Periods & Puberty: All You Need To Know

Puberty

   Hello readers, this very first chapter is going to describe how this all starts. So if you look up the definition of puberty on google here is what you will get:

pu·ber·ty
ˈpyo͞obərdē/noun

the period during which adolescents reach sexual maturity and become capable of reproduction

synonyms:, , sexual maturity, growing up

    An easier way of describing puberty is when your body goes through changes that allow you to become pregnant. During puberty both guys and girls will experience changes in their bodies. Both guys and girl grow hair in the under arm area and pubic area, both guys and girls also get a bodily odor in their under arm area -cough- that's what deodorant is for -cough-. But since this book is for girls (it's fine if you are reading this and you are a guy, I am just speaking to the audience assuming the vast majority is female) I am going to be discussing what happens to girls during puberty. During puberty a girl will (but not in this order):

1. Start to grow hair in the underarm area and pubic region

2. Start getting break outs and acne

3. Start to grow breasts

4. Have hormonal imbalances and mood swings

5. Have her first menstruation

6. Develop a more feminine and curvy figure as well as you getting taller

Puberty usually starts anywhere from 8-13 years of age. If you are over weight it may trigger hormones in your body that may result in you starting puberty at a young or early age. Usually puberty happens in stages. The biggest stage of puberty for females is when you have your first menstruation. Here is the order that the stages usually happen in:

1.  Mood swings and hormonal imbalances

2.  Growing breasts

3.  Hair growth (hair growing in the underarm area and the pubic region)

4.  Acne

5.  Your figure will start to become curvier and more feminine and you will get taller

6.  First menstruation

    The first menstruation is a big step in the transition from girls to women, it means that you are able to have children. Your first menstruation usually comes two to three years after your breasts start to develop. Another big step is growing breasts. Breasts don't develop over night and they usually take five or six years to fully develop. You usually can talk to one of your parents about getting a bra when your breasts start to develop. If you feel awkward about confronting them then you can either look up different ways to confront them about bras, or ask a friend. 

    There are different types of bras. Some of the most commonly know bras are: training bras, standard bras, push-up bras, and sports bras. Training bras in my opinion do absolutely nothing. They have no sort of padding or support whatsoever and they are a thin piece of fabric with two straps. It is your choice whether to use them or not. Standard bras come in many styles some common ones are: strapless, the racer back, and the T-shirt bra. The T-shirt is the most common, it is a typical two strap bra. The strapless has no straps ad it is for strapless dresses or shirts. And the racer back is the same as a T-shirt bra except the two straps are connected (usually by a clip) half way down your back. A push-up bra does exactly what you would think. Using extra padding at the bottom of the cup they push your breasts up to make them appear bigger. They can come in any style, strapless, T-shirt bra, or a racer back. Sports bras are used for exercise and other athletic activities. They are very tight and hold everything together, in other words they press you breasts to your chest and usually,  (but not always) come in a racer back style to prevent your girls from falling out of their seats.

      For under arm odors there are several options you have to eliminate them. Sweat, dirt, bacteria, and other things can get build up in your under arm hair and cause a strong odor, if you shave your underarm area it helps keep that area fresh. If you don't shave your underarm area I am find with that,  just make sure you keep it clean in that area. There are may different flavors and styles of deodorant, some people prefer scented and some people don't. You can either use the typical roll on stick or the dry spray. Those are the most common options for eliminating underarm odor. I know there are other ways of dealing with it though such as vinegar, witch hazel, etc. I don't really feel like getting to into this topic of dealing with underarm odor, it's simple enough to figure out ways to get rid of it, but if you have any questions leave comments below or PM me!

    OK, so I hit up the NTK (need to know) areas of puberty! Now that I have got that covered I think I am done with this chapter, if you have any other questions PM me or leave comments!