Lotion: It’s Not Just For Girls
You, yes you, can use lotion. Some boys will need lotion after a shower to keep from having dry, flaky, itchy skin. You can get lotion made especially for boys, and you can also get lotion that doesn’t have any smell added to it at all. If you put in on while you are still damp from the shower, it will be a smoother process. You might even find that you like how it feels.
Not a very nice thought, is it? Yuck!
It’s also very important to wash your hands after you use the toilet, after petting or handling any kind of animal, and if you have been around someone who is sick.
You already know how to wash your hands, right? Well, maybe so, but most people don’t wash their hands long enough. It really takes 15 to 20 seconds under warm water (with soap) to get them clean. You might want to use a timer (or just count slowly to yourself) to make sure you’re washing long enough. Sometimes dirt can get trapped under your nails: there are soft bristled brushes that can help with that.
Showering every day helps, but you also need to change your clothes as regularly as you can to keep you smelling good. Unfortunately, you can’t tell by looking at it if a piece of clothing is clean or dirty. For example, a t-shirt that you wore to school all day might not have an obvious spot or stain on it, but if you sniff the underarms? Pee-ooo. That’s why it’s best to keep your dirty clothes and your clean clothes far away from each other. That way you will be able to know the difference without doing the “sniff” test, which might not tell you for sure anyway.
Deodorant Works
Another possible weapon in your personal fight against “the smellies” is deodorant. Not everyone (even grown-ups) wears or needs deodorant, but if you want to try it, look for the type that says only “deodorant” and not “deodorant/anti-perspirant.” Anti-perspirant contains chemicals which actually block your sweat glands, which is not as healthy for your body. Some deodorants have a stronger smell than others, so you might have to try a few different kinds to find what smells best on you.
Boys have it pretty easy when it comes to what people expect them to do with their hair. Regular shampooing (which might mean every day if you have oily hair or are very active) should just about do it.
Some boys use gel to make their hair stay in place. Some gels wash out easily, but some (especially ones that are wax-based) are much harder to get out. If you are going to use a wax-based gel or hair-molding product, you’ll have to wash it out every night if you don’t want to wake up in the morning with your hair looking like something from a horror movie.
Germs cannot be seen by your eyes so you have no way of knowing if they are on your hands. The warmth of your body combined with sweat allows germs to grow quickly.
If you have longer or particularly tangly hair, you can buy conditioner which you can use after you shampoo. You can also buy special shampoos for very dry hair (to keep you from having dandruff, which is when skin from your scalp flakes off and makes a mess) and shampoos for hair that is exposed to a lot of chlorine (for boys on a swim team).
The most important thing to remember about ears is: don’t stick anything smaller than your elbow in them. That means no cotton tip swabs, no pen caps, and no paper clips! All these items can really hurt your ears if you stick them in too deep. If you are shampooing your hair regularly, that should be enough to keep your ears clean. Still, it doesn’t hurt to spend a little extra time with a washcloth, scrubbing behind your ears. If you have short hair, the dirt that builds up in that area can be very noticeable!
The wax you have in your ears is helpful: it keeps dirt from getting further down into your ear where it can do real damage. Although it might be tempting to pick at it, it’s better to leave the wax alone and let it do its job.
If your ears feel clogged or you have trouble hearing, talk with your health care provider about things you can do to help get rid of some of the wax.
The Expert Says
Have you seen how little kids hold their hands over their ears when something making a loud sound (like a fire engine with the siren blaring) goes by? They are smart because they know that loud sounds can hurt their ears. The headphones you wear when you play your I-pod or stereo can also hurt your ears if it is too loud. Chances are that if other people can hear your music when you are wearing headphones it is too loud. When you are older, you’ll be thankful that you turned down the volume!
The easiest way to take care of the skin on your face is to keep it clean. You can wash your face when you wash your hands, but try to use a gentle, non-perfumed soap. Don’t use deodorant soap because it will leave a light film of deodorant on your face, and no one (no matter how smelly) needs deodorant on their face.
Another very common problem that boys have with the skin on their face is acne. Who gets acne? Almost everyone! Nine out of ten pre-teens and teenagers have to deal with it. Acne is caused when excess oil becomes trapped in your pores, combines with bacteria (i.e. germs) and dead skin cells and develops what we call a pimple.
