Post on 05-Aug-2020
girl’s guide
always changing® and growing up ®
ContentsPuberty 1
BodyGrowth 7
BreastGrowth 8
SkinChanges 10
HairChanges 11
Perspiration 12
VaginalDischarge 14
YourPeriod 15
FeminineProtection 23
Always®Products 30
Glossary 32
Puberty
Puberty.Yeah,it’saweirdword,butitdoesn’tmakeyouweird.Pubertyisaseriesofchangesthatyourbody–andall
yourfriends’bodies–willgothroughasyougrowup.
Liketheword,pubertymayseemstrangebecauseit’s
newtoyou.Butthemoreyouknowaboutit,themore
comfortableitwillbe.Thisguidewillhelpwiththatby:
Lettingyouknowwhatchangestoexpectandhelping
youunderstandthem.
Helpingyouprepareforwhat’saheadsoyoucan
feelmoreconfident.
Givingyouhelpfultipsandanswerstomanygirlquestions.
Italsohelpstotalkaboutpuberty.Itmayseem
embarrassing–that’snormal–butitwillhelpyoufeel
morerelaxedandconfident.Herearesometips:
Asksomeonelikeyourmomoroldersistertoanswer
yourquestions.They’ve“beenthere,donethat,”so
theirexperiencemayhelp.
Ifit’shardtoaskyourquestionface-to-face,leave
itinanote.
Visitbeinggirl.com,asitejustforgirls,whereyoucan
learnandtalkwithothergirlsaboutgrowingup–like
howyourbodyandfeelingschange.
All the words in bold type
in this booklet are defined
in the glossary.
Puberty1
Are we there yet? Are we there yet? Pubertyusuallystartsbetweentheagesof8and13and
lastsafewyears.Buteverygirlisdifferent.Somegirls’
pituitaryglandsareeager,sometaketheirtime.The
importantthingisthatyourpituitaryglandwillstartyour
pubertywhenit’srightforyourbody.Butifyouhaven’t
experiencedanypubertychangesbyage14,youmay
wanttotalktoyourdoctor.
Duringpubertyyou’llexperiencechangestoyourbody,
skin,hair–evenyouremotions.Itmayseemlikeawild
ridesometimes.Butchancesareyou’llbehappywiththe
outcome–thesame“you,”justamoregrown-upversion.
Where it all begins. Yourpituitary gland,locatedbeneaththefrontofyour
brain,startspuberty.Yourpituitaryglandsendsasignal
totwootherglands–yourovaries–tellingthemto
makeaspecialchemical,orhormone,calledestrogen.
Estrogenisthemainfemalehormonethattriggersmost
ofthechangesyou’llseeandfeel.Boyshaveadifferent
hormone,testosterone,thatcausesmostoftheir
changes.
It’snotsummervacation,butitisagreatjourney.
The puberty event girls want to know about most. Period. Your period is the biggest change you’ll
experience. “What’s a period?” “When
do you get it?” “What do you do about
it?” These questions and more are
answered on pages 15 to 33.
Puberty3
Puberty2 ®
Puberty4
What you ’ ll see along the way. Here’saquickrundownofthemainphysicalchanges
you’llgothrough.
You’llfindmoreinfoaboutthesethroughoutthisguide.
Yourbodygrowstallerandbroader.
Yourbreastsbegintogrow.
Yourskinmaybecomeoilier,andyoumaygetpimples.
Yourhairmaybecomeoilier.
Yourbodymaysweatmore,andyoumaydevelop
bodyodor.
Youbegintogrowunderarmandpubichair.
Vaginaldischargebegins.
Yourperiodstarts.
What you ’ ll feel along the way. Theemotionalchangesyou’llexperienceduringpuberty
maynothappenatthesametimeyourbodymatures.
Youcouldfeelolderbeforeyoulookolder,ortheother
wayaround.Inanycase,herearesomethingstoexpect:
You’llstarttothinkmorelikeanadultdoes.
You’llbegintomakemoresenseofyourfeelings–
bothpositiveandnegativeones–and
expressthembetter.
Youmaygetangryalot
easierandgothrough
moodswings.Plus,you
maycrymore–overlittle
andbigthings.
Youmaybecomemore
self-conscious.
Youmaycompareyourself
toyourfriendsandfeellike
somethingiswrongwith
you.Butthere’snot!
Youmayfeelandact
morefeminine.
It’s OK. All these changes won’t happen overnight. Some
may be quick, but others will take place slowly over a
few years.
Puberty5®
Puberty6
Body Growth
Youknowpubertyhaskickedinwhenyougrowtallerand
begintotakeonamorefeminineshape.Yourhipswill
widenandyourbreastswillbegintogrow.Untilyouget
usedtoyournewshapeandsize,youmayfeelawkward.
Andnaturally,youmaygainweight.Infact,manygirls
arealittlelargerthanboysintheearlyyearsofpuberty.
Allgirls,astheygrowup,developmorebodyfat.Aslong
asyoueatwellandexercise,yourweightshouldstayina
healthyrange.
Eat well and feel well – inside and out. Eatarangeoffoodstogetall
thevitaminsandnutrientsyou
need.Trytoeatlotsofprotein
(likefish,meat,cheese,milk,
eggsandbeans).Youalsoneed
complexcarbohydrates(like
wholewheatbreads,pasta
andcereals)andfreshfruits
andvegetables.
Thingswillbegintoshapeupforyou.
Take some time to shine up your self-image. Ahealthybodyimagedependsonahealthyattitude–
andthat’ssomethingyoucancontrol.Justremember,
theimpossiblyperfectbodiesyouseeonTVandin
magazinesarenotwhatmostgirlsandwomenlooklike,
orshouldlooklike.
Feelinggoodaboutyourbodyisagreatstarttoboosting
youroverallself-esteem.Herearesomeotherways:
1. Findsomethingyoudowell,likeasport,anartora
schoolsubject,andfocusonsucceedingatit.
2. Insteadofcomparingyourselftoothers,eachday
writedownthreethingsaboutyourselfthatyou
wouldn’tchange.
3. Concentrateonyourabilities,skillsand
accomplishmentsinsteadofyourfaults.
4. Setexpectationsthatarerealistic.Aimfor
accomplishment,notperfection.
5.Doagooddeed.Makingadifferencewillhelpyou
feellikeabetterperson.
6.Exercise.You’llunloadstressandfeelstronger
andhappier.
Body Growth7®
Breast Growth8
The scoop on bra sizing. Manystoresthatsellbrashaveexpertswhocantellyour
correctsizebymeasuringyou.Or,youcanhaveafriend
ortrustedadultmeasureyouusingthefollowingguide:
1. Measurearoundyourchestjustbelowyourbreasts.
2. Ifit’sanoddnumber,add5.
Ifit’sanevennumber,add4.
Thisisyourframe size.
3. Nowfindyourbust line size
bymeasuringaroundyour
chestoverthefullestpart
ofyourbreasts.
4. Compareyourframesizeandbust
linesizetodetermineyourcup size:
Iftheyarethesame,
youneedanAA-cup.
Iftheydifferby1,youneedanA-cup.
Iftheydifferby2,youneedaB-cup.
Iftheydifferby3,youneedaC-cup.
Iftheydifferby4,youneedaD-cup.
5. Yourbra sizeisyourframeandcupsizestogether.
Breast Growth
Duringearlypuberty,thefirststageofbreastdevelopment
happens,called“budding.”Fromthere,yourbreastsgrow
gradually–youprobablywon’tnoticeitmostofthetime.
Onebreastmaygrowlargerthantheother–that’sokay.
They’llbeaboutthesamesizeintheend.Butlikeyour
legsandarms,yourbreastswillneverbeexactlyalike–
noone’sare.
Breasts and bras – both come in lots of shapes and sizes. Onceyourbreastsdevelop,wearingabraprovides
supportandcoveragethatcanhelpyoufeelmore
comfortable.Plus,brascomeintonsoffuncolors
anddesignssoyoucanfindonesthatmatchyour
personalstyle.
Justmakesure
itfitsyou
properly.
Startingfromthetop.
Breast Growth9®
Skin Changes10
Skin Changes Hair Changes
Theskinnyonyourskin.
Pubertymaycauseyourhairtobecomeoilier,thicker,
coarser–evencurlierorstraighter.Theimportantthingis
tokeepithealthywithregularcare.
Good habits for healthy hair. Shampooregularly(dailyoreveryotherdayisbest
formosthairtypes).
Ifyou’reAfrican-American,yourhairmaybedryand
delicate.Soyouonlyneedtowashyourhair1to2
timesaweek.
Aftershampooing,usealightconditioner
toaddmoisture,controlandstrength.
Whenyou’reswimmingorin
thesun,useanintensive
conditionerwithUV
protection.
Whenyourhairiswet,use
awide-toothcomb.Abrush
maybreakyourhairstrands.
Your hair may need more attention.Headsup!
Duringpuberty,youroilglandsproducemoresebum
(anoilysubstance).Sometimesextrasebumand
deadskincellsclogyourskin’spores.Whenbacteriagrow
inthecloggedporesitcausespimples(acne).
Acneisverycommon–90%ofyoungpeoplegetit.You
cankeepitundercontrol,though,mostofthetimewith
adailyroutineofskincare.Justremembertobepatient.
Acnedoesn’tdisappearovernight–foranyone.
Good habits for healthy skin. Washyourfacetwiceadaywithacleanseror
medicatedacnewash.
Keepyourhandsawayfromyourfaceanddon’t
squeeze,pickorpoppimples.
Takeadailymultivitamin,eatplentyoffruitsand
vegetables,anddrinklotsofwater.
Washyourpillowcasefrequentlytogetridofoiland
dirtbuild-up.
Whenyou’reinthesun,wearsunscreenorblockwith
atleastanSPF(sunprotectionfactor)of15.
Got a question?For answers to
your hair and skin care questions,
visit beinggirl.com.
Hair Changes11®
Perspiration12
Body odor busters. Showerorbathefrequentlytowashdirtandoiloffyourskin.
Makesuretowashyourunderarmsthoroughly.
Applydeodorant/antiperspirantatleastonceaday.
Wearclothesmadeofmaterialthatbreathes,likecotton.
Alwaysshoweror
batheafteryou
exercise.Ifyoucan’t
doitrightaway,at
leastchangeoutof
yoursweatyclothes
andintocleanones.
When you’re ready for deodorant. Therearemanytypes
ofantiperspirants/
deodorants.Whatkind
youneedorwantdepends
onyou.Howmuchyousweat
(we’realldifferent),whetheryoulikeamorenoticeable
scent(ornot),andevenhowtheproductfeelscanallhelp
youfigureoutwhichtypeisbestforyou.
Perspiration
Everybodysweats,orperspires.It’sanormaland
importantfunction–ithelpsregulateyourbody
temperature.Butonceyouhitpuberty,sweatingcanalso
causebodyodor.
Bodyodoristriggered
byyourapocrine glands
–thekindofsweat
glandsthatkickinat
puberty.Yourother
sweatglands–eccrine glands–startworkingatbirth.
Eccrineglandsproduceclear,odorlessperspiration,
butapocrineglandsproduceperspirationthatcansmell
badwhenitcomesincontactwithbacteriaonyourskin.
Sincealotofapocrineglandsareunderyourarms,
manypeopleuseunderarmdeodorantsorantiperspirants.
Deodorantscounteractodortohelpyousmellbetter.
Antiperspirantsreducesweatingandunderarmwetness.
Sincethesearethemaincausesofbodyodor,
anti-perspirantshelppreventodorbeforeitstarts.
Sweatingisgoodforyou.Sowhythebigstinkaboutit?
Pores
Hair Shaft
Sebaceous Gland
Eccrine Gland
Apocrine Gland
Epidermis
Dermis
Subcutaneous Tissue
Did you know? Sweat glands are everywhere on your body except your lips and ears.
Females have a lot moreapocrine glands than males.
Females and males sweat differently. So their deodorants and anti- perspirants are different, too. For the best protec-tion, pick one that’s made for girls and women.
Perspiration13®
Vaginal Discharge14
Vaginal Discharge
Vaginal dischargeisaclearorwhitishfluidthatcomesfrom
yourvagina(anopeningbetweenyourlegs).Thistypeof
dischargeishealthyandnormal.Itkeepsthevaginafrom
dryingoutandhelpspreventinfection.Whenyounoticeit
inyourunderwear(acreamywhitestain)forthefirsttime,
itusuallymeansyourfirstperiodiscomingsoon.Toavoid
gettingdischargeinyourunderwearbetweenperiods,you
canwearapantiliner(formoreinfo,seepages26,27and30).
Ifyouhaveanydischargethatisthick,yellowishordarker,
smellsunpleasantorcausesitchingorburning,itcould
beasignofavaginalinfection.Checkwithyourdoctor.
Mostvaginalinfectionscanbeeasilytreated.
Vaginaldischarge–asignthatyourperiodisonitsway.
Yourperiod.Celebrateitwithanexclamationpoint!Gettingyourperiodisprobablythebiggestchangeyou’ll
experienceduringpuberty.It’saverynormal,healthyand
positivepartofgrowingup!It’spartofanaturalcycle
(themenstrual cycle)thatpreparesthebody’sabilityto
havechildren.
A quick def inition. Yourperiodiswhenyoushedtissue,fluidandbloodfrom
youruterinelining(alsocalledmenstrualdischarge).It
leavesyourbodythroughyourvagina.Formostgirlsand
women,itusuallyhappenseachmonthandlastsbetween
3and7days.Itmaycomeasasurprisewhenyouget
yourfirstone–that’sokay,ithappenstoalotofgirls.
The whole story. Thecompleteexplanationmaysoundlikeascience
lesson.Butunderstandingthemenstrualcyclewillhelp
takethemysteryoutofyourperiod.Itwillalsohelpyou
predictwhenyourperiodwillcomeeachmonthonce
yourcyclestarts.
Good feminine hygiene can help protect you from infections:
After going to the bathroom, wipe from front to back to avoid spreading bacteria from your anus to your vagina.
Avoid heavily perfumed soaps or shower gels – these can sometimes irritate the delicate skin around your vagina.
Remember, if you’re taking antibiotics, vaginal infections are more likely to occur.
Your Period
Your Period15®
Your Period16
The cycle repeats itself. Acompletemenstrualcyclerunsfromthefirst
dayofoneperiodtothefirstdayofthenext.
Theaveragetimethistakesis28days,butanywhere
between21and35daysisnormal.Thenthecycle
startsagain.
1
4
2
3
An ovary gets ready to release an egg.
The egg is released. The endometrium starts to thicken.
The endometrium is not needed and most of it is shed through the vagina.
The egg travels along the fallopian tube to the thickening endometrium.
The phases of the menstrual cycle.1. Pre-Ovulation.Femaleshavetwoovariesthatcontain
thousandsofeggs(ova).Estrogentellsanovaryto
releaseaneggeverymonth.(Oneovaryreleasesanegg
eachmonth.)Atthesametime,thesoftlining
(endometrium)oftheuterus(theplacewhere
ababycangrow)startstothicken.
2. Ovulation. Ovulationoccurswhenamature
eggisreleasedfromtheovary. Aftertheegg
isreleasedittravelsalongthefallopian
tubetothethickeningendometrium.Ifa
sperm(themalereproductivecell)
fertilizestheegg,ababydevelops.
3. Premenstrual. Iftheeggisn’tfertilized,
itbreaksdownandtheendometrium
isn’tneeded.Asaresult,hormonelevels
dropcausingtheendometriumtoshed.
4. Menstruation. The
endometriumleaves
thebodythroughthe
vaginaasareddish
fluidcontainingblood.
Thisisaperiod.
Endometrium
Uterus Vagina
Ovary
Fallopian Tube
Eggs
Position inside body
Your Period17®
Your Period18
When will your period start? Mostgirlsgettheirfirstperiodbetweentheagesof9and
16,butthereisno“right”time.Yourperiodwillstartwhen
yourbodyisready.Ifyouhaven’tstartedbythetime
you’re16,youmaywanttotalktoyourdoctor.
Asaroughguide,yourperiodwillprobablystart:
Abouttwoyearsafteryourbreastsbegintodevelop.
Withinayearorsoafteryou’vedeveloped
pubicandunderarmhair.
Afteryoustarttonoticesome
vaginaldischargeinyourundies.
Getting into a groove. It’sagoodideatogettoknowyourcyclerightfromthe
start.Manygirlsandwomenpreparefortheirnextperiod
bytrackingtheircycleonacalendar.Youcanuseyour
owncalendarortheoneonlineathttp://www.beinggirl.
com/article/period-predictor/.
Eachmonth,markthedaysthatyouhaveyourperiod.As
yourcycleevensout,you’llbegintoseearegularpattern.
Byfiguringtheaveragenumberofdaysbetweenyour
periods,you’llbeabletotellwhenthenextonewillmost
likelystart.Youcanalsorecordhowyoufeelonyourpre-
perioddays.Thesefeelingsmaybefuture“hints”that
yourperiodiscoming.
Being irregular is a regular thing.In the beginning, your period may be irregular. You could have one period and then wait as long as 6 months for the next one! Or, one period may last one day, while the next lasts 10 days. This happens to a lot of girls. Oftentimes, it takes a while before a girl’s body settles into a regular cycle. In fact, it may take up to 2 or 3 years.
sun mon tue wed thu fri sat
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8 9 10 11 12 13 14
15
22
29
16
23
30
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24
31
18
25
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26
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28
Mood Changes Light Period Day Heavy Period Day
Your Period19®
Your Period20
Sometimes your period brings uninvited guests – cramps. Alotofgirlsandwomenexperience“periodcramps”
causedbythecontractionoftheuterus.Ifyouget
cramps,youmayfeelachesinyourabdomen,yourlower
backorevendownyourlegs.
Ways to put cramps in their place. Takeawarmbath,unwindandlistentosometunes.
Placeaheatingpadorheatwraponyourabdomen.
Thenkickback,relaxandreadamagazineorwatchTV.
Dosomemildexercisethat
youenjoy,likewalkingyour
dogorridingyourbikewitha
friend.
Ifcrampscontinuetobeaproblem
foryou,makesureyoucheckwith
anadultbeforetakinganykindof
medication.
Some popular questions about your period. Is it okay to take a bath or shower when you have
your period? Yes.Duringyourperiodisanimportanttimetokeep
yourselffreshandclean.
Is there anything you won’t be able to do when you
have your period? No.Itdoesn’thavetostopyoufromdoingthethings
youusuallydo.Youcanstillgotoschool,helpat
home,seeyourfriends,playsportsandsoon.
Will anyone notice when you have your period?
No.Notunlessyoutellthem.
How much blood do you lose during your period?
Theaveragefemalelosesabout4to12teaspoonsof
menstrualfluidduringherperiod.Butonlyasmall
amountofthatisblood.Sinceyourbodycontains
morethan5quartsofblood,itdoesn’tmissthelittle
bitlostduringaperiod–andyourbodymakesupfor
itquickly.
Your Period21®
Your Period22
Feminine Protection
What is Premenstrual Syndrome (PMS)? PMSreferstothesymptomsthatsomegirlsandwomen
experience1to14daysbeforetheirperiod.Thesesymptoms
arecausedbychanginghormonelevelsandmayinclude
headaches,backaches,foodcravings,depression,moodiness,
breasttenderness,paininthejoints,generaltiredness,and
weightgainorabloatedfeeling.Skinblemishesmayalsoflareup.
HereareafewthingsyoucandotohelprelievePMS:
Exerciseregularly.
Limitdrinkingcaffeinateddrinkslikecolas.
Avoidsalt.
Askyourdoctorforremedies.
Checkwithatrustedadulttoseeifyoucantakean
over-the-countermedication.
Whattouseduringyourperiod.Feminine protectionreferstotheproductsgirlsand
womenusetoabsorbtheirmenstrualflowortostay
feelingfresh,comfortableandconfidenteveryday.
There are three types of feminine protection:(You’llfindmoredetailsabouttheseonpages24to31.)
Pads.
Pantiliners.
Tampons.
Where to buy them. Youcanbuypantiliners,
padsortamponsinmany
placeslikesupermarkets,
pharmaciesanddiscount
stores.Ifyoufeelalittle
funnyaboutbuyingthem
atfirst,justasksomeone
likeyourmomorolder
sistertomakethepurchase
foryou.
What is right for you?Some girls and women
prefer pads and pantiliners, some prefer tampons, and some like to use pads on some days and tampons on others. We recommend you start off with pads and pantiliners, and if you want to use tampons, talk to your mom, school nurse or another trusted adult.
Feminine Protection23®
Feminine Protection24
Pads areworninyourunderwearduringyourperiod
toabsorbyourmenstrualflow.Apadhasasoft,
cotton-likelayeronthetopandastickytapeon
thebacktokeepitfirmlyplacedinyourunderwear.
Startingout,mostgirlsusepads.
Someflowsareheavy,some
arelight,andsomearein
between.That’swhypads,
likeAlways®,comein
differentshapes,lengthsand
absorbencies.Somepadsalsohave
wingsthatwraparoundyourunderweartofit
securely.Padsalsocomeinscentedorunscentedforms.
Tofindthepadthatworksbestforyou,asksomeonelike
yourmomoraschoolnurseforhelp,seepage31,orgoto
beinggirl.comtolearnmoreaboutthedifferenttypesofpads.
How to get rid of a pad. 1. Fold it up.
2. Wrap it in tissue, toilet paper or the wrapper of your new pad.
3. Put it in the trash. (Most restrooms have a trash can in each stall for feminine products.)
4.Don’t flush pads down the toilet because they can clog it.
5. Wash your hands.
How to use a pad. 1. Pull off the paper strip or wrapper that
covers the sticky part on the back.
2. Attach the sticky part securely to the inside center of your underwear.
3. When you need to change your pad, just pull it off.
How often to change a pad. Changeitevery4to6hoursormoreoftenifyourflowis
heavy.Also,ifyou’rewearingasmallerpadoronewithless
absorbency,youmayneedtochangeitmorefrequently.
Yourpadmaybegintoleakifyouwearittoolong.
Types of Always® pads: Always® Infinity™.Asuper-absorbentthinpadmade
withasuper-softcoveranduniquematerialthatfeels
incrediblylight.LookfortheAlwayspadsinabox.
Ultra Thin.Athinpadthatprovidesgreatprotection
andcomfortwithoutthebulkofamaxipad.Lookfor
thegreenAlwaysbag.
Maxi.Athickerpadwithaclosebodyfitandgentle,panty
huggingshapeforcomfort.LookfortheblueAlwaysbag.
Feminine Protection25
Always® Flexi-Wings® flex when you move.
They wrap securely around your undies to protect you from side leaks and to keep your pad
where it belongs.
®
Feminine Protection26
Be ready at school. Untilyourcyclebecomesregular,yourperiodmaytake
youbysurprise–especiallyyourfirstone.Soithelpsto
beprepared,particularlyatschool.
Apantilinerisagreatwaytohelpyoufeelfreshand
preparedeveryday.
Preparealockerorbackpack“emergencykit.”Keep
apantiliner,apadandapairofcleanunderwearina
discreetbag.
Keepapantilinerorapadinyourpurse.
Youcanusetoiletpaperortissueuntilyoucangeta
pantilinerorapad.Yourperiodwon’tstartallatonce,
soyouhavealittletime.
Askafriend,aschoolnurseorateacherforhelp.
Mostschoolskeepextrapantiliners
orpadsfor
timeslikethese.
Pantiliners canbepartofyourdailyhygiene
routine,likebrushingyourteeth,tohelpkeepyou
feelingcleanandconfident.
Apantilineriswornontheinsideofyourunderwearlike
apad,butmostaresmallerandthinnerthanpadsand
canfeelinvisible.
Pantilinersaregreatfor:
Vaginaldischarge.
Absorbingperspirationfrom
sportsordailyactivity.
Lightperioddays.
Asabackuptoatampon.
Pantiliner types Girlsandwomenarealldifferentshapesandhave
differentlevelsofnaturalmoisture.Sopantiliners,
suchasAlways®,areavailableindifferentlengthsand
absorbencies.(Seepage30formoreinformation.)
How often to change a pantiliner. Youcanwearonedailyandchangeitasoftenasyou
needtofeelclean.Todisposeofit,treatitlikeapad.
To feel fresh all day try a pantiliner.
Feminine Protection27®
Tampons provideprotectionthatisworninside
yourbody,inyourvagina,duringyourperiod.
Atamponismadeofsoftabsorbentmaterial
compressedintoasmalloblongshapewithastring
securelysewnthroughitforremoval.Itisheldintoplace
bythemuscularwallsofyourvaginaandgentlyexpands
toabsorbyourflow.Manygirlsfirststartusing
tamponswhentheygoswimming.Somegirls
findthemmorecomfortabletowearwhenthey
areactiveinsportsduringtheirperiod.But,the
choiceisuptoyou.
How do you choose a tampon? Tamponscomeindifferentabsorbencies.
Chooseonewiththeminimumabsorbency
neededtocontrolyourflow.Manygirlsfind
thatatamponwitharoundedtip,likeTampax
Pearl®Plastic,iscomfortablefor
first-timeusers.
How often do you change a tampon?
Itdependsonhowheavyyourflowis,butatamponshould
bechangedregularly,aboutevery4to8hours.Although
atamponcanbewornforupto8hours,neverleavea
tamponinforlongerthanthat,andonlyuseitduringyour
period.Ifyouaregoingtouseatamponatnightandsleep
longerthan8hours,youshoulduseapadinstead.
How do you put in a tampon? It’seasywithjustalittlepractice.Checkoutthe
instructionsintheboxorvisitbeinggirl.com forahelpful
demo.Foryourfirsttime,tryTampaxPearl®Plasticwitha
roundedtip;itmaybemorecomfortableforyoutoinsert.
Should you use tampons if you’re involved in sports or dance activities? Tamponsareagreatchoiceforathleticactivitiesbecause
theyallowyoutomovefullyandcomfortably.Ofcourse,
tamponsaretheonlysuitableformofperiodprotection
forswimming,sincetheyareworninsideyourbody.
What is Toxic Shock Syndrome (TSS)? TSSisaveryrarebutseriousdiseaseassociatedwithusing
tampons.Besuretoreadandkeeptheleafletthatcomes
ineveryboxoftamponsandtalktoanadultifyouhave
questions.Themostimportantthingtoknowisthatifyou
getafeverandfeelsickwhileyouareusingatampon,take
itoutrightaway.TellanadultyouareworriedaboutTSS
andcontactyourdoctor.Tellthedoctoryou’vebeenusinga
tamponsoyoucangetthebesttreatmentquickly.
Position inside body
28Feminine Protection
Endometrium
Uterus Vagina
Ovary
Fallopian Tube
Eggs
Feminine Protection29®
Which®
productwasmadeforyou?Always®hasdifferentproductstofityourbodytype,
menstrualflowandpreferences.Ifyouneedhelpchoosing
what’srightforyou,usethefollowingproductguideor
gotobeinggirl.com/products/alwaystolearnmoreabout
ourproducts.
For when you ’re ready...Tampax Pearl® Plastic• Smoothplasticapplicatorforcomfortandeasyinsertion.• LeakGuard™Core* andBraidhelpstop
leaksbeforetheyhappen.
*LeakGuard™Corepullsmoisturedeepintothemiddleofthetampon.
Slender Regular Long/Heavy Overnight
Infinity™
super thin, absorbent, & comfortable
Ultra Thinthin & absorbent
Maxithick & absorbent
shorter pad & daytime protection
longer pad & overnight protection
Always®padscomeindifferentlengthsandabsorbencies.Usethisproductselectortofindwhat’srightforyou.
pads A range of panty protection for your period needs.
Some also available in Fresh/Scented
30Feminine Protection
Perfect for feeling clean on your light days and in between.
• Invisiblefeelprotection
• Perfectforwhenyouwanttobecomfortable
anddiscreet
•Stay-in-placeadhesivehelpskeeplinerssecure
•Sothinandflexible,it’syourlittleeverydaysecret
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pantiliners Light flow, everyday freshness or tampon backup
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Glossary32
AcneAninflammatorydiseaseofthesebaceousglandsthatcausespimplestobreakout,especiallyontheface.
AntiperspirantAsubstanceusedtoreduceperspirationunderthearmsinordertopreventbodyodor.
Apocrine glandsSweatglands(mostlyunderthearmsandinthegenitalarea)thatproduceperspirationthatcanmixwithbacteriatocausebodyodor.Apocrineglandsbecomeactiveduringpuberty.
DeodorantAsubstanceusedunderthearmstocounteractormaskodorscausedbyperspiration.
Eccrine glandsSweatglands(alloverthebody)thatproduceclear,odorlessperspiration.Eccrineglandsareactiveatallages.
EndometriumThesoft,spongyliningofbloodandtissuethatthickensinsidetheuterus.Itnourishesthedevelopingbabyduringearlypregnancy,orelseitisshedduringmenstruation.
Glossary.EstrogenThefemalehormoneproducedintheovariesthatisresponsibleformanyofthechangesthattakeplaceinfemalesduringpuberty.
Fallopian tubesTwotubesthroughwhicheggstravelfrom
theovariestotheuterus.
Feminine protectionTheproductsgirlsandwomenusetoabsorbtheirperiodflowandtostayfresh,comfortableandconfident.
FertilizeWhenamalespermjoinsafemaleeggtoformanembryo(thebeginningofababy).
HormonesThespecialchemicalsthatregulatethegrowthandactivityofbodytissuesandorgans.
MenopauseThestageatwhichwomenstophavingtheirperiods(usuallyaroundage50).
Menstrual cycleThetimemeasuredfromthebeginningofoneperiodtothebeginningofthenext.
MenstruationThemonthlyprocessofsheddingtheliningoftheuterusthatpassesoutofthebodythroughthevagina.
OvaTheeggsfoundinsidetheovaries.Theyarethefemalereproductivecells.
OvariesTwoglands,oneoneithersideoftheuterus,thatcontainawoman’seggsandproducethehormonesestrogenandprogesterone.
OvulationTheperiodicreleaseofamatureeggfromoneoftheovaries.
Pituitary glandAsmallglandbeneaththefrontofthebrainthatisresponsiblefortriggeringtheproductionofhormonesthatstartpuberty.
Premenstrual syndrome (PMS) Acombinationofemotionalandphysicalsymptomssuchastension,worrying,breasttendernessandbloating.Thesemayoccurandlast1to14daysbeforeaperiodstarts.
ProgesteroneAfemalehormonethatcausesasoft,spongyliningofbloodandtissue(endometrium)tothickeninsidetheuterus.Italsopreparesthebodyforpregnancy.
Puberty Thestageoflifewhenhumanmalesandfemalesdevelopphysicalandemotionalchangesandbecomecapableofreproduction.
Pubic area TheV-shapedareabetweenyourlegswhereyourlegsmeetyourbody.
Sebum Anoilysubstance(fromthesebaceousglands)thathelpskeepskinmoist.Duringpuberty,toomuchsebumcancontributetoacne.
SpermThemalereproductivecell.
TestosteroneAmalehormonethatisresponsibleforthechangesthattakeplaceinmalesduringpuberty.
UterusThefemaleorganlinedwithsoft,nourishingtissuethatcarriesababyuntilitisborn.
VaginaAflexiblepassagewayleadingfromtheuterustotheoutsideofthebodythroughwhichmenstrualfluidflows.
Vaginal dischargeAclearorwhitishfluidthatcomesfromyourvagina.It’sthewaythevaginacleansesitselfandhelpspreventinfection.
Glossary33®
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