Sexuality & Growing up

Hormones! These are chemical messengers, which are produced in the body. These hormones guide all the changes happening in our body (physical as well as emotional), which makes a boy look like a man, and a girl look like a woman.

It is important to accept and respect our bodies completely because the changes that occur are natural, not within our control and ultimately important for our good health. Therefore, one cannot determine one’s looks, one’s height and other changes that occur. Yes, we can work towards enhancing our looks but without enhancing our mind and personality, good looks alone are insufficient. Moreover, every single part of the body is crucial for its smooth functioning. Therefore, we need to be thankful that our body is functioning well and respect it.

Pimples are caused by hormones; in this case, androgens. Pimples are side effects of androgens. The skin on face is full of sebaceous glands that secrete oil, and what androgens do is greatly increase the production of sebum or natural oil, from the sebaceous glands. This is why our skin suddenly becomes oilier at this time. At the same time they cause the overgrowth of the cells lining the duct between the sebaceous glands and the skin surface. So the duct from the sebaceous glands gets blocked and pimples form.

During adolescence the body undergoes several hormonal changes and these may result in mood swings, changes in feeling towards opposite sex/same sex, and at times sexual fantasies/thoughts which make adolescents feel good. These are all perfectly natural body reactions and very normal processes.

No, there is no medicine, cream, or hormonal injection that can increase the breast size. Breasts are made up of fatty tissues and milk glands. The amount of fatty tissues present determines the size of the breast, whereas the milk glands secrete milk. Hence, the milk production is independent of the size of the breasts.

Masturbation is sexual self-gratification by some form of direct physical stimulation. Masturbation is often done by rubbing, fondling, squeezing, stroking or otherwise stimulating the genitals by the person himself/herself. It can also be achieved by self stimulation of other body parts such as breasts, anus or the inner thighs. It can be enjoyed by a man as well as a female and it is an entirely normal and pleasurable process.

Masturbation is not harmful. It is an outlet for release of sexual tension. It is a misconception that it can lead to weakness or any other bodily harm. It is perfectly normal, causes no harm or side effects and does not affect ones ability to reproduce.

The size of penis whether flaccid (not erect) or erect, is no indication of a man’s masculinity or sexual ability. Male potency is a psychological and physiological process stimulated by erotic thoughts, touch, fantasy, etc. Feedback from young girls suggests that they define masculinity differently as a gender sensitive, caring, individual male.

During early adolescence, boys experience ejaculation in sleep, stimulated by a sexual dream, physical stimulation like rubbing against blankets, the bed, or a full bladder. It is very common and is a part of normal sexual development. They are known by different names like wet dreams and night falls.

Loss of semen through a wet dream, masturbation or sexual intercourse is a natural, harmless process. It does not make a person weak. However, after ejaculation one may experience fatigue, similar to tiredness experienced after any form of exercise. This is, however, temporary. Moreover, it does not lead to loss of memory, eyesight, hair, growth of pimples, and does not affect the shape and functioning of the body in any way. Hence, wet dreams do not imply that semen and sperm are being wasted; they are just nature’s way of ensuring that the body has adequate space for new sperms and semen being produced.

It is the secretion from the female reproductive tract especially from vagina or cervix. A healthy vagina produces secretion to cleanse and regulate itself. These are very normal and natural.

Menstruation is related to the cycle of life. The uterus prepares itself for growth of foetus, if and when conception takes place. When this does not occur, the soft, temporary lining of the uterus sheds which results in menstruation.

There is no reason that why a woman should not take part in any specific activity during her periods. It is however important to maintain good hygiene and ensure a healthy diet at all times and particularly during menstruation.

A woman usually becomes pregnant after having sexual intercourse. The semen contains millions of tiny sperm cells, which swim up to the woman”s vagina, into her uterus and into then fallopian tubes where they may join with the tiny egg that she releases every month. If this ”joining” (also known as fertilization) occurs, then she will become pregnant.

Yes. Every unprotected act of sexual intercourse (without using a condom) is risky and may cause pregnancy. No day is 100% safe and therefore indulging in sexual activity even once can lead to pregnancy.

No. This is a widely held belief that leads to much injustice and unhappiness among women. The sex of the baby depends upon the sex chromosomes of the male (that is, the ‘XY chromosomes’ of the male determines the sex of the child and not the ‘XX chromosomes’ of the woman).

Alcohol and other drugs may increase desire and reduce inhibitions but they decrease the flow to the genital area and make it more difficult for males to have an erection and more difficult for males and females to experience an orgasm. More importantly, they can make people feel like it is okay to do things they would not do ordinarily sexually, such as have intercourse without protecting themselves against STIs and HIV infection.

There are hundred of ways to show that you care about or love someone without physical intimacy. In addition sexual activity includes a range of physical activity such as holding hands, hugging, kissing, touching, etc. Sexual intercourse is only one type of physical activity and only one of the ways to express love.

It is possible for a woman to get pregnant at anytime during her menstrual cycle. Ovulation can occur anytime during the menstrual cycle, stress, illness can bring on ovulation at various times within the cycle. Thus a woman can get pregnant anytime during the menstrual cycle.

Relationships that are based on trust, respect, honesty and good communication make a person stronger. At the same time relationships should be given time before decisions related to the future are made. Adolescents get involved into relationships at a very young age and are not mature enough to handle its various dimensions. There is no harm in having relationships with the opposite sex provided you know your limits.