly, you will want to find ways to keep your hair from appearing messy. Perhaps you will put your hair up into a bun, find a short cut that you can maintain easily, or trim your split ends frequently. Taking care of your clothing. Make sure that your clothing fits and that you are taking care that your clothes are clean, wrinkle-free, and in good shape. Wearing accessories. Some women like to wear jewelry and make-up; others do not. If you choose to wear accessories, make sure they are age-appropriate, adhere to dress codes for work or school, and that you are not allergic to them. For example, a bright pink unicorn necklace might have been appropriate when you were a girl in school, but will likely be frowned upon at your new job at a local bank. Consider a simple gold necklace instead. Whether you live with your parents, siblings, roommates, or by yourself, you will need to take more responsibility for the place where you live. As a child, perhaps you could let things slide, but adulthood brings with it more responsibility. This means cleaning up any messes you make, vacuuming and sweeping regularly, and making sure common areas (such as bathrooms or kitchens) are cleaned regularly. Figuring out how to prepare healthy snacks and meals for yourself will help you mature into a healthy, happy woman. You might not be able to rely on anybody else to do your shopping, so you will have to learn how to meal plan, make a grocery list, purchase healthy and nutritious ingredients, and prepare them appropriately. Prepare to make a lot of mistakes as you learn how to cook, but remember that these mistakes are all educational.
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One-sentence summary --
Tell yourself that being a woman is more than a physical thing. Research the skills you want to build. Manage your finances. Figure out transportation. Learn job skills. Take care of personal hygiene and your appearance. Take care of your living space. Learn how to feed yourself.