Gender and Society 1
Sexual Health and Hygiene/Harmful
Practices
Puberty causes all kinds of changes in the
adolescent’s body. These bodily changes are
a normal part of developing into an adult.
Oily Hair
● Sometimes, oily hair is caused by
excess oil that has not been removed
properly. Some people with greasy
hair may need to wash it every day.
Shampoo helps to get rid of excess
oil. It will also remove excess hair
products and any other debris that
has built up on the scalp and causes
the hair to look and feel greasy.
Sweat and Body Odor
● Body odor is what you smell when
your sweat comes in contact with the
bacteria on your skin. Sweat itself
doesn't smell, but when the bacteria
on your skin mix with your sweat, it
causes an odor. Body odor can smell
sweet, sour, tangy or like onions. The
amount you sweat doesn't
necessarily impact your body odor.
What causes body odor?
● Body odor happens when bacteria
on your skin come in contact with
sweat. Our skin is naturally covered
with bacteria. When we sweat, the
water, salt and fat mix with this
bacteria and can cause odor. The
odor can be bad, good or have no
smell at all. Factors like the foods
you eat, hormones or medications
can affect body odor. A condition
called hyperhidrosis makes a person
sweat excessively. People with this
condition may be more susceptible to
body odor because they sweat so
much, but it’s often the eccrine sweat
glands that cause the most
discomfort with sweaty palms and
feet. Every time you sweat, there’s a
chance you’ll produce an unpleasant
body odor. Some people are more
susceptible to foul body odor than
other people.
● Other factors that can affect body
odor are:
○ Exercise.
○ Stress or anxiety.
○ Hot weather.
○ Being overweight.
○ Genetics.
Body Hair
● Hair grows by forming new cells at
the base of the root. These cells
multiply to form a rod of tissue in the
skin. The rods of cells move upward
through the skin as new cells form
beneath them. As they move up,
they're cut off from their supply of
nourishment and start to form a hard
protein called keratin. This process is
called keratinization. Hair grows all
over the human body except the
palms of the hands, soles of the feet,
and lips. Hair grows faster in
 summer than winter, and slower at
night than during the day.
Dental Hygiene
● Oral health affects our ability to eat,
speak, smile, and show emotions.
Oral health also affects a person’s
self-esteem, school performance, and
attendance at work or school.
● Good oral/dental health translates to
good health overall. Dental problems
such as cavities or gum disease can
impair your ability to eat and speak
properly, cause pain and bad breath.
● You should see your dentist if you
experience pain, bleeding gums,
swelling, both inside and outside the
mouth, tenderness, blisters and ulcers
that don’t heal, or noticeable changes
in color or texture of the soft tissues.
These could all be indications of a
serious, or potentially serious
condition, such as mouth cancer or
chronic gum disease.
Keeping the external Female Genitalia
Clean
● Wash the area with warm water
daily, even if you skip a shower.
● Avoid using scented soaps and gels.
The scents can irritate the area and
will only serve as a mask to cover up
an actual issue that might be causing
odor.
● Even if you’re experiencing vaginal
odor and other problems, douching
will only cover up the problem and
possibly make it worse – not fix it.
● After using the toilet, wipe front to
back. Even better, rinse with warm
water to remove unwanted bacteria
and pat dry.
● Don’t shave the entire pubic area,
which can cause irritation. Cuts and
nicks can also introduce unwanted
bacteria. The hair exists to protect
the region, so trim back if necessary
with scissors, not a razor. Do not use
hair removal cream, which burns off
hair and can be especially harsh on
the skin.
Keeping the external Male Genitalia
Clean
● Wash the area with warm water daily
with soap.
● Boys not circumcised need to pull
back the foreskin and gently wash
underneath.
● Be aware of abnormal fluids.
● If you see any abnormal fluids or
wounds see your health
professionals.
Harmful Practices
● Marijuana
○ Marijuana is a shredded,
green-brown mix of dried
flowers, stems, and leaves
from the plant Cannabis
sativa. A stronger form of
marijuana, called hashish
(hash), looks like brown or
black cakes or balls. The
amount of THC (the active
ingredient) in marijuana and
marijuana products has
increased greatly over the
years.
○ Marijuana is usually rolled the lungs into
and smoked like a cigarette the
(joints or doobies), or put in bloodstream.
hollowed-out cigars (blunts), The blood
pipes (bowls), or water pipes carries the
(bongs). Recently, it has chemical to
become increasingly popular the brain and
for people to inhale other organs
marijuana or stronger throughout the
marijuana extracts using a body. The
vaporizer (called "vaping" or body absorbs
"dabbing"). Some people mix THC more
it into food or brew it as a slowly when
tea. the person eats
○ There is also "synthetic or drinks it. In
marijuana" — man made that case, they
drugs that are chemically generally feel
similar to THC — that can be the effects
dangerously strong. Names after 30
for these drugs include "K2," minutes to 1
"Spice," and "Herbal hour.
Incense." They can be so ● THC acts on
potent that overdose deaths specific brain
have happened. cell receptors
○ Marijuana refers to the dried that ordinarily
leaves, flowers, stems, and react to natural
seeds from the Cannabis THC-like
sativa or Cannabis indica chemicals.
plant. The plant contains the These natural
mind-altering chemical THC chemicals play
and other similar compounds. a role in
Extracts can also be made normal brain
from the cannabis plant. development
○ Effects: and function.
■ Short-Term Effects ● Marijuana over activates parts of
● When a person the brain that contain the highest
smokes number of these receptors. This
marijuana, causes the "high" that people feel.
THC quickly Other effects include:
passes from
○ altered senses (for example, Pregnant
seeing brighter colors) women who
○ altered sense of time use marijuana
○ changes in mood might be more
○ impaired body movement likely to have
○ difficulty with thinking and babies with
problem-solving developmental
○ impaired memory and behavioral
○ hallucinations (when taken in problems.
high doses) ● Respiratory
○ delusions (when taken in high problems.
doses) People who
○ psychosis (risk is highest smoke
with regular use of high marijuana a lot
potency marijuana) can develop
■ Long-Term Effects problems with
● Changes in the the respiratory
brain. system — like
Marijuana can more mucus, a
affect the parts chronic cough,
of the brain and bronchitis.
that play a role ● Immune
in our ability system
to remember, problems.
multitask, and Using
pay attention. marijuana a lot
● Fertility might make it
issues. Animal harder for the
studies body to fight
suggest that off infections.
using a lot of ● Emotional
marijuana problems.
might be People who
linked to use a lot of
decreased marijuana are
sperm count in more likely to
men and say they notice
delayed signs of
ovulation in depression or
women. anxiety. If
 someone has a ■ feelings of relaxation
condition like or drowsiness
schizophrenia ■ a sense of euphoria or
or bipolar giddiness
disorder, ■ changes in mood
marijuana can ■ lowered inhibitions
sometimes ■ impulsive behavior
make ■ slowed or slurred
symptoms speech
worse. ■ nausea and vomiting
■ diarrhea
Alcohol ■ head pain
● Alcohol is created when grains, ■ changes in hearing,
fruits, or vegetables are fermented. vision, and perception
Fermentation is a process that uses ■ loss of coordination
yeast or bacteria to change the sugars ● Long-term effects of alcohol
in the food into alcohol. ○ Alcohol use can also lead to
Fermentation is used to produce more lasting concerns that
many necessary items — everything extend beyond your own
from cheese to medications. Alcohol mood and health.
has different forms and can be used ○ Some long-term effects of
as a cleaner, an antiseptic, or a frequently drinking alcohol
sedative. can include:
● So if alcohol is a natural product, ■ persistent changes in
why do teens need to be concerned mood, including
about drinking it? When people anxiety and irritability
drink alcohol, it's absorbed into their ■ insomnia and other
bloodstream. From there, it affects sleep concerns
the central nervous system (the brain ■ a weakened immune
and spinal cord), which controls system, meaning you
virtually all body functions. Because might get sick more
experts now know that the human often
brain is still developing during our ■ changes in libido and
teens, scientists are researching the sexual function
effects drinking alcohol can have on ■ changes in appetite
the teen brain. and weight
● Short-term effects of alcohol ■ problems with
○ Temporary effects you might memory and
notice while drinking alcohol concentration
(or shortly after) can include:
 ■ difficulty focusing on
tasks
■ increased tension and
conflict in romantic
and family
relationships
Cigarettes
● A tube-shaped tobacco product that
is made of finely cut, cured tobacco
leaves wrapped in thin paper. It may
also have other ingredients,
including substances to add different
flavors. A cigarette is lit on one end
and smoked, and the smoke is
usually inhaled into the lungs.
Cigarettes contain nicotine and many
cancer-causing chemicals that are
harmful to both smokers and
nonsmokers. Smoking cigarettes can
lead to nicotine addiction and can
cause many types of cancer,
including cancers of the lung, larynx,
mouth, esophagus, throat, kidney,
bladder, pancreas, stomach, and
cervix, and acute myeloid leukemia.
Smoking cigarettes also causes other
health problems, including heart
disease, stroke, and lung diseases,
such as emphysema and chronic
bronchitis.
● Effects:
○ Tobacco smoke contains over
70 known cancer-causing
chemicals.
○ Smoking harms nearly every
organ in your body.
○ Smoking when you are
pregnant causes harm to your
unborn baby.
○ Children exposed to
second-hand smoke in their
first year of life have a
greater risk of illness and
sudden unexpected death in
infancy (SUDI).
Cocaine
● Cocaine is a white powder that
comes from the dried leaves of the
coca plant, which is found in South
America. Crack cocaine is a form of
the drug that gives a very quick,
intense high.
● Crack is made by cooking cocaine
powder with baking soda, then
breaking it into small pieces called
rocks. It got its name because it
crackles when it is heated and
smoked.
● Crack cocaine looks like white or tan
pellets (sort of like gerbil or dry cat
food). Both cocaine and crack are
very addictive — and very, very
dangerous.
○ Short-term effects
■ Loss of appetite
■ Increased heart rate,
blood pressure, body
temperature
■ Contracted blood
vessels
■ Increased rate of
breathing
■ Dilated pupils
■ Disturbed sleep
patterns
■ Nausea
■ Hyperstimulation
 ■ Bizarre, erratic,
sometimes violent
behavior
■ Hallucinations,
hyperexcitability,
irritability
■ Tactile hallucination
that creates the
illusion of bugs
burrowing under the
skin
■ Intense euphoria
■ Anxiety and paranoia
■ Depression
■ Intense drug craving
■ Panic and psychosis
■ Convulsions, seizures
and sudden death
from high doses Heroin
○ Long-term effects ● Heroin is an opioid drug made from
■ Permanent damage to
blood vessels of heart
and brain
■ High blood pressure,
leading to heart
attacks, strokes, and
death
■ Liver, kidney and
lung damage
■ Destruction of tissues
in nose if sniffed
■ Respiratory failure if
smoked
■ Infectious diseases
and abscesses if
injected
■ Malnutrition, weight
loss
■ Severe tooth decay
■ Auditory and tactile
hallucinations
■ Sexual problems,
reproductive damage
and infertility (for
both men and women)
■ Disorientation,
apathy, confused
exhaustion
■ Irritability and mood
disturbances
■ Increased frequency
of risky behavior
■ Delirium or psychosis
■ Severe depression
■ Tolerance and
addiction (even after
just one use)
morphine, a natural substance taken
from the seed pod of the various
opium poppy plants grown in
Southeast and Southwest Asia,
Mexico, and Colombia. Heroin can
be a white or brown powder, or a
black sticky substance known as
black tar heroin
○ Short-Term Effects
○ People who use heroin report
feeling a "rush" (a surge of
pleasure, or euphoria).
However, there are other
common effects, including:
■ dry mouth
■ warm flushing of the
skin
■ heavy feeling in the
arms and legs
■ nausea and vomiting
 ■ severe itching
■ clouded mental
functioning
■ going "on the nod," a
back-and-forth state
of being conscious
and subconscious
○ Long term Effects
○ People who use heroin over
the long term may develop:
■ insomnia
■ collapsed veins for
people who inject the
drug
■ damaged tissue inside
the nose for people
who sniff or snort it
■ infection of the heart
lining and valves
■ abscesses (swollen
tissue filled with pus)
■ constipation and
stomach cramping
■ liver and kidney
disease
■ lung complications,
including pneumonia
■ mental disorders such
as depression and
antisocial personality
disorder
■ sexual dysfunction for
men
■ irregular menstrual
cycles for women
Amphetamines
● Amphetamines are prescribed for the
treatment of conditions such as
narcolepsy (a sleep disorder) and
Attention Deficit Hyperactivity
Disorder (ADHD). While these are
legal forms of amphetamine, the
misuse or recreational use of these
medications is illegal.
● Illegal amphetamines are made and
sold illegally. In most cases, it is
difficult to determine their quality
and purity – they can be a mix of
drugs, binding agents, caffeine and
sugar.
● Amphetamines are psychostimulant
drugs that abnormally speed up the
functions of the brain and body.
● It is illegal to make or sell
amphetamines, and to possess or use
them unless under medical
supervision.
● Long-term amphetamine misuse can
damage the brain and the
cardiovascular system and may lead
to psychosis, malnutrition and erratic
behavior.
● Call an ambulance if you think
someone has overdosed after taking
any drugs, including amphetamines.
● Some of the immediate effects of
amphetamines include:
○ a burst of energy – making
the user talkative, restless and
excited
○ accelerated heart rate and
breathing
○ high-blood pressure
(hypertension)
○ dry mouth and jaw clenching
○ sweating
○ dilated (large) pupils
○ loss of appetite
○ increased sex drive (libido)
 ○ nosebleeds and damage to the
nasal passage (from
snorting).
● Even if the effects of the
amphetamines have worn off, there
may still be amphetamines in your
system.
● As a rough guide,
methamphetamines can be detected
in the blood around 4 to 8 hours after
use, and in the urine for around 2 to
5 days after use.
● Coming down from amphetamines
can take a few days. You may
experience:
○ sleep difficulties, extreme
exhaustion
○ headaches, muscle twitching
and aches
○ irritability, mood swings and
depression
○ paranoia, hallucinations,
confusion
○ change in body temperature.
● Using other drugs (such as alcohol,
benzodiazepines, cannabis and
opioids) to cope with the ‘come
down’ may lead to a cycle of
dependence (where someone
becomes reliant on all drugs used).
Ecstasy
● Ecstasy (3,
4-methylenedioxy-N-methamphetam
ine, or MDMA) is a drug that is
illegally made.
● Ecstasy is a stimulant drug that can
cause hallucinations. It is known as a
designer drug because it was created
for the purpose of making someone
feel high. The drug is popular with
teens and young adults who go to
clubs, concerts, or "rave" parties.
● Users think the drug will make them
feel good and keep them going for
days without rest. But people who
use Ecstasy don't realize how
dangerous this drug is.
● Ecstasy has become one of the most
common illegal drugs sold on the
streets. In the last few years, Ecstasy
has sent many people to emergency
rooms because of its dangerous side
effects.
● Ecstasy is both a hallucinogenic and
a stimulant drug. It makes users
experience a rush of good feelings (a
high) and makes feelings much more
intense, whether they're good or bad.
The drug's effects usually last up to 6
hours.
● Ecstasy increases heart rate and can
cause dry mouth, clenched teeth,
blurred vision, chills, sweating, or
nausea. It can make some users feel
anxious, confused, and paranoid, like
someone is trying to hurt them or is
plotting against them. Ecstasy may
damage brain cells that are involved
in thinking and memory.
● If a person takes Ecstasy, his or her
body can dangerously overheat
during dancing or other physical
activities, which can lead to muscle
breakdown; kidney, liver, and heart
damage; and even death. Ecstasy use
can cause seizures, brain swelling,
possible brain damage, and even
death.
Inhalants and solvents
● Inhalants are chemicals found in
certain household and workplace
products that produce chemical
vapors. These vapors can be inhaled
to induce mind-altering effects.
Inhaled substances are rapidly
absorbed into the brain to produce a
quick high. Chronic abuse of
inhalants can result in irreversible
side effects, such as coma and even
death.
Volatile solvents
● Volatile solvents are liquids that
vaporize at room temperature. They
are used for household and industrial
purposes.
○ Examples of volatile
solvents are:
■ Paint thinners.
■ Paint removers.
■ Degreasers.
■ Gasoline.
■ Rubber cement.
■ Lighter fluid.
■ Glues.
■ Nail polish removers.
■ Dry cleaning fluids.
■ Correction fluids.
■ Felt tip markers.
Aerosols
● Aerosols are sprays that contain
propellants and solvents.
○ Examples of aerosols are:
■ Spray paints.
■ Spray deodorant.
■ Hair spray.
■ Vegetable oil spray.
■ Fabric protector
spray.
Gasses
● Gasses include medical aesthetics as
well as glasses used in household or
commercial products. Medical
anesthetics include chloroform,
halothane, and nitrous oxide
(laughing gas). Nitrous oxide is the
most abused of these gasses and can
be found in whipped cream
dispensers and propellant canisters
(often referred to as “whippets”).
Nitrous oxide can also be found in
products that boost octane levels in
racing cars. Other household
products containing gas are butane
lighters, propane tanks and
refrigerants.
Nitrites
● Nitrites are chemical compounds
found in leather cleaner, liquid
aroma and room deodorizers. Nitrites
act directly on the central nervous
system. They dilate blood vessels
and relax smooth muscles. The
ability of nitrites to relax smooth
muscle has made their use popular
for sexual enhancement. Nitrites
include cyclohexyl nitrite, isoamyl
(amyl) nitrite, and isobutyl (butyl)
nitrite. They are commonly known as
"poppers" or "snappers."
○ The short-term side effects
of inhalants abuse include:
■ Slurred speech.
■ Lightheadedness.
■ Intense feelings of
happiness.
■ Agitation.
■ Headaches
■ Drowsiness.
 ■ Dizziness.
■ Excitability.
■ Loss of coordination.
■ Upset stomach.
■ Blurred or double
vision.
■ Mucous membrane
irritation.
■ Sudden death
(irregular and rapid
heartbeat that leads to
sudden heart failure).
○ Long term side effects
include:
■ Lung damage.
■ Liver and kidney
damage.
■ Hearing loss
■ Weakened immune
system.
■ Seizures.
■ Limb spasms.
■ Brain damage.
■ Heart rhythm
changes.
■ Coma.
■ Death.