The fascination with the human body knows no bounds and in this age of reality TV and minor celebrities, having an embarrassing health condition may well be your one chance of fame thanks to programs like Embarrassing Bodies; bringing you closer to the bits of human anatomy you never even knew existed! So for the end of 2012 here is a countdown of the top 6 most embarrassing health issues.

This is no longer just confined to the elderly and pregnant women. Anyone can suffer from incontinence but just be too embarrassed to go to their doctor for treatment. Channel 4 estimates that around 3-6 million people suffer from this condition, both men and women. Treatment includes pelvic floor exercises, surgery or even electrical stimulation of the pelvis. Shocking!

This is where skin is pulled due to rapid weight gain or pregnancy. Stretch marks in pregnant women can boil down to genetic make-up but unfortunately once you have stretch marks you can't get rid of them easily. Moisturisers may help as will safe exposure to the sun and some make-up products. Laser treatment is another option.

We've all been repelled by someone with severe bad breath but have any of us had the guts to tell them? Well you'd be doing them a favour as it's a common complaint that goes largely noticed by the affected person (if you don't count people fainting around them). Halitosis can be down to decaying teeth but may also be associated with drinking, smoking or an underlying infection. Gargling with mouth wash should help combat the problem as well as improving your oral hygiene.

Yes moobs as they are known can be very embarrassing for men and it's not just obese men who suffer from them, sometimes it can be a hormonal dysfunction. Other causes include puberty, alcohol, medication and a health abnormality. Treatment for the most severe cases can include breast reduction surgery or hormonal medication.

You may be in the mood for a bit of loving but no-one's told your penis. Erectile dysfunction is still just as embarrassing and just as common as it always was; in fact most men suffer from this at least once in their lives. The main issue is if the problem is long-term and you are tempted to click on those emails you get in your junk mail. Luckily there are treatments that are available on the NHS so do have a word with your GP.

This is the most common STI seen in GUM clinics in the UK. It's highly infectious and highly off-putting. Not only do they kill your chances of pulling but they can lead to serious health concerns. The symptoms are easy enough to spot - small fleshy bumps or growths around your genitals either internally or externally. It's a strain of HPV which needs treating, usually by freezing, laser removal or surgery. Or you could just opt for cream but that's less interesting.

Surgery is a very safe and careful procedure, and caring for your body post-surgery should be as well. Before surgery, your medical professional will explain to you how the surgery works, what exactly it will accomplish, and will happen post-surgery; however, you may be left with a few unanswered questions, or you’ve forgotten important information. If this is the case, the most important thing you need to know is that it’s absolutely necessary to take care of your incisions during the recovery process. By doing so, you can prevent infections, which if not taken care of can lead to very serious medical conditions. Taking care of incisions post-surgery can also prevent scars as well.

Home Care
If you’re recovering from surgery at home, you or someone who has volunteered to help you will care for your incision. This leaves you or your assistant with the responsibility of looking for signs of infection, or other abnormal side effects of surgery. Your medical professional will give you instructions on how to care for yourself when you get home, and these instructions will include information about how to care for yourself post-surgery, how to change your bandages or compression garments and deal with incision drainage, how much rest to get, and what your diet should consist of.

You may be prescribed medication for your post-surgery recovery. Your doctor will be the professional who prescribes this medicine. Make sure to always notify your doctor of any allergies, or the use of other medications. This is a critical step to remember, because if your doctor is not aware of this information, you could later suffer from an allergic reaction to medication, or experience an uncomfortable drug interaction.

Hospital Care
If you’re staying in the hospital after surgery, you will receive frequent bandage or compression garment changes in order to guarantee cleanliness of the incision, which will prevent bacteria and infection. Doctors, surgeons, or nurses will inspect your incisions to ensure maximum comfort and health, and also explain to you how to take care of the area and inspect it yourself. Your medical professional will also tell you how much rest to get until you can be your active self again.

When an incision is infected, it will have abnormal characteristics such as a wet surface area, severe pain, large amounts of drainage, and redness or other bruise-like coloring around the area. If it’s healthy, your incision will appear dry with light drainage and mild pain. A medical professional will also use three different methods to close the incision, which include sutures, surgical glue, and stitches.

Infection and Other Side Effects
Infections and side effects of the surgical procedure and also medication you received post surgery can occur. If you feel strange and unwell, try to stay calm, and immediately visit an emergency room. Infections can sometimes occur and not even be visible on the surface area of your incision, so you may not be aware of how serious your condition is. Fortunately, most infections in their early stages are easy to treat with the use of antibiotics or other medications.