Boobs, sex, shaving: 12 teenage health questions answered

Breast development can begin as young as age 7, but usually things start happening between ages 8 and 12. If no change has occurred by the age of 14, it’s worth asking your doctor about why your body is running late.

See also: Teenage depression

None of the myths about over masturbating are true (like hairy palms or going blind), but you are going overboard if you’re masturbating in public or have rubbed yourself raw. Usually people prefer to masturbate in their beds or in the shower.

 

Mutual masturbation means touching another’s genitals and having yours touched, to give and receive pleasure. Some people feel this is much safer than sexual intercourse, which is definitely true with respect to avoiding pregnancy and many sexually transmitted infections (STIs), including HIV.

See also: Teenage depression

• Rinse the area with warm water, then press a warm washcloth against it for a minute or two (to help soften up hairs to be shaved).
   
• Shave with short strokes in the direction of hair growth (not against the grain); don’t pull the skin and make sure to use a sharp razor every time.
   
• Aftershaves are okay to use (unless they cause a burning or tingling sensation that’s too uncomfortable); you can also try a moisturiser instead.
   
• If you experience razor burns (tiny bumps of inflammation), you may want a lotion like bacitracin (or another antibiotic lotion clindamyacin) to ease inflammation.

See also: Teenage depression

Circumcision is not a medical necessity, and some say that because the foreskin has a lot of nerve endings, it makes sex more pleasurable to keep the foreskin on. Others swear

that circumcision enhances feelings by leaving the glans more exposed.

 

There are some data that uncircumcised penises have a higher risk of acquiring certain STIs (sexually transmitted infections), such as chancroid (shows up as an ulcer on the penis) and HIV. If you’re not circumcised, you need to keep your penis clean, because warm, moist areas can trap bacteria. When showering, pull back the foreskin and wash that area with soap and water.

See also: Teenage depression

Safe sex should combine meaning, pleasure, and vulnerability in a way that makes you feel confident in sharing your most intimate thoughts and feelings. If you’re having sex but are missing a piece of that equation, you should ask yourself a few simple questions: Is this the right partner? Will he or she be there for me next month, next year, for the duration? Is there mutual trust and respect here? Can we really talk about anything? Is he or she pressuring or guilt-tripping me into having sex before I’m ready? And do I know everything about his or her past sexual life, before me?

If you’re not having pleasure, it may mean that you do not yet have clear answers to some of these questions and may want to explore a healthy sexuality without actual intercourse, through touch and other senses.

See also: Teenage depression

Bra sizes are made up of two components, a 'band size' or a 'back size' and a cup size. Your cup size is measured in letters and your back in numbers. The cup sizes are different depending on the band size, for example a 32D is equal to a 34C or 36B, it just depends on how big your rib cage is.

Almost 80% of women in the UK are wearing the wrong bra size, so the best way of mesuring your bra size would be to go see a professional person to measure it for you, usually there will be one in the shop.

See also: Teenage depression

First, see if you can quit cold turkey. Just stopping abruptly often works for those in the early stages of an addiction, as it’s more like breaking a bad habit at that point. But once your brain has been hardwired to crave the substance or behaviour, you may need additional help. If you try to quit yourself but can’t, seek help. Start with your doctor and/or your school counselor, to seek information on how to quit.

 

See also: Teenage depression

Well, there are a lot of normal changes that go on, especially during the menstrual cycle; your breasts can become hot, swollen, or sensitive. They also may undergo fibrocystic changes or develop potentially painful lumps and bumps that grow over the course of the menstrual cycle, then deflate when you get your period.

You can deal with fibrocystic changes with good support bras or sports bras, especially right before your period. If you notice a lump or a bump, don’t inspect it every day. Instead examine your breast at the same point in your next period cycle (usually a month or month and a half later), to see if it is the same size, shrinking, or growing.

If it is the same size or smaller, that means you’re experiencing fibrocystic changes of the breast and don’t need to worry about it. If it is in exactly the same place, and growing, it may be a benign growth called a fibroadenoma, and you should consult your doctor and/or your pediatric gynecologist.

• Preoccupation with appearance, body shape, or weight, with the preoccupation getting in the way of daily life.
• Consistent sadness, frustration, or anger about body image.
• Frequent self-deprecating comments.
• Frequent comparison to others regarding appearance, body shape, or weight.
• Excessive concern about a body part that seems average or okay to others.
• Increasing self-consciousness.
• Secrecy related to eating or exercise habits.
• Dramatic or steady weight loss and/or extreme weight fluctuations (big ups and downs).
• Severely restricting food intake.
• Bingeing.
• Refusal to eat certain foods.
• Obsessing over body weight, calories, food, or dieting.
• Unusual eating rituals, such as rearranging food on the plate, excessive chewing, eating food in a certain order, or having to measure all food consumed.