GL body Q&A.

Is it safe to pop pimples? I've heard it can leave scars. If it's OK to pop, what's the best way to do it?

The correct answer is to let your bumps be. Seriously. Avoid picking, which usually makes zits last longer, turn red and multiply like bunnies. If you must, here's a lesson from Dr. Coyle Connolly, dermatologist, Voorhees, N.J.: 1) If you have a whitehead, take a warm shower to open the pore. 2) Hold a warm washcloth on the zit. 3) Give the bump a few gentle, firm squeezes. 4) Stop! If you can't get it, leave it alone. Otherwise, it might pop inside your skin and cause an inflamed mess. If white goopy stuff comes out, and you see a little blood, you've probably gotten it all. Dab on a bit of benzoyl peroxide cream either way, and hope for the best.

Every now and then, my ears itch and burn like they're on fire! Why is that?

Itchy anything is annoying, but in the ears? Aaargh. Dr. David Mandell, pediatric ENT specialist, Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh, says a burning sensation inside the ear is almost always the result of irritation of the skin of the ear canal. Often called "swimmer's ear," he explains, "It can be from any water exposure, even the bath or shower." Another way it can occur? Too much ear clearing! Yeah, ear wax is icky, but the doc says it's very protective. "If you stick a Q-Tip in there and spin it around, the skin past the opening to the ear canal is so delicate, it is easily damaged," he says. The best way to combat ear pain is to avoid water--wear ear plugs or a bathing cap when showering. If the pain is way intense, lasts longer than a week, or happens often, go to an ear, nose and throat doc to get it checked out. Meantime, make jokes about your ears burning. But we don't think it means anyone is talking about you.

I wish I were more flexible. I can't even touch my toes! How can I get bendier?

You don't have to be Gumby, but the less limber, the more susceptible you are to injuries, explains Johanna Subotovsky, certified trainer, Equinox Fitness Training Institute, New York. "Everyone should aim to touch their toes," Subotovsky says. "You don't have to be able to do splits." (Whew! Good.) Be bendy by stretching every day: Stand, bend at the waist, then hang as low as you can go to the point of mild discomfort but not pain. Hold the stretch for three seconds, then do it again five times. Don't bounce--just hold the stretch.