Puberty and adolescent development can cause havoc on a teens body and mind. It is important to be educated about what is happening at this critical time so that you can talk to your teen in a matter of fact way and let them know that most teens go through the same struggles. It is also important to have a few solutions or ideas to give to them so they don’t just feel stuck with what nature is giving them.
In this post we will talk about some of the general things that teens go through and why as well as what they may be able to do to help it be less difficult. We hope that you find some useful information here to discuss with your teen or at least better understand them.
Oil – Not only does teen skin create a lot of oil and at times acne but your scalp and hair can feel very oily. Every single strand of your hair has it’s own oil gland and normally this is what keeps your hair shiny and healthy. The problem comes in puberty when hair can just feel down right greasy and can at times be hard to manage. Washing your hair everyday can help this but don’t scrub your head too much. A small amount of soap is fine and you may want to choose a shampoo for oily hair. You also need to pay attention to the products you use in styling your hair because many of them contain oils that you may not be aware of.
Body Odor and Sweating – We have all been through this one. As puberty hits so do the odors! Puberty causes your sweat glands to be over productive, this is perfectly normal. One thing that is normal but different than at other times in your life is that during puberty your body is releasing different chemicals through these glands and that can lead to the body odor issue. You may even notice other parts of your body that go through odor changes including your feet.
The best way to deal with this is to shower everyday and stay as clean as you can. Smells are generally caused by bacteria so it is important to stay clean. Always wearing clean clothing each day will also help and a lot of people find that clothing made of cotton can help their bodies breathe easier and keep odor to a minimum. While there are a few people that can get away without wearing underarm deodorant and antiperspirants you may choose to use these products if underarm odor is an issue. Deodorant masks the smell but antiperspirants actually stop the sweat.
Body Hair – Hormones cause hair to crop up in new places for teens. While there are not hygiene rules about what you choose to do about this new hair your parents may have strict rules. For boys they may like facial hair and may or may not want to keep it. And for girls they may decide to not worry about removing leg and underarm hair. It’s all a very individual choice. For parents it is important that you teach your teen the proper way to shave and to make sure that they have the right razor or method to remove the unwanted hair safely.
