GROWING UP AS A GIRL
The teenage years can be exciting and somewhat challenging. No one said
growing up was going to be easy and if you’re a female you may feel
like it’s extra tough going through puberty. People may tell you,
“don’t worry, you’ll get over it,” or “it’s
just a phase you’re going through.” It’s true, puberty
is a stage (or phase) of life, but it’s not something you’ll
simply “get over.” Instead, you find ways to work through it
and you then move on to adulthood. Puberty shouldn’t be considered
the scariest or most difficult time of your life, however. Your body is
going through some very exciting changes and in a sense, you’re learning
about who you are. This article will help you understand some of those issues
and direct you to other places to learn more.
When does it
Begin?
In girls, puberty usually begins between the ages of 9 and 13 years. It
lasts about two to three years, so the body changes have been completed
by the time a girl is 11 to 16 years old. Usually the first sign of puberty
is the beginning of breast development (breast budding). This may start
as small, sometimes tender lumps under the nipple that will gradually enlarge.
Approximately 80-85 percent of the time this is how female puberty starts.
The other 15-20 percent of the time the first sign may be long coarse hair
in the pubic area. Also you may notice some body odor and a small amount
of clear sticky vaginal discharge. If you want to learn about the signs
of mid-puberty, click here.
First Period
The day you get your first menstrual period is one you will always remember.
Most girls are excited about having reached this stage of passage into womanhood.
Most girls are also a bit worried. What will it be like? Will I be able
to manage my periods without anyone knowing?
When Will My
Breasts Grow Larger?
The development of tender breast “buds” is usually the first
sign of puberty in girls. Some girls notice breast growth as early as age
7 or 8, while others don’t start until age 13 or so. The timing is
determined by your own biologic “clock” that tells your body
to start producing high levels of female hormones. Breasts go through five
“stages” of growth over the next five to six years, until their
full maturity is reached by age 17 or 18. If you want to learn more, click
here. We have an entire article telling you about the different stages of
breast growth, what to expect when they first start to grow and what can
be done to make breasts larger or smaller.
Acne.
Don’t worry; you’re not the only teenager facing these annoying
blemishes. About 90 percent of all teenagers put up with acne. Fortunately,
many have the milder form and get just a few blackheads or whiteheads now
and then. Acne generally does not become a problem until you reach adolescence,
which is when the increased hormone levels cause your skin's oil (sebaceous)
glands to work overtime. Normally, these glands produce an oily substance
called "sebum." A mixture of fats and waxes, sebum travels through
the duct and spreads over the skin, keeping the hair and skin moist. The
excess oil causes the openings of the glands to be clogged with sebum and
dead cells. If the plug stays below the surface, it is called a whitehead;
If it works its way to the surface, oxygen causes it to take on a black
color (thus the name "blackhead"). In addition, the plug becomes
an excellent environment for the growth of normal skin bacteria resulting
in swelling and redness (a “pimple”). In severe cases, deep
pustules or cysts may develop.
Other things that can
cause acne, or make it worse, are certain drugs, exposure to industrial
oils, grease, and chemicals, and stress and strong emotions
Do I Need to
Lose Weight?
This is a big concern for many female teenagers. Almost 25 percent of adolescents
are already overweight or even obese (harsh word, but true) by medical standards.
Extra weight gain often starts in puberty, and overweight teens are very
likely to remain overweight as adults. So the teen years are a great time
to learn how to achieve and maintain a healthy weight.
Emotions?
As you go through puberty, your body is producing a large amount of hormones.
This increase in hormones can cause changes in your emotions. You can experience
feelings of sadness for no reason. Something minor can happen, such as tripping
on a stone while walking to school and it might make you cry. Most of the
time, these changes in emotion are normal and once you’ve gone through
puberty, the emotional roller coaster should slow down. However, there are
some teens that go through drastic mood swings, which aren’t normal.
This can be a serious problem requiring the attention of a health care professional.
How Do We Know
Puberty is Complete?
Puberty is pretty much complete when pubic hair attains an adult pattern
– which is an inverted triangle, covering the entire pubic area, with
some extension of hair down the inner thighs. Also puberty is complete when
your breasts are adult configuration.
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