Slideshow: What happens in the girl body during puberty?

En person som står med armarna i kors och ser nöjd ut. Illustration.

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Puberty is the period where the body develops from the body of a child to the body of an adult. It varies from person to person when puberty begins. It is not something that you can influence or have control over.

Puberty is set in motion by hormones. Hormones are chemical messengers that are produced by the body. The body’s hormones influence how your body functions in a variety of different ways. For example, through controlling your sleep, your blood pressure and your moods.

Knowing that you are coming into puberty can lead to different emotions. Some people can not wait for puberty and think it is fun and exciting. Other people might think that it feels confusing or difficult.

En bild av en naken person som inte har kommit i puberteten ännu. Hen har inget könshår och brösten har inte börjat växa. En annan bild på samma person efter att hen har kommit i puberteten. Nu har hen rundare höfter, större bröst och könshår. Illustration.

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Puberty generally begins at some point between the ages of 8-13 years. Puberty as a process usually takes between five to six years.

Once puberty is over, you will have a more adult body and appearance. You will also have finished growing and will not get any taller.

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During puberty, you may get oilier skin. It is common to get blackheads and pimples.

Tre bilder på samma person, en där hen ser orolig ut, en där hen gråter, en där hen ser nöjd ut. Illustration.

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Your thoughts and feelings will change.

Your mood might change more quickly than it did before. You might also become irritated about things that never irritated you before.

You might sometimes feel sad, or begin thinking about things in more depth.

En person med röda kinder som ler lite och ser ut att tänka på något. Illustration.

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You might become more interested in sex. Perhaps you think about sex on a regular basis and become aroused when you do so.

Två armhålor. I den ena armhålan syns hårväxt och i den andra hårväxt, svettdroppar och en symbol för att det luktar svett i form av vågor i luften. Illustration.

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You will get more hair on your body, for example under your arms. During puberty, you may also notice that you begin to sweat more.

Två bilder av en persons nakna överkropp. På ena bilden har brösten inte börjat växa, men på den andra har de blivit rundare och större . Illustrationer.

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Your breasts will grow. This usually begins with a firmness behind the nipples. The nipples may become tender.

It is common for one breast to grow faster than the other.

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You become taller. The body will change shape, especially around the hips and abdomen.

When your body grows fast, you can get stretch marks across your skin, as your skin tries to keep up with your growth. These stretch marks can look like stretch lines or stripes. They usually fade over time.

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You will get pubic hair.

The clitoris and labia will grow and change both colour and shape.

You might begin to see spots and bumps in this region, for example on the labia.

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You will begin to get vaginal discharge. This is a fluid which comes from the vagina. Vaginal discharge is usually a white or an off yellow colour. Vaginal discharge keeps the vagina moist and free from bacteria.

The vaginal area may begin to smell differently during puberty. This is because of sweat and discharge.

En person som drar ner sina trosor. I trosorna syns flytningar. Illustration.

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You will begin to get your period. This is blood which comes from the vagina once a month.

It is common for periods to be irregular in the beginning. For example, you might get your period once and then wait several months until you get your next period.

Beginning to get your period is a sign that your ovaries have begun to produce eggs. This means that your body can also become pregnant. Becoming pregnant can happen if you for example, have sexual intercourse and sperm enters the vagina.

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Talk to someone if you have any questions, or if puberty in any way feels difficult to deal with. For instance, you can talk to the school nurse, the school counsellor, or someone at a Youth Guidance Centre (ungdomsmottagning).

Contact the school nurse, a Youth Guidance Centre or a health clinic (vårdcentral) if you do not notice the signs of puberty setting in by the age of 14. You can do this with someone you know or you might like to do this by yourself. If necessary, it is possible for puberty to be started or delayed with the help of medication.

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