Video
Girl 1: Girls get it on their legs, armpits and bits,
Boy 2: face, maybe bum
Hollie-Jay Bowes: i like a little bit of a hairy chest but i don’t mind it being smooth
John Pickard: it’s good to trim it and keep it in tow you know because it can get a bit out of hand can’t it, a bit like the amazon at times
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Dr Dawn: Puberty changes the body dramatically. And hair is no exception. By around 11 or 12 most girls will start to notice pubic hair growing in the groin area. After a year or two it’ll start to take the triangular shape of adulthood and under arm hair will start to come through.
As girls get older pubic hair may grow down the inner thighs and towards the belly button. By late teens growth will be complete. And hair may also develop around the nipples and on the upper lip.
Boys on the other hand will have grown very little pubic hair by 12 or 13 and it’s not until mid teens that hair sprouts under the arms, and appears on the chin and upper lip.
Most boys will be shaving by their late teens and the pubic hair will be coarser like that of an adult.
But guys keep developing body hair in their twenties and beyond.
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John Pickard: I was about 12 or 13 when i like got pubes and stuff so, yeah you know it’s one of those things you always wanted and they come along eventually but you do worry that you’re not gonna get them.
Boy 2: As i get older and i start to develop more hair like on my chest and my back more than likely i’ll get rid of it on my back because to be honest i don’t really want to be told to comb my back or anything.
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Dr Dawn: The amount of hair you have depends on hormones, genetics and your ethnic background.
Some people let their body hair grow; others get rid of it.
It’s a personal choice.
Oh and by the way, shaving doesn’t make your hair come back thicker!
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Girl 2: Personally i have a thing about if someone has armpit hair it really annoys me. So i am quite fussy about that but other hairs i think you can do what you want with them.
Boy 3: I’m not a big fan of body hair on girls or at least not on the face where I can see it.
John Pickard: You know women doesn’t really bother me you know it’s all the rage now to have a Brazillian a Hollywood all that kind of thing but you know if its natural its fine with me.
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Dr Dawn: It’s quite usual in your teens to have greasy hair because hormones increase the production of oils.
This can by combated byÖ
Washing your hair once a day and after exercise.
Eating a low fat diet.
Not playing with your hair.
Not wearing hats all the time.
Using shampoos that suit your hair type.
And avoiding too many styling products like gels and sprays
Loads of you have commented on this website on hair issues.
From greying in your teens, to balding and dandruff.
Which only goes to show that you’re not alone.
For example, nearly one third of men are noticeably balding by the age of 30.
The most likely reason is genetics.
Premature greying is a similar story. If your Mum got grey hair in her late teens – then you probably will too.
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Girl 3: I haven’t worried about grey hair yet but i’m thinking when i do get gray hair in years to come i’ll just dye it over.
Boy 1: I wouldn’t really mind if my hair turned grey but i would be quite worried if i started to go bald. Probably end up wearing a toupee.
John Pickard: Well my Dad’s gone bald so i’ve probably got it to come – you know they says it’s hereditary don’t they. So I’ll have to take it on the chin so i’ll be happy if i’m bald.
Am I Normal: Hair
Dr Dawn Harper discusses what is and isn’t normal when it comes to body hair. For both girls and boys, growing up can lead to the development of body hair in some surprising places. Dr Dawn looks at some of the common concerns and gets the opinions of the cast of Hollyoaks.
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With thanks to:
Hollyoaks
University of Birmingham Hockey Club
Llanelli Youth Theatre
Tetbury Hospital
Comments and Questions
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Hello, im ashleigh and im 13. I have recently started to develop a really itchy scalp. i have checked for dandruff but not for nits, although i constantly look through my hair and don't see any signs. It doesn't become greasy that quickly but on bad days i have to wash it twice because the amount im touching my hair from scratching. Im worried my foot fungal infection spread? or its just a phase. i do dye my hair so could it be an allergic reaction although i have never had one before...the back of my neck and towards the back of my scalp seems to be the main areas. thanksss!
Im a 16 year old Teenager Girl and i have had my boyfriend a year now and he and me wants to have sex and other sexual activities but im scared to show him my vagina because im affraid he will think im not noromal, e.g to much hair not enough hair to small or to weird just general sexual judgements and im terrified that he will hate me after seeing my body please help am i normal???!!!
I'm a 16 year old female. and i have really curly pubic hair although some of it is long and straight. ( I'm African- American) I am wondering if I should shave down there if I am not sexually active or don't intend to be for a while. It seems like all of my other peers shave or something. I just don't know. please help.
Darria, it really doesn't matter what everyone else is doing, it's about what you feel comfortable with :) I bet lots of your peers say they shave and actually don't ;) Shaving your public area can lead to uncomfortableness with ingrown hairs and itchiness as it grows back in and catches on your underwear. Most people recommend waxing although that is obviously sorer to do. However if you're uncomfortable about it being long then you can always just trim it, if you swim and worry about it showing around the bikini line then you can get specific hair removal creams. If you're happy with it the way that it is then just leave it and don't let anyone else influence you on what YOU are comfortable with :)
So im 14 and i have alot of hair on my body and i hate it iv had this hairy body for a while now i have it almost every place you can think of on sum places its just less thou its everywhere and im a girl -____- its unattractive and i dont want to tell my mom about it cuz i am not close to her at all but idnt noe what to do i feel like im ddifferent then everybody n not in a good way if anybody ever found out i feel lik they wud say so many hurtfull things im the society that we live in today ...its jus not good to b diferent i dnt noe wat to do i cry so much cuz i get reminded of this everyy day wen ever i change tak a shower anyything... its just not a good feeling to hate ypur self like this can anyone help
If it is affecting you and your self-confidence then perhaps bleaching is a less painful alternative to waxing? You can buy good kits from Boots, Superdrug etc. It's very natural to have hair there and if the rest of your hair is darker then so will lip hair, so don't let others influence your decision. If you do decide to bleach, wax, or have threading done then you will have to continue it regularly get the same results, so don't rush into it :)
Hi I'm 13 and have started to notice that the hair above my upper lip I getting quite dark, one of my friends pointed it out and I was horrified I'm scared incase anyone else says anything. My mum said to wax it but that will hurt, what should I do? Please help! :L
Hey guys...I'am 16 years and i have hair on my stomach,breasts,armpits and on my vagina and my butt and am a girl i noticed many girl in my year have worse than what i got but in other places i just wanna kw how 2 make all of this disapp.. And is it normal?
I have no hair on my vajayjay and I'm 13
i am a 16 year old girl and generally i am quite happy with how i look and things and i like to go out partying etc, but i always have to be really careful with what i wear because i started shaving my abdomen and 'bits' when i was about 13ish, and now 3 years later they seem to be growing back muchhhhhh more and much quicker and courser, and it is especially on my abdomen that i am mortified by, because i know that it is quite a petty thing and meant to be 'natural' but i swear barely anyone else has it, and if they do they seem to have found a way to combat it? and literally it is so embarrassing, it is stopping me from ever going swimming and even when i am on holiday i am terrified to be in a bikini if i haven't shaved that morning because the hair is really noticeable. i also always have to be really careful about what i wear and its just always on my mind. and i cant think of any other way to permanently get rid of it other than laser hair removal? because shaving just seems to make it worse and barely does the job for more than a few hours and waxing hurts too much and i swear it grows back anyway within about 10 days (for me anyway) and getting it done professionally is too expensive. however laser hair removal is just ridiculously expensive, i'm very close with my mum and i asked for it for my birthday but i didnt realise how expensive it was and its just too much. does anyone have any ideas of what i could do or how laser hair removal could be helpful? i need help! And please dont say 'its natural don't worry about it' because i cant go out in a bikini with a hairy abdomen for the rest of my life, i need heeeeelllpppppp xxxx
im a 14 year old male. & i have got hair EVERYWHERE. its on my face(i shave when im home alone) its in my armpits, chest/stomach, all around my Penis & its growing up my penis. & my legs are covered with hair thats what affects me the most cause i cant wear shorts.. what should i do?? trim?? help please
Hey it's perfectly normal and natural to be hairy. I'm not sure why you wait till you're home alone to shave, as there is nothing to be ashamed of. I started to shave my face when I was 13. Put some shorts on and be proud of yourself as you are growing into a man. Oh and being hairy just means you have lots of the male hormone testosterone..it's all good!
i have the exact sme problem brv if you get any help for it plz let me me cah yu kno mre den anyone how shamefull this cud b.. thank you
im getting bait worried because the hair on my vagina is quite alot, I have nOticed swell it has started growing underneath and not just a the front! I dOnt know where'd it's normal or not and I really need helP.