Good Grooming Rites of Passage in Children and Teens

Healthy Grooming Answers for Children & Teens Parents Need to Know

At what age should children first go to the dentist?

Abu, Eric. (2018).  When should I take my child to the dentist?  WebMD. https://www.webmd.com/oral-health/features/when-should-i-take-my-child-to-the-dentist

·         Since life-long cardiovascular health often starts with healthy teeth and gums, pediatricians and dentists have started to recommend that a child have his or her first dental visit before age one to instruct parents on the proper care of the child’s teeth  (From age one to age six, a parent needs to brush and floss the child’s teeth properly rather than the child brushing them him or herself*) as well as getting him or her use to going to the dentist. 

·         At age two, the standard routine of seeing the dentist twice a year sets in while dentists routinely take a child’s first set of x-rays between age four and six.

·         Dentists often apply a sealant to protect the child’s teeth from cavities between six and twelve.

·         Usually a child still doesn’t get braces until reaching his or her early teens, but he or she might need to undergo an orthodontic evaluation at age seven.

See also:

*Benaroch, Roy. (2016, September 3).  Brushing and flossing children’s teeth.  WebMD.  https://www.webmd.com/oral-health/guide/brushing-flossing-child-teeth#1

When should teenage boys start shaving?

Cummings, Clayton. (2011, June 2).  When should my son start shaving?  ChildrensMD.  https://childrensmd.org/browse-by-age-group/teens/when-should-my-son-start-shaving/

Since puberty occurs at different ages for each young man (at any time between 8 and 15), a boy can start shaving when “peach fuzz” first appears on his face. Cummings also offers young shavers some helpful tips:

·         Begin shaving in the shower since warm warn softens facial hair and opens pores;

·         Shave in the direction of the hair growth (from top to bottom);

·         Don’t go over one spot on the face too many times.

When should teenage girls start plucking their eye brows?

What’s the right age to start plucking your eyebrows? (2018).  Groupon. https://www.groupon.com/articles/whats-the-right-age-to-start-plucking-your-eyebrows

Groupon talks to a junior high English teacher/mom, a high school guidance counselor/mom, an aesthetician, and a high school teacher, and each offers her point-of-view.  However, since Groupon warns about over tweezing, teenage girls should probably have a hair dresser or manicurist occasionally wax or pluck their brows if they are too bushy several times a year.  That might also be a good time to wax a noticeable moustache and embarrassing facial hair.

When should teens with acne see a dermatologist?

Teen acne.  When should you see a doctor?   (2018). WebMD. https://www.webmd.com/skin-problems-and-treatments/acne/teen-acne-when-see-doctor

·         Acne is embarrassing severe;

·         Over-the-counter medications like (10 percent) benzoyl peroxide don’t work;

·         Acne appears after taking medications;

·         Acne leaves scarring;

·         Acne affects self-esteem.

Price, Cynthia. (n. d.).  Best methods for acne treatment in teenagers.  Dermascope. http://www.dermascope.com/acne/best-methods-for-acne-treatment-in-teenagers#.Wn2Z0kxFz4g

Acne is a hereditary disease wherein shifts in hormone balance during puberty result in pimples and blackheads in 85 percent of all teens, although boys who don’t shower after exercising and girls who clog up their pores trying to cover up it up exacerbate the condition.

To combat or prevent acne, teens should adopt a daily regime of gentle cleaning and hydration using a SPF spectrum 30 moisturizer.  Girls should also remove make up nightly. The use of aggressive astringents and too much sun exposure may worsen acne.

When should teenage girls start shaving under arms and legs?

Benaroch, Ray. (2016, October 7).  Shaving for teenage girls. WebMD. https://teens.webmd.com/girls/shaving-tips-girls#1

·         Benaroch recommends no set time in American culture for this rite of passage to occur, but he suggests that the appropriate time to start shaving under arms and legs depends upon she the hair starts to show (as anyone teased about this in gym class can testify). He also offers advice on how to shave without cuts and how often to shave. He even briefly brings up the idea of electrolysis for parents who want to spend the time and money.

Shampoo Memory Loss and Cancer-Causing Products Right Out of Your Hair

Throw Out Grooming Products that Contain DEA or Diethanolamine

Tonight I received an unsolicited e-mail that asked me to click on a link that promised to tell me which shampoos caused memory loss. I get a lot of these perhaps because of my age (65), but also because for several years I had regularly published a health blog that’s has been inactive since February 2016 since I largely offered self-help advice for preventing Alzheimer’s, and I hadn’t seen anything lately that wasn’t the same old same old: following a Mediterranean diet, staying involved with other people, and performing aerobic exercises like walking or running for thirty minutes daily.  Moreover, by this time, I had started teaching more or less full time after Mother died in 2014.  Well, after 30 minutes, the audio still had not told me which shampoos to avoid, so I started googling.

Bottom line: Avoid shampoos with DEA or Diethanolamine because they might result in memory loss since DEA blocks the absorption of choline, which is vital to brain development--a process that starts in infancy and continues throughout life.  Studies also link DEA to cancer.   Look at the labels on all shampoo, toothpaste, and soap products as well as deodorants and don’t assume they are safe just because the  United States Food and Drug Administration has approved them, and/or they are labeled “organic”.  Do some Online research because studies often appear Online before stores take these products off their shelves.  BTW, if you are wondering, yes, I immediately checked the shampoo bottle on the side of my tub, although I haven’t checked the ingredients in my bar of Ivory soap quite yet.

See the following links:

Radcliffe, Shawn. (2013, August 29).  Cancer-causing chemical found in 98 shampoos and soaps.  Healthline. https://www.healthline.com/health-news/cancer-dangerous-chemical-found-in-shampoos-and-soaps-082913#1

Provides a lay person's view of the topic.

Toxicity Effects. CAS Registry Number: 111-42-2. Names. (n. d.).  National Toxicology Program.  U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. NIEHS.NIH.gov.  https://tools.niehs.nih.gov/cebs3/ntpviews/index.cfm?action=testarticle.toxicity&cas_number=111-42-2

Summarizes peer-reviewed alternative and in vitro tests results, case reports, human and animal exposure studies.

Zelsel, Steven H. (n. d. ).  Diethanolamine, brand development and adult memory.  Granttome.  National Institutes of Health.   http://grantome.com/grant/NIH/R21-ES012997-03

Contains abstract and bibliography.

When to Shampoo Bibliography

Birch, Jenna. (2018).  How often do I need to shampoo? WebMD. https://www.webmd.com/beauty/features/how-often-wash-hair#1

Non-athletic adults may need to shampoo less often than they think.  However, how often adults need to wash their hair depends upon various factors:  Age (the hair’s texture changes in women changes after menopause, so they need to shampoo their hair less often), [original] gender, ethnicity, and how intensely and how often they exercise strenuously. 

Ferguson, Kate. (2013, January 16).  Black hair:  How often to wash?  Real Health. https://www.realhealthmag.com/article/AfricanAmerican-hair-washing-23376-1172

Since sub-Saharan African hair is often very dry and fragile, it ordinarily only needs shampooing once per week.

How frequently should I shampoo my infant’s hair? (2018).  Parenting Healthy Babies. https://parentinghealthybabies.com/how-frequently-should-i-shampoo-my-infants-hair/

Gently does it—Some babies may need their hair washed more than others, depending on how old and active they are.  Babies’ scalp will also need oiling. Toddlers’ hair will need more washing than infants, but how often a parent washes it depends upon whether it is straight or curly.  However, toddlers and preschoolers’ hair ordinarily doesn’t need shampooing more than twice a week, but parents also need to consider their activity level, hair type (straight or curly; European/Asian or sub-Saharan African, and whether the hair is oily or dry.

 

How often do children need to wash their hair? (2018). American Academy of Dermatology.  https://www.aad.org/public/skin-hair-nails/hair-care/washing-child-s-hair

A chart provides easy to follow guidelines, but generally, elementary-school age children only need to wash their hair once or twice a week while teens (after puberty) need to wash their hair every day or every other day, depending upon if they have oily or dry hair or curly or straight hair.  Curly Sub-Saharan African hair also needs shampooing less than European and Asian hair does.  Of course, student athletes need to wash their hair more often than sedentary teens.

How often should you shampoo to reduce dandruff? (2017).  Clear. Unilever Asia. http://www.clearparis.com/article/detail/1058512/how-often-should-you-shampoo-to-reduce-dandruff-

That depends upon whether one’s hair is curly (wait up to five days), fine (every two days), or thick (shampooing can wait a few days). 

These guidelines, of course, might not work for everyone, so please consult a dermatologist, pediatrician, or family doctor or nurse practitioner if in doubt.  A hair dresser or barber will also probably offer some sage advice. 

How Often Should I Shampoo?
Age/ Ethnicity/ Type/ /Exceptions	Daily	2-3 Times Per Week	Weekly
Infants older than a month*(Oil daily)		X*	X
Toddlers			X
Preschoolers			X
Elementary School Kids		X
Teens	X
Adult Men			X
Adult Women Under 50		X
Menopausal & Older Women			X
Oily Hair, hair with dandruff	X
Dry Hair		X
Curly Hair		X	Women >50
Europeans/Asians	X	Women > 50
Sub-Saharan African	X	X	X
Athletes	X