Moderate body care for teenagers

During puberty, the body changes - and often also the hygiene behaviour of teenagers. While some exaggerate and spend hours in the bathroom, others could shower a little more often.

For many parents, puberty is the time when cute children become brash teenagers, and looking back, some are still ashamed to think about what they were like back then. During this phase of life, the body changes and children become adults. The term «puberty» is derived from the Latin «pubescere», which means to become hairy.
But it's not just pubic hair that grows: girls' breasts grow, they start menstruating and they become curvier. Boys shoot up and become more muscular, their voice begins to break and the first upper lip fuzz appears. Their hormones are going crazy, pimples are popping up and their brains seem to be undergoing a total reorganisation. Emotions are on a rollercoaster and some adolescents' moods change every second: one moment they're all grown up and the next they're back in the defiant phase.

Hormones change the odour

The topic of hygiene among teenagers is a tricky one: girls who spend hours in the bathroom and boys who fear the flannel like the devil. These clichés are a reality for many. My brother, for example, built his thirteen-year-old daughter her own bathroom so as not to jeopardise family peace in the long term.
While children never actually smell of sweat, hormonal changes alter the odour of pubescents. The pubic and armpit areas are more colonised by bacteria because there are more scent and sweat glands there and are therefore moist. When puberty begins, daily personal hygiene is therefore a must. But we can smell it in the tram, on the train or in the gondola: boys in particular sometimes place more value on styling than on the daily shower.
But if we can't smell it, we don't like it either. Body care is therefore important. The grooming of boys and girls differs. Adolescent young men should wash their penis and scrotum once a day. The glands of the genitals also produce more sebum. This white coating on the glans should be washed off daily. But be careful: pull the foreskin all the way back and pull it all the way forwards again after washing.

Pubic hair is out

Daily personal hygiene provides an opportunity to try out new care products. But washing alone is useless if you don't change your pants and socks every day. For boys these days: beards are in and pubic hair is out. But pubic hair also has a purpose: it distributes sexual attractants. However, culture and fashion influence the way we deal with body hair. As a result, the pubic area of most girls today is hairless.
In girls, the vagina is close to the urethra and the anus. Cleaning should always be done from front to back so that no intestinal bacteria enter the vagina or bladder. Girls' glands also produce more sebum, which can be seen between the labia. Ideally, young women should wash their intimate area with pH-neutral products, as an intact environment protects against infections.
When hormone levels rise, discharge begins a few months before the first menstruation. This is normal and every woman has white discharge, more or less depending on the phase of her cycle. If the quantity, colour or odour changes, this should be clarified. With menarche, the first menstrual period, young girls can use pads or tampons. They should decide for themselves which protection they feel more comfortable with, but should learn how to use tampons. Many girls feel the need to wash themselves more during menstruation, but too much is not only annoying for those around them, it can also lead to skin irritation and allergies. When it comes to hygiene in particular, teenagers should learn to treat their own bodies responsibly, but also to develop an uncomplicated attitude towards them.

Tips for boys' personal hygiene

  • Shower daily and use a mild deodorant.
  • Use separate towels for «upstairs» and «downstairs».
  • After urinating, dab the glans with toilet paper.
  • Wash your hands after going to the toilet.
  • Change underwear and socks daily.
  • For acne: cleanse skin once a day, do not squeeze out pimples.

Tips for personal hygiene for girls

  • Shower daily and use a mild deodorant.
  • Wash the pubic area daily with pH-neutral wash lotion and dry with a separate towel.
  • Dab with toilet paper after urinating.
  • Never wipe from back to front after a bowel movement.
  • If necessary, collect discharge with panty liners, use tampons or sanitary towels during menstruation.
  • Wash your hands after going to the toilet and before and after changing tampons.
  • Change underwear and stockings daily.
  • For acne: cleanse skin once a day, do not squeeze out pimples.