Common Teen Girl Issues (Hairy Legs, Big Boobs, Confidence)
This article will be covering some of the most common teen girl issues including airy legs, big boobs and confidence.
All the girls at school have been teasing me for having hairy legs. I know that women usually shave their legs but I have no idea where to begin. Do I need shaving foam? What kind of razor do I use? What direction do I shave – up or down? I know I should ask my mum but it’s too embarrassing! If you could tell me the basics it would really help.
Keri, 14
Answer:
Don’t feel pressured into shaving your legs just because others have made you feel humiliated about something that is completely normal. Not every woman shaves nor is there any law saying the must do. Some women feel that body hair is normal and choose to keep it, while others choose to shave it off. The choice is yours. But why don’t you go ahead and talk to your mum (or older sister or aunt) first about what’s been happening and discuss with them whether shaving is the best option for you or not (there are a multitude of ways to remove body hair should you choose to get rid of it). The good thing about asking for someone’s help is that they’ll be able to advise you on what to do and show you the right way to remove the hair on your legs (should you wish to!). Good luck.
My breasts are too big – what can I do?
I am the only girl in my class to have big breasts. They started growing when I was about 9 and have been getting bigger ever since. Some days I feel like everyone’s forgotten there’s more to me than just my boobs. Girls always tell me that they’re jealous and I’m always catching boys looking at them. I wish there was a way to make them smaller so that I don’t stand out so much!
Answer:
It may seem like you’ve been singled out by nature but this is not the case. Puberty affects girls at different rates and you happen to be an early developer. Pretty soon the rest of the class will more or less catch up with you and what seems ‘big’ today will probably seem standard and you won’t feel so self-conscious. The boys will probably go on being boys (boys tend to mature later than girls, hence the embarrassment) and your friends will feel less envious. In the meantime, make sure you get professionally fitted for the right sized bra. You can get a proper bra fitting in many department stores and it’s not an embarrassing process at all. The correct size of bra can do a number of things for your body confidence, including help to shape and minimise your breast size so that you feel much happier with the way you look.
How can I become more confident in social situations
I get really nervous in social situations. The problem is worse when I’m around large groups of strangers. I get butterflies in my stomach, my mouth goes dry and I always need to go to the bathroom! It’s only a problem I’ve had for the last year, but it doesn’t show any sign of going away. I wish there was some way that I could boost my confidence so that I didn’t feel so self-conscious all the time. Can you help?
Answer
What’s happening to you is a very common problem and affects everyone at one time or another. But by worrying about your symptoms (like noticing your heart is beating faster or that your mouth is a bit dry) you can make them worse, so try to relax. When you notice your stress, try relaxing your shoulders and take a few deep breaths to calm yourself. In a social setting, this means telling yourself that you are excited to meet new people and reminding yourself to be strong. Remember, most other people are just as nervous as you are – they simply hide it better! Take the focus off yourself by asking questions of some of the new people you are meeting. People like to asked about themselves and this is so much better for you than concentrating on your own reactions. If your anxiety gets worse and is stopping you from getting on with your life, it’s worth visiting your GP to see if counselling or therapy can help you.
I’m being teased on Facebook!
When I turned 13 and was allowed a Facebook account I really hoped it would help me make some new friends, but it’s had the opposite effect! One of the girls at school started to leave nasty status updates about me, which she tagged me in. At first the other girls would just ‘like’ the updates but now they are all joining in saying nasty things about me that are not true! Please help me, I don’t know what to do.
Answer
What you’re describing is cyberbullying. And just as we cannot tolerate bullies in the real world, social media is no different. In many ways it can feel worse than real-life bullying as it’s there 24/7 – and it can invade your life at home as well as at school. There are two ways to tackle this: either think about deleting your Facebook account or take action. To take action, start by letting your parents and your school know what is happening to you. Then block all the people involved in the bullying (you can do this in your Facebook settings). This way they won’t be able to ‘tag’ you into their updates or see your page and you won’t be able to see them. If it continues via others, put out a status that says you will be taking action on anyone who bullies you online. Facebook does not tolerate bullying and will remove bullying content and even disable the account of anyone who attacks another. The best way to report it is via Facebook’s report links.
I always seem to have something to stress about. Please help!
Since I turned 13 last year I always seem to have something to worry about. I used to be the most carefree person in the world, but this year it feels like everything has changed for the worse. I stress about schoolwork, my parents, my health, my friends’ problems, boys, and a million other things! My mum suggested I write down the things that I’m worried about to help me to work through them, and I’ve taken to making lists so that I don’t forget to do things. The problem is, now I make dozens of lists. I know this behaviour isn’t normal and I’m starting to scare myself. I don’t understand how life has become so much more stressful over the last year when before my life seemed so happy and straightforward?
Answer
Stress is the body’s response to physical, mental, or emotional changes or situations. This means it can result from external factors (e.g. events, environment) or from internal factors (e.g. expectations, attitudes, feelings). Stress also occurs in response to situations that are perceived as being difficult to handle or threatening. Some of us are also more prone to stress due to our personality and even the way our own family handle stress. At 13 there’s an awful lot of pressure placed on you from school, peers and family and in your case I think you have started to look at these things in an exaggerated way. You can’t control every aspect of the world around you – especially other people and the decisions they make. At some point you have to simply let go and accept that certain things will carry on as they are, whether you worry about them or not! Your mum sounds supportive so why not sit down and tell her exactly how you feel. If your feelings of stress become overwhelming then it may be good to speak to a counsellor who will help you process the demands of the world around you.