What every girl should know. Jan van Elfen

changes

      Since birth, like all children, you’ve grown up so quickly. At one time your mother couldn’t keep up with buying you new shoes and school clothes. Your dresses were always too short.

      Then you suddenly reached a stage when your body grew more slowly. This was probably between the ages of eight and ten. When your physical growth slowed down, you also became much calmer. That gave your body a chance to recover some of the energy used up while you were growing so quickly.

      When growth slows down, you don’t have to worry that all your friends will outgrow you. This period of rest only lasts a short time – at most a year or two. It is actually the calm before the storm of adolescence. Then you’ll grow so fast that your legs will feel too long and your feet too big. You’ll also tend to feel clumsy. However, you will not only grow in height.

      Quite suddenly you’ll notice that the proportions of your body are changing. Your hips will grow rounder and the area around your nipples will start to swell. Don’t get angry if your family teases you about it. They are aware of what’s happening to you and don’t mean to be nasty. There is nothing to be ashamed of – these changes are simply a sign that you’re developing normally. You’ll also find that fine hair is growing in your armpits and on the pubis (the bulge above your genitals).

      Menstruation

      One of these days you’ll start menstruating (have your first period). This is the blood that is discharged once a month by the female organs. The very first period is known as the menarche. This is the turning point in puberty for a girl – the beginning of womanhood and the first step on the long road to maturity.

      It’s impossible to predict accurately when a girl will start menstruating. Nowadays, the average age for the menarche is 13 years old. Some girls mature early and start menstruating at 11 or even nine, while others only start after they’ve left school. There’s no point in worrying about when you’re going to start menstruating. Your body will develop at its own pace. Some babies cut their teeth and start crawling before others – but in the end they all chew and walk equally well. In adolescence some girls’ breasts are already well developed by the time they start menstruating, while for others menstruation is the first sign of puberty and catches them off guard. No matter how it happens, we all reach maturity in the end.

      Your first bra

      You’ll definitely notice when your breasts begin to develop. They may feel quite uncomfortable and even a bit sore. You may find your breasts develop unevenly – one faster than the other. Don’t worry about this. Just as no one has two ears that look exactly the same or are exactly the same size, there are few women whose breasts are exactly symmetrical.

      Perhaps you’re wondering when you should start wearing a bra and if you shouldn’t already be wearing one. The answer to both questions is that a bra is worn for comfort and according to personal preference. Its purpose is to support the breasts and make them feel more comfortable. Many women also believe that wearing a bra and supporting the breasts helps keep them firm for longer. A bra can also be worn to make small breasts look fuller or to emphasise the bust. It can also make a woman look and feel more feminine.

      It’s probably best to ask your mother or any other mother figure in your life whether you should start wearing a bra. She’ll know what type of bra is best for your build and will also help you to get the best value for money. Perhaps you’ll also have to decide who is going to be responsible for buying your underwear in future. If you are going to have to use your pocket money for it, you could perhaps ask for a raise.

      Problems with pimples

      Illness and ailments probably don’t play a major role in your life at this stage because health and vitality are generally part of youth.

      But acne (pimples) mars the lives of many teenagers. This is understandable, since three-quarters of them suffer from it during puberty and even later. Very few teenagers regard acne as nothing to worry about. Sensitive teenagers, in particular, suffer as a result of acne, because they think it looks like sores. This makes them feel even more self-conscious and inferior.

      In most young people pimples are rather like warts, in the sense that they appear for a while and then go away again. Yet some adults still continue to be plagued by pimples. Teenagers should try to accept pimples as a part of life, but if acne causes so much unhappiness that it stops them leading a normal life, something should be done about it.

      You will probably hear a lot of silly stories about pimples. It is absolute nonsense, for example, to say they are caused by petting or impure blood.

      It’s no coincidence that pimples first appear during puberty. The hormones (glandular secretions) that stimulate physical maturation also stimulate the oil glands to secrete excessively. Oil covers the skin and protects it, but too much can be a problem. Excessive secretion occurs mainly in the glands in the face, shoulders and back.

      The ducts of the overactive oil glands and their pores (openings in the skin) then tend to enlarge. The build-up of oil and other impurities in the skin forms a comedo (blockage) in the duct of the gland. The oxygen in the air causes the comedo to turn black, which is why we call it a blackhead.

      A deeper blockage forms a whitehead. Through the action of an enzyme (a substance that causes chemical reactions), the skin’s oil is converted to a free fatty acid which seeps into the surface layers of the skin when a glandular duct bursts as a result of pressure caused by a blockage. This acid causes inflammation and the formation of pimples. So, it is not true that pimples are caused by dirty blood. However, a pimple can be infected by germs on your skin or fingers, which will turn it into a red, painful cyst.

      Blackheads are shallow, yellow pimples which heal without leaving scars, but whiteheads could leave marks if they’re not treated carefully. Someone with pimples is often her own worst enemy, because she herself spreads them over her skin. Pimples are so ugly and irritating, it is difficult to resist fiddling with them or squeezing them. But this usually leads to bruising and secondary infection, which only make pimples worse and cause scarring.

      Remember that pimples don’t leave any marks on the skin. It’s bruising and infection that cause damage and permanent, ugly marks. So try to follow this golden rule: keep your fingers away from your face!

      Acne usually disappears in the late teens or early twenties. The pimples then clear without leaving any marks, unless they have been badly infected or subjected to overzealous home treatment, or if deep scars have formed. Should there be scars, the skin can be cleverly “shaved” by a plastic surgeon after the pimples have cleared up, leaving it smooth.

      There are a few more facts about acne you should know:

      An oily skin is hereditary. Those with this skin type should take early precautions by cleansing the skin regularly and gently.

      Acne affects both sexes and all race groups.

      Acne is not a sign of impurities in the blood. Manufacturers of medicines who try to mislead the public into believing this should be prosecuted.

      Sport and other outdoor physical activities definitely don’t make acne worse, but sweaty clothes should not be worn for too long and sporting activities should be followed by a bath or shower. Dirty clothes, especially those with a rough texture, can rub germs into the skin and make acne worse, particularly on the back and shoulders.

      Make-up can be used in most cases, but greasy or oily creams and lotions definitely make the condition worse and should be avoided.

      Dandruff is bad for acne. If you notice that you have dandruff, you should treat it with a medicinal shampoo.

      Acne tends to get worse just before menstruation, because there is more progesterone in your blood. Your doctor might, therefore, prescribe a certain type of contraceptive pill as a treatment for acne.

      No convincing evidence has been found that chocolate, nuts, fizzy cool drinks, oily foods, confectionery and too much milk and other dairy products such as ice cream have an adverse effect on acne. According to the latest