from the rootWarm or hot wax is applied over the unwanted hair and covered with a strip of cloth or paper; once the wax cools, the paper/cloth is quickly pulled off and pulls out all the hairs with itCan do yourself (buy a 'kit') or have it done at a spa or salon by a professional (more expensive)
May cause minor skin burns, irritation or ingrown hairs
Hurts as the hair is ripped off, but the pain is over with quickly
Temporary, but lasts longer than shaving or depilatoriesPrescription creamCream is applied to areas of unwanted hair twice a day every dayRequires a prescription from a medical professional and is only approved for use on the face
Takes about 6 weeks to notice results
Stops hair growth at the root as long as you use it every day; doesn't work unless you use it every day
Expensive to use all the timeElectrolysisA very small needle is inserted into each hair follicle, sending a mild electrical current that destroys the follicle; the hair is then pulled out with tweezers and hopefully won't grow backRequires multiple treatments to remove all unwanted hair in an area
Can be painful, but prescription numbing creams can help
ExpensiveLaser hair removalA special type of laser or light is flashed from a device that is held over the area of unwanted hair, causing damage to the hair follicle so hair won't grow back out of itRequires multiple treatments depending on the amount and location of hair
Uncomfortable, but numbing creams can help
Works best on darker hair
Having a tan or sun exposure in the area will make it less effective and more difficult to get good results
Can cause skin burns and scarring
Safest and most effective when done by an experienced professional
Can be very expensiveBleachingBleaches dark hair blonde but doesn't remove hairWorks well for fine hair
Is not a hair removal method, but just 'camouflages' the hair that is bothersome
Inexpensive and easy
The Inside Parts
Your inside parts are obviously hard to see. Kind of like seeing your heart or lungs. We know they are in there, but don’t expect to see them except in books or pictures. You’ll just have to trust us on this one. Let’s start on the outside and work our way to the innermost parts.
Vagina—the connection between your outside and inside parts. It is the passageway for menstrual blood, for sperm and for a baby at birth. It is a really cool body part for a couple of reasons (you think we’re weird, don’t you?). One, the vagina is very stretchy. If you put your finger in your vagina, you will notice that it is moist and wrinkly. It obviously needs to be stretchy for a baby to pass through it. The wrinkles or folds allow it to stretch more.It’s also really cool because it cleans itself (don’t you wish your room could do that?). Clean may not be the first word that comes to mind about your vagina, but this is no joke. The vagina is cleansed constantly, and vaginal discharge is created as it cleans. This discharge will start to leak from the vagina around puberty. It is usually a white to yellowish liquid that will feel moist, sometimes wet. When it dries in your underwear, it will look more yellow and may feel kind of stiff or sticky. Don’t panic—it’s normal. As long as it doesn’t stink, itch or change colors, it is normal.
Sometimes even normal discharge will make you feel itchy, especially if you don’t have much pubic hair (whether it hasn’t grown in yet or you’ve shaved it off ). The pubic hair helps pull the discharge away from the skin, but if the discharge can’t be pulled away from the skin, the moisture and pH (that chemistry thing) will cause the vulvar skin to get irritated and itchy. You can prevent this by using panty liners to help absorb the discharge or by using an ointment that contains zinc oxide (like a diaper rash cream—good for girls out of diapers, too!) around the vaginal opening. Okay. Enough vagina chat.
Cervix—at the inner end of the vagina is the cervix. It’s like a very narrow two-way street, meaning it allows stuff to go in (sperm and some bacteria) or out (menstrual blood or baby). The opening is usually so small it can be considered “closed.” That’s why a tampon can’t get lost in your body—the cervix acts as a dead end for the vagina. The cervix is also an amazing part of your body because it keeps a baby inside but then opens wide enough to let the baby pass through during birth. Wow.Uterus—the womb or where a baby grows. It’s a strong hollow muscle with a thick and lush lining that will allow a baby to grow! It is usually about the size of your fist, but can stretch and grow to hold a baby . . . some babies weigh up to 10 pounds or more (talk about Girl Power!). The uterus has three openings: the cervix that heads into the vagina (you already know about that one) and the other two, the right and left fallopian tubes that connect the uterus to the ovaries. These serve as the passageway for the egg (coming toward the uterus) and sperm (going into the fallopian tube to find the egg!). The fallopian tube openings are about the diameter of a hair, very tiny.Endometrium—the lining of the uterus that is shed each month—as a period—if pregnancy does not occur. If pregnancy occurs, it’s where the embryo (a fertilized egg) implants and starts to grow into a baby. It is a thick, lush lining that has a lot of nutrients, fluids and blood that are necessary to grow a baby.Fallopian tubes—the tubes from the ovaries to the uterus that carry the egg once it is released (that’s called
The Journey of the Egg
Now we’ve just listed everything in order from outside to inside, but if you think about how a pregnancy or periods happen, you have to think from inside to out.
Okay, shift to reverse gear. The pathway that an egg follows to find its way out begins at the ovaries; then once ovulation occurs (when the egg is released), it cruises and shimmies down a fallopian tube and lands nice and easy (plunk!) in the endometrium of the uterus. If it is not fertilized by a sperm, it will come out as a period (don’t look for the actual egg, you’ll never see it). If it is fertilized, a baby develops and is born about nine months later. Can you trace the path and name the parts as you go?
What about Breasts?!
We can’t forget our breasts! They deserve at least a little attention here. (Boys and the media certainly give them attention, so we will, too!)
You should know by now that they come in all shapes and sizes, and no two are exactly alike, including your two. Lopsided? Join the club. Most girls and women are, but it’s not really that noticeable unless you are looking closely. If yours are more lopsided than you think they should be, check with your doctor.
Breasts have parts, too. The breast mound is the main part of your breast and is full of fatty tissue and glands that will produce milk. The nipple is the little bump in the center that can be indented, flat or poking out. Around the nipple is a circle of darker skin called the areola (uh REE oh luh). The areola or skin around it can be hairy, and the areola itself may have small white or light-colored bumps on it that are smaller than your nipple. Those extra bumps are gland openings—normal and nothing to worry about.
