A guide to the female body 4GIRLS Sexual development can start around the age of nine to 13 with Girls develop at different rates. Some girls may have their first period pubic and underarm hair and breasts starting to grow. when they're eight years old, others may be 18. All these changes – known as puberty – take place over several years. I never My boyfriend Is it I think I've got a My period's Can my doctor know when my says I'm frigid wrong I fancy vaginal discharge. period's due because I don't to touch late. What tell my parents should I girls Have I caught want to have myself? something? I'm having sex do? sex? Why do My I feel so I don't want moody? Can you get a Why is one My thighs periods sexually transmitted of my breasts to have sex. are huge. Should I are really I've got infection if you've only smaller than Is something go on a diet? painful C-cup breasts Why had sex once? the other? wrong with am I so me? but tiny hairy? nipples 2 3 Facts about breasts FACTS ABOUT GEnITALS are as GEnitals Like BREASTS get a lot of individual as people's faces – this! attention in our society and many they all look very different. girls worry that theirs don’t measure Take a look at your vulva up to the images around them. (external genital organs) with a mirror … Breasts and nipples tingle or itch while they're developing, but this will stop once they've grown. Everyone's different!! Growth can be uneven so one breast may be bigger this! than the other. This will even out but many women OR have slightly different-sized breasts all their lives. Breasts come in different shapes and sizes and can be soft or firm – The outer lips (labia majora) cover the clitoris and extend back VULVA to just in front of the anus. PETITE LARGE XTRALIFT clitoris The outer lips are thicker and often hairy on the outside and are outer mottled and darker on the inside. lips When a woman is sexually aroused – small – or large. Nipples may point up – inner they open up to reveal the entrance lips to the vagina. DARK PALE LOW ADDED The (labia minora) join urethra inner lips freckles! at the front in a small fleshy bump called the clitoris – its purpose is vagina to give sexual pleasure. – or droop downwards – be dark – or pale. The inner lips are thinner. They vary in colour from light pink to dark These differences are all normal. brown. One outer lip may be bigger than the other or the inner lips may anus hang below the outer lips. Usually the nipples point outwards, but some girls It's really worth have nipples that are inverted (point inwards). This going to a shop is normal and there is no need to worry. In some that offers a You may have heard about cervical A cervical screening test spots the women, the nipples remain like this throughout their free measuring screening tests. This is a test warning signs before cervical cancer life. It does not mean there is anything wrong with service so you offered to all women aged 20–25 develops. It can be uncomfortable, the breasts, and inverted nipples won't stop you get a bra that's and above, depending on where you but it doesn't hurt and it only takes live in the UK, every 3–5 years. a couple of minutes. breastfeeding if you have a baby. right for you. 4 5 What is a menstrual cycle? FACTS ABOUT PERIODS Period When you first have periods the time endometrium The mEnstrual fallopian (womb lining) fallopian blood is often between one period and the next may tube tube CyCLE is from the thick and reddish vary so it can be difficult to know first day of a period brown and may have when you will have your next one. until the day before the small lumps in it. It only uterus When your menstrual cycle becomes (womb) next period starts. smells when it comes into more regular you The average length of contact with the air. It is healthy to change can use a diary or ovary ovary the menstrual cycle your towel or tampon an app to work out varies although it can cervix every few hours. when you’re due. vagina be as short as 21 days or as long as 40 days – genitals both are normal. Will I still be a virgin if I use a My sister Mine says that tampon? Yes. You are a virgin until prefers to once she got used use to tampons she you have sex. The menstrual cycle is Hormones make the eggs grow towels didn't want to controlled by hormones. The and also thicken the lining of change back Does putting in a tampon for hormone estrogen causes your uterus. Usually one egg the first time hurt? No, not if you about 20 tiny eggs to grow becomes larger than the others relax. It can be difficult to put in a in one of your ovaries each and goes into the fallopian tube tampon if you're tense and not sure month. that connects the ovary to the how to put it in. When you have your uterus. period try putting a tampon in when When It's for you to decide whether you have lots of time and privacy. a woman reaches you prefer to use towels or Read the instructions that come with puberty she will have one tampons or a mooncup. This tampons to find out how to put them is a silicone cup that is worn to two million eggs in her in. If the tampon feels uncomfortable internally to collect menstrual it may not be in far enough. ovaries. fluid and can be emptied and re-used. One method isn't Sometimes girls and women can The release of the egg is called better than the others. have problems with tampons, OVULATIOn and it happens leading to a serious illness called Your vagina is naturally self- around 10–16 days before the If the egg is not fertilised, toxic shock syndrome (TSS). cleansing so you don't need start of the next period. it is re-absorbed into your If you have two or more of the to use perfumed Estrogen also causes the mucus body. following while using tampons: pads or special in the cervix to become thinner, being sick; a rash; sore throat; Hormone levels drop and sprays (and wetter and more stretchy, sudden fever; diarrhoea, stop the uterus lining breaks up these can cause allowing sperm to reach an egg using tampons and see your and is released through the irritation). more easily. vagina as a period. doctor right away. 6 7 living With Periods QUESTIOnS ABOUT PERIODS Changes in hormone levels can Breasts may become sore There are lots of silly stories about periods and what you can do affect your moods. You may feel: or a bit larger and you may when you have one. energetic get spots on your face just It's up to you what you do when you have a period, and before your period. Eating Silly and sexy stories you will have a lot of periods in your life. lots of fresh fruit and about around periods It can take some time to get used to having periods and the time vegetables, having a diet low in sugar and salt and feeling confident about dealing with them. But periods you are a normal, healthy, special part of being female. ovulate taking regular exercise I've heard that if you have sex during a period can help. then you won't get pregnant. Not true. It’s also not true that you won't get pregnant if it's the first time you've had sex/you or moody, tearful have sex standing up/don't have an orgasm/bath or angry the week afterwards. before your period is due. You are most likely to We'd like to stay for up to get pregnant around seven days – there ovulation, but you are about 300 Periods may sometimes be What you can do about pain may not know when million of us. painful. Some women are Hold a hot water this happens. particularly badly affected. bottle against Also, sperm can live in your "At first my periods were your body for up to seven stomach fine but now the day I get days so pregnancy is and take a painkiller. The contraceptive my period is just awful. I possible at virtually any combined pill or patch are very good for have really bad pains, feel time in your cycle. sick and sometimes have painful periods, but if you don't want diarrhoea. My GP said I to use these your doctor will be able to Boys produce around should go on the pill but prescribe something else. Exercise, such 300 million my mum's not keen and as walking or sport, can help too. sperm when So don't have says I'm neurotic." they ejaculate Andrea, 15 So if you sex unless get really and it takes you feel ready, The pain is due to It's fine! only one to This always bad pERIOd and you've got contractions of the uterus make you muscle. It's a very real happens! pAINS contraception pain, so Andrea isn't being don't suffer pregnant.