Most women seem to suffer from petty insecurities when it comes to appearances. When we look into the mirror we don't see our reflection the way other people see us. We tend to overlook our beautiful faces, our gorgeous hair, our shapely legs, and instead critically zone in only on our protruding paunch or heavy butt.

So really, when we take two hours to get ready for our first date, about an hour and a half of it is spent only in concealing what we view as our problems in the hope that our man won't notice them.

Of course, we forget that men don't really notice a lot of things unless you spell it out to them or do something drastic like hand them bills for a nose job or a tummy tuck. Don't you face that every time you get a haircut? It takes them a while to notice these things. And when they do, it's really not that big a deal to them...

Here are some classics... read and relate.

Do I Look Fat?

I am very conscious about my weight, especially my lower body. I used to have this terrible fear that my husband would be repulsed when he saw all of me on our wedding night. Just before my wedding, I went on all kinds of diets, would take off in the middle of the wedding preps just to go work out, and even though I lost some weight, I was still scared.

How he reacted: He didn't, because believe it or not, he didn't even notice. Of course, he teases me sometimes when I put on weight and even encourages me to work out, but mostly he's the one to console and pacify me when I get upset over my weight and body. And there was definitely no repulsed look on his face when he first saw me undressed, only love.

Priya, 27

Girls Do Snore

I snore, though I prefer to call it heavy breathing. Anyway it was a source of great amusement to my family, and my brother and sister would fight with each other because neither would want to share a room with me. So when I was going away with my boyfriend for the first time, I was so embarrassed I couldn't sleep the entire first night. I was exhausted and having a terrible time. Of course, by the end of the second day, I couldn't keep my eyes open.

How he reacted: He was actually very amused when he heard me snore and teased me mercilessly but all as a joke. Although he did say that he was surprised because it was the last thing he expected. But he thought it was cute and even figured out a trick to get me to stop. Every time I snore, he gently rubs my feet with his and I actually stop.

Nadia, 23

Hair Scare

I have really unmanageable curly hair. I always iron or blow-dry my hair after every wash (most of the time in a parlour) so that it looks poker straight and shiny, when it is really dry and brittle. My boyfriend always thought I had straight hair, so when we got married and were going on our month long honeymoon, I was really worried. If he would see me all of a sudden with crazy-looking hair, he would definitely find me less attractive. Even I didn't like to look at myself when my hair wasn't done. So I carried all the possible hair products, serums, de-frizz creams, hair drier, a professional hair iron, though I know the effect is never as good as when a professional does it.

How he reacted: He did see my natural hair eventually. The weather in Europe was a bit humid and nothing I could do would make my hair look right. But he would just laugh at how my hair had looked perfectly straight when we left the hotel, but was like something a bird would live in when we returned. If anything he would get annoyed because I would take so long to do my hair that half our day was wasted. 'Nobody even knows you here' he would complain and I would think 'you do'. But I realised eventually that I was stupid to think he wouldn't love me as much for something as trivial as this.

Aarti, 26

Scarred

When I was seven, I crashed into a glass table and injured my arm quite badly. I have an ugly permanent scar on my arm because of the stitches. I can never wear anything sleeveless and I am so conscious of it that I have never let even my closest friends see it. Naturally, I was most worried that my boyfriend would be repulsed by it, so for a long time into our relationship I wouldn't let him too close, even though I wanted to.

How he reacted: I had already told him all about it so he knew what to expect. But when he saw it he made a strange sound and closed his eyes. I was shattered at his reaction. But when he opened his eyes, I could see a strange emotion - almost like pain. He said he couldn't imagine how much it must have hurt and then he gently kissed it. I still never wear sleeveless tops because I'm not bold enough to expose in flaws to public, but I'm no longer conscious of it when we are together.

Nidhi, 24

Wanting to show your man your best side is only natural but giving him a chance to love the rest of you is what true love is all about. In fact, most of the men are exasperated and even slightly offended because their women thought their feelings would change over such petty and trivial issues. Your man should love you as you are and if he doesn't then that makes him the loser not you. After all, hair scares, snores and weight insecurities should not stand in the path of true love, right?