Puberty is often referred to as a time filled with confusion and awkwardness. Whether you are a boy or a girl, most of us are unsure about dealing with this stage in our life. Puberty marks a lot of changes in our bodies, be it physical or emotional.
Many people believe that kids have started hitting puberty earlier these days. As parents, it is natural to wonder the root cause of precocious puberty. Often, there is no anatomical cause for the same, and there is nothing to worry about it.
Here’s a list of changes that teenagers face during puberty and a number of ways that can help them deal with it.
One of the most prominent issues that we usually face during puberty is sweating. Not that we don’t sweat otherwise, but puberty has its own way of sweating it out. Your armpits become the swimming pool of sweat resulting in bad, really bad odor.
If you do not want your friends to shun you out because of that stinking foul smell, then better shower every day. Take care of your personal hygiene. Wearing fresh clothes and a splash of pleasantly smelling perfume will make you feel fresh and clean throughout the day.
If you suffer from extreme sweating, then using antiperspirants will be a great help. Most of these claim to prevent sweating, and if not, they are extremely effective in controlling the sweat and control the sweat releasing glands. Roll on antiperspirant makes for a great companion while you travel.
Puberty is all about hormones. Most of us suffer from hormonal changes which lead to oil secretion. The release of excessive oil in the body results in the formation of acne. Our skin either becomes too oily or too dry.
While acne is an inevitable gift of puberty especially to the ones with oily skin, you can always reduce their effect on your skin.
#. Wash your face twice daily with a soft cleanser or face wash
#. Use some doctor recommended anti-acne cream that will help you deal with breakouts
#. Use a light moisturizer to prevent dryness caused by acne medication
#. Do not pop your pimples because that’ll only worsen the situation
#. Avoid touching your face too much if you have excessive acne problem
Puberty is a difficult time for most of us because we go through a lot of changes. At least one growth spurt is a must where we generally experience growth in height, weight gain and even some significant changes in the shape of the body. Some of us might even feel awkward about these changes, but its okay, you will grow out of this growth phase. All you can do to get over the uneasiness is to wear clothes that fit you well.
Puberty is the result of an influx of estrogen and testosterone. These hormones are not only effective in changing your physical appearance but affect the way you think too. There will be times when you get too emotional or completely indifferent towards things. You have nothing much to do about it, but you can always keep a check on your emotional changes and avoid lashing at people unnecessarily.
You can also talk to trusted friends or adults about your emotions. A little support and understanding during this time will do wonders for your emotional stability.
Another easy way to boost your self-esteem is by involving yourself in things that you love to do. Whether it is singing, dancing, sports or any other talent that you wish to pursue, just go for it.
Exercising can also be of a great help. It helps in channelizing all your negative energies into positive ones and calming your mind. The chemicals released in the brain while exercising improves your mood.
Puberty will hit one and all, its just the ways that your body accepts it is different. There could be chances that you start facing puberty before your friends or you lack behind. Do not worry about it. Everybody functions differently and takes their own time to accept changes. The usual age of puberty in girls is between 8-13 years, and in boys, it is usually 9-15 years.
Puberty is an indication that your body gives to tell you that you are growing up. There are sure shot chances of you feeling some unknown sexual desires at the time when puberty hits you. The hormonal changes lead to such uncontrollable urges to indulge in sexual acts.
While it may be too soon but if you still plan to have sex, just understand that safety has to be your primary concern. The risk of catching STD’s or bearing teen pregnancy is high in cases of unprotected sex.
Just understand that feeling sexual desires do not make you emotionally ready to have sex. Be sure of your decisions. Talk to some reliable friends or adults who can help you out.
Do not get influenced by some peer pressure. Getting involved in a sexual intercourse is your personal decision, and nobody else gets to decide it for you.
Girls go through many changes during puberty which, at times gets difficult to handle. Here’s a little guide to dealing with early puberty in girls.
Puberty is as hard for girls as it is for boys. It is a phase between wishing farewell to your childhood and embracing adulthood. Every girl dreams about being perfectly beautiful while they grow up. We are sure that each of you embraces those curves, but what about the unwanted hair springing out of literally every part of your body. We all can see hair growing on our arms, legs and even around the pubic areas.
It is always great to address the problem with your parents. Mothers for teenage girls are just like the best friend. She is your best and most trusted mentor who will advise you the right things. Waxing and shaving are the two most common ways of getting rid of these hairs.
Just be careful about your skin type and be well-aware of how to use a razor. Educate yourself about the side effects of using hair removal creams and excessive shaving before jumping to conclusions.
#. Using a manual razor is the easiest and a non-painful way to remove hair. Be careful about shaving without causing any cuts. You can also opt for an electric razor.
#. Getting your arms, legs and pubic areas waxed is a perfectly safe option. It is painful in comparison to shaving, but the results are long-lasting.
#. Hair removal creams are also available in the market. Their usage should be limited keeping in mind their side-effects.
Puberty is the time when the breasts start to grow. Once it happens, you will be asked to switch to wearing bras. Ask your mom to help you pick the right one for your first experience.
Bras are made differently to fulfill different requirements. While you shop for your first bra just make sure
#. That your bra fits you perfectly. If you need help, ask the bra fitting experts in the stores for advice.
#. You should not be worried about the size of your breasts. Sometimes, one breast grows more than the other. Eventually, they will even out.
Your first period is meant to be very scary. The never-ending bleeding and excruciating pain is difficult to manage initially. Receiving all the information prior to your first period will surely help you keep yourself calm when it happens. Your mom can advise you the best on how to go about it. Learn how to use sanitary napkins which stick to the inside of your underwear or tampons that are inserted into the vagina.
Most girls get their first periods around the age of 12, but it is perfectly normal if you get it before or after the suggested age gap. Your periods are an indication that you are capable of producing eggs and will become a mother in the future. You get your periods until your egg does not fertilize with a sperm. Your periods are most likely to end in a time span of 3-5 days every month. The menstrual cycle comprises of 28 days, meaning that you get your period on the 28th day following your previous period.
Irregular periods or brown colored blood in your first period are nothing to worry about. They become more regular as you grow older.
Period hygiene is one of the essential elements of a girl’s personal hygiene routine.
#. Be sure to change your pad or tampon regularly (at least once every four hours). Tampons can cause serious medical conditions if not changed regularly.
#. Use a hot water bag to calm your lower abdomen pains.
#. Dispose of your used pads or tampons properly.
In addition to your period, you may also notice an occasional clear or white discharge in your underwear. This usually happens before your first period and can continue after you have your period. Vaginal discharge is caused by hormonal changes in your body. Such discharges are actually good for your vaginal health.
In addition to breast development, girls also experience other physical changes concerning the shape of their bodies. It is considered healthy for girls to gain some weight and become curvy during puberty. You will experience weight gain in your lower body including your thighs and hips. Let it happen naturally. Avoid taking any preventive measures. Dieting during puberty is extremely unhealthy. Now that you are stepping towards becoming a woman, be accepting towards the changes.
Just like girls, boys too have their share of hormonal changes during puberty. This guide will help you get over the unexpected awkwardness.
For boys, puberty has different effects. As they go through puberty, their voice starts getting deeper. This happens because the larynx and the vocal cords grow rapidly. While the body accepts the change, some boys aren’t okay with it. Also, they face unexpected cracks and squeaks while talking. For most boys, this change occurs in the age bracket of 11-14 years.
Just like girls, boys too face hair growth in their arms, legs, pubic area and the face. While it is not important for boys to get rid of their body hair, they can always start to shave their face to prevent shabby hair growth. The hair starts growing on the chin and the upper lip. It’ll be great to talk to your dad about shaving for the first time.
You can use a manual or an electric shaver to get the deed done. Be careful not to cut yourself. Always use generous amounts of shaving cream or gel. The hair on your arms and legs will start to grow thicker and heavier with time. You can either leave them alone or shave them if they bother you.
As boys go through puberty, experiencing erections becomes a common thing. This can happen unexpectedly, so better not be alarmed. Erections do not have a fixed time and therefore can happen wherever and whenever irrespective of you being aroused or not.
If you get an erection in a public place, don’t mind, it is hardly possible for people to notice it.
Try to focus on your attention on other things to get rid of an unwanted erection.
Also, during puberty you will witness a change in the size of your testicles. Don’t be worried if the growth is asymmetrical and avoid comparisons.
Now that we have mentioned that feeling sexual desires during pregnancy is a common thing, it is no surprise for boys to face unexpected erections and nocturnal emissions, which are commonly known as ‘wet dreams’. An arousal while you are asleep causes wet dreams. This is perfectly normal for boys going through puberty.
This one comes as a shocker for most of the boys. During puberty, the bodies of most boys start to fill out and they experience a minor breast growth. This is perfectly normal and does not imply any hormonal misbalance.
Do you think it is important to prepare your teenagers for early puberty? Let us know in the comment section below.
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