This document provides information about sexual health awareness for teenagers. It discusses what sexual health is, the process of puberty and related body changes, developing a positive body image during puberty, sex and relationships, sexually transmitted infections, and the importance of communication. The key topics covered are defining sexual health, the physical and emotional changes that occur during puberty like growth of body hair and skin changes, developing confidence in one's changing body, the purpose and risks of sexual activity, myths about STIs, characteristics of healthy and unhealthy relationships, and seeking help from trusted individuals.

1. Sexual Health Awareness
for Teenagers
Dr Funke Baffour

2. Outline
1. What is Sexual Health Awareness?
2. Puberty
3. Puberty vs. Body Image
4. Sex
5. Sexually Transmitted Infections and the
Myths
6. Relationships

3. What is Sexual Health Awareness?
• Defining sexual health is a difficult task, as
each culture, sub-culture, and individual
has different standards of sexual health.
• Sexual health includes far more than
avoiding disease or unplanned pregnancies.
• Sexual health is the ability to embrace and
enjoy our sexuality throughout our lives.
• It is an important part of our physical and
emotional health.

4. What is Sexual Health Awareness?
cont..
• Understanding that sexuality is a natural part of life
and involves more than sexual behavior.
• Recognising and respecting the sexual rights we all
share.
• Making an effort to prevent unintended pregnancies
and STDs and seek care and treatment when needed.
• Being able to experience sexual pleasure, satisfaction,
and intimacy within a HEALTHY relationship.
Being sexually healthy means:

6. Puberty
More than a funny word….
• OK, so it's a funny word . . . but what is puberty, anyway?
• Puberty is the name for when your body begins to develop
and change.
• During puberty, your body will grow faster than any other
time in your life, except from when you were an infant.
• You are all unique so some of you will have reached puberty
and others would not have. The important point to note is
that each puberty experience is unique.
• So what happens during the puberty phase of development?

7. Puberty

8. Puberty cont..
Hair, Hair, Everywhere!
• Well, maybe not everywhere. But one of the first
signs of puberty is hair growing where it didn't grow
before.
• Boys and girls both begin to grow hair under their
arms and in their pubic areas.
• It starts out looking light and sparse. Then as you go
through puberty, it becomes longer, thicker, heavier,
and darker.
• Boys also start to grow hair on their faces.
• Some girls can have facial hair too…remember
puberty is an unique experience!

9. Puberty cont…
About the Face
• Another thing that comes with puberty is acne, or pimples.
• Acne is triggered by puberty hormones.
• Pimples usually start around the beginning of puberty and can
stick around during adolescence (the teen years).
• You may notice pimples on your face, your upper back, or
your upper chest.
• It helps to keep your skin clean.
• The good news about acne is that it usually gets better or
disappears by the end of adolescence.

10. Puberty cont..
Body Odor
• A lot of teens notice that they have a new smell under their arms and
elsewhere on their bodies when they enter puberty.
• That smell is body odor, and everyone gets it.
• As you enter puberty, the puberty hormones affect glands in your skin, and
the glands make chemicals that smell bad. These chemicals put the scent in
adolescent!
So what can you do to get rid of the smell?
• Keeping clean is a good way to lessen the smell.
• Take a bath at least twice a day.
• Using deodorant every day can help keep body odor in check, too.
• Hot tip: Why not try applying lime under your arms when you wake up and
leave for 10-15 mins and then take your bath.

12. Puberty vs. Body Image
Why is body image important?
• Body image is a person's opinions, thoughts,
and feelings about his or her own body and
physical appearance.
• A healthy body image means feeling pretty
satisfied with the way you look, appreciating
your body for its capabilities and accepting its
imperfections.
• Body image is part of your total self-image.

13. Puberty vs Body Image
• Body image is just one part of your self-image.
• A change in your body can be tough to deal
with emotionally!
Why?
• You may not feel comfortable with your
changing body.
• Leading you to feel more self-conscious.
• Some teens go into puberty not feeling too
satisfied with their body or appearance to
begin with.
• Thus puberty may add to such insecurities.

14. Big Bullies Don’t Rule
Sometimes if people haven’t caught up
physically, peers may tease them. Often,
peers that put others down do it because
they aren’t comfortable with their bodies.
Putting someone else down makes them
feel better, more powerful. A simple and
effective way to deal with annoying peers
like this is to be comfortable with who
you are and get in touch with your
strengths.

15. So….let’s talk about SEX

16. SEX
• All living things are created to reproduce.
• In the human reproductive process, two
kinds of sex cells are involved.
• The male sperm, and the female egg or
ovum, meet in the female's reproductive
system.
• The female needs a male to fertilize her
egg, even though it is she who carries the
offspring through pregnancy and childbirth.

17. Sex
cont…
So what is the purpose of SEX?
• Sex is what makes males and females different
from each other.
• We were created as male and females to bring
life.
• Your existence is the result of sex.

18. Sex
Why do teenagers engage in sex?

19. Sex cont..
• Sex as proof of adulthood.
• ‘The more partners I have the more masculine I
become’.
• Want to try out sex before marriage.
• ‘It’s not good to be a virgin’.
• ‘Everyone else is having sex’.
• Sex will make a man love you more.
• Just once won’t get you pregnant.
• Love can only be expressed through sex.
• When you have sex with a man he will eventually
marry you.
• Poor sex education at home.

21. Sexually Transmitted Infections
• Sex - or sexual intercourse - can result in
pregnancy or sexually transmitted infections
(STIs) such as Chlamydia, HIV or Herpes.
• Fact: There are many STIs that you can get
through penetrative or oral sex.

22. Myths about STI’s
• Myth: Only "trashy" people get STDs.
• Fact: STDs don't discriminate.
• Myth: If your partner has an STD, you'll see
it.
• Fact: There's often no sign that a person has
an STD.

23. Myths about STI’s
• Myth: You can avoid STDs by having oral or
anal sex.
• Fact: Where there's sex (oral, anal, vaginal, or
even just sexual contact), there can be STDs.
• Myth: Once you've had an STD, there's no
chance of getting it again.
• Fact: You can get some STDs more than just
once.

25. Relationships: Being attracted to
someone
• Being attracted to someone can be exciting but
you may feel quite anxious, wondering if they
feel the same for you.
• If you ask them out and they refuse you may
feel rejected.
• You may be concerned that if people find out
who you're interested in them, they may tease
you about it.
• Some people are so worried about this that
they find it difficult to start having a
relationship.

26. What counts as a relationship?
• Lots of different types of relationship, from casual
sex to marriage.
• Some people try relationships out with different
people, and it can take a while for them to find
out what they want and what works.
• Some people have lots of relationships.
• Some people have a few, or one long one.
• Some people don't want a close relationship at
certain times in their life.
• All relationships are different!
But…..
• When you are in a relationship you must know
your self worth

27. Being in a relationship
FACT: Its completely fine not to be in a relationship
until your ready!
Healthy Relationships
Being in a relationship should be a great experience for you and your partner.
There may be some ups and downs, but there are a few important things that should
be there:
1)Respect – It’s really important that you understand and value the person that you’re
with and respect them for who they are.
2)Honesty – You also need to be able to show them who you are – let him or her know
how you’re feeling and what you think about things. Good relationships involve
speaking openly to each other.
3)Trust– Relationships shouldn’t make you worried or anxious about what the other
person is doing, you should be able to trust them, and feel secure that they want to be
with you.

28. Being in a relationship
cont….
Unhealthy relationships
• If the person you are in a relationship with is
making you feel bad in some way, this is not a
great relationship!
• If your partner ever says things to insult you, tries
to control you, forces you into anything sexual
that you're not comfortable with, tries to isolate
you from the other important people in your life
or disrespects you, then you shouldn’t be with
them. This can apply to both men and women!

30. It’s good to talk!
• Talking about your feelings can help.
• It can stop you feeling alone
• The person you talk to should be someone you feel easy and relaxed with
and can trust. It might be a parent or guardian, a house tutor especially if
you have a good relationship with them.
• Or it might be that a sister or brother or other relative would be better.
Some of your friends' parents might be approachable or you might have a
friend who would listen.
• Talking to people who are a bit less close to you might be good too. For
example, a teacher, or House tutor or Counsellor.
• Talking about things can be hard.
• It’s important to avoid suffering in silence.

31. Thank you
Questions and discussion
Dr Funke Baffour