Ask Lucy

Ask Lucy Archive

Dear Lucy: I’ve heard that aluminum deposits have been found in the brains of people who have died of Alzheimer's disease. Will using underarm deodorants or antiperspirants with aluminum compounds cause aluminum to enter the body? Also, will wearing pierced earrings made of silver introduce silver into the body? —Heavy Metal

Dear Lucy: I wonder if circumcised men feel less good than uncircumcised during sex. —Circumcurious

Dear Lucy: I am an 18-year-old female who has a history of asthma. So—and this may sound crazy—I have had this super weird case of the hiccups for the past seven months or so, and they don’t go away. Every day since about September, I have hiccupped more than once; and even before then, I still got hiccups, just not as frequently. Sometimes, I seem to hiccup every hour at the same time or, just about every five minutes, like a clock. I did some online research to see what this may mean, but pretty much all my search results ended with alcohol addiction or cancer. I don’t drink, and I kind of doubt I have cancer. Do you have any ideas about what it might be? —Déjà vu All Over Again

Dear Lucy: I know how to use a condom and properly remove it after use, but what should I do after that? ‪The surrounding area (the part of my penis that wasn’t covered by the condom) is usually covered with vaginal fluid. If I rinse with water, these fluids may contact the rest of my penis. I don’t know much about STI transmission, so perhaps this is an unfounded worry. But would there be any benefit to an additional action such as patting dry with a towel? —Very Careful Guy‬