Veggie tales. (Body: Q&A).

I have become a vegetarian l've lost about five pounds in the last month, but my period was two weeks late Could it be-because of my diet?

Going vegetarian can be noble if you're doing it for ethical reasons (save the animals!), and not to be cool or lose weight. When teen girls go veggie, it sometimes signals an eating disorder--we hope that's not your case! Your late period, though, is a problem. It means you've drastically reduced your calorie intake, explains Molly Kimball, sport nutritionist at Ochsner's Elmwood Fitness Center in New Orleans. Without the proper nutrients, your monthly cycle could stop altogether. This condition, called amenorrhea, is dangerous--putting you at risk for weak bones and stress fractures. You need to make conscientious food choices. Vegetarians need to get enough protein, iron and vitamin B12, nutrients usually found in meat. So eat protein-rich foods such as eggs, beans, tofu, nuts, veggie burgers soy and milk. For iron, chow on lots of leafy green vegetables, dried fruits, and iron-fortified breads and cereals. Eggs and dairy products pack B12. Smart vegetarians eat healthfully. Check out www.foodfit.com/healt hy/healthyFoodPyramid.asp#fats, and talk to your doctor about vitamin supplements and a healthful eating regimen.

When I shave my armpits, little hairs are left. They're not long enough to shave and leave little black spots. How do I get rid of them?

Before you let armpit stubble make you feel like an ape girl, realize that every chica has the same issue. Razors trim the hair to the skin, leaving tiny sprigs. If you have dark hair and light skin, the hairs left behind show up even more. But don't go bananas over it. It's no big deal, assures Dr. Paul Cabiran, a dermatologist at the Ochsner Clinic in Baton Rouge, La. One way to avoid stubble is to wax your hairy areas--but that hurts! The best option? Get down with a daily hair removal ritual, using a good razor and some heavy shaving cream, when you shower. Or, you could always opt to go au natural. Underarm hair is totally normal. You're only human!

I can't get rid of my pimples and blackheads. My mom pops them, but it hurts! I've tried over-the-counter medicines, but they don't help. Is there a way for my face to clear up?

We'll say it again...and again and again. Picking blemishes is bad, bad, bad! It can cause the infection to go deeper into the skin and even leave permanent scarring. The first line of acne attack is to use a wash with salicylic acid (Neutrogena Oil-Free Acne Wash), and follow up with benzoyl peroxide cream (Neutrogena On-the-Spot Acne Treatment). If that doesn't work, you should see a dermatologist, who can prescribe a retinoid cream. These potions decrease oil, while peeling away dead skin cells that cause blackheads (that's not dirt!). If topical creams don't work, the dermo will probably give you oral antibiotics or an oral retinoid called Accutane. Whew! There are lots of choices for clearing up skin. The latest thing? Laser and light treatments that zap pores, keeping them from ever producing pimple-causing oils again--and without side effects. The catch? Most laser treatments cost hundreds, if not thousands, of dollars.

Stumper of your own? E-mail it to [e-mail], or write to Body Q&A, Girls' Life, 4517 Harford Road, Baltimore, MD 21214.

RELATED ARTICLE: FACT or FICTION?

Can the weather give you a headache? FACT.

A recent study found 12 percent of people get headachy in warm, humid weather. Twenty-two percent get pains in their brains when it's dry and cold. And 10 percent get 'em when the weather simply changes. If you're prone to this prob, keep a headache journal to track what kind of weather triggers the pain. Luckily, over-the-counter meds (Tylenol, Motrin, Naprosyn, Excedrin) should help, explains Dr. Sanjai Sinha, attending physician at the Bronx VA Medical Center and Mount Sinai School of Medicine. If these remedies don't work, see a doc for a prescription. No reason to spend the rest of summer with an achin' melon!