try this age-old trick. Spreada glob of peanut butter on the gum.
Work the peanut butter through
your hair until the gum comes out.
The peanut butter will wash out with
a regular shampoo.
Greasy Hair
During puberty, your oil glands get more active. For
some girls this means greasy hair. If the roots of your
hair look oily almost every day, you may have to
shampoo more often.
Dandruff
Does your scalp feel dry and itchy? Are your shoulders
covered with flakes of skin, making your dark-colored
shirts look like they’re sprinkled with snow? You may have
a case of dandruff, a very common condition that’s easy
to treat. Try a dandruff shampoo from the drugstore. If
drugstore shampoos don’t work, ask your doctor for
something stronger.
EEK—a Louse!
Head lice are a common problem among schoolkids
everywhere. These tiny wingless parasites thrive in
thickets of human hair. They bite the scalp, leaving tiny
sores that itch like crazy. Worst of all, a single louse can
lay hundreds of eggs, called nits, right on your head!
If lice are on the loose at your school, take action to
protect yourself. Don’t share combs and brushes with
friends. Don’t swap hats, hair bands, or headphones,
and don’t trade pillows at sleepovers.
If you suspect unwelcome guests on your head, see
your doctor or school nurse. They know a louse when
they see one. Live lice are small and gray and move
around. Nits look like white grains of sand and are often
found along the hairline above the neck and behind
the ears. If it turns out you have lice, your parents can
buy delousing products at the drugstore and follow the
instructions carefully to get rid of the lice completely
and to keep them from coming back.
Hair products such as mousse,
sprays, and gels can cause flakes
and itching from buildup. Shampoo
regularly to remove the buildup.
Nits attach themselves to hair and
can be hard to get out. A special
fine-tooth “nit comb” can help
pick out the nits.
Ears
Ears are easy to care for. They need just a little help from you
to stay healthy inside and out—so every sound you hear will be
crystal clear.
Squeaky Clean
Your ears get washed every time you shampoo or shower.
In most cases, that’s all the cleaning they need. Shake your
head to remove excess water, and use a towel, washcloth,
or cotton swab to wipe off the outer part of your ears.
NEVER stick a pointy object into your ears—not even a
cotton swab. You could do serious damage to your ear-
drums or canals. Ear wax, that sticky yellowish stuff inside,
is something you’re supposed to have. Wax acts as a sort
of magnet, sticking to dirt and preventing it from traveling
into your ear canal. You can, however, have too much wax.
If your ears feel plugged, talk to your doctor to find out a
safe way to get the gobs out.
Pierced Ears
If you want to get your ears pierced, go to a professional
who uses clean, sterile equipment. Allow two to three
months for the holes to heal before you change earrings.
Clean your newly pierced ears daily with a cotton swab
dipped in rubbing alcohol. Redness, itching, or oozing near
the hole may be a sign of infection. If this happens, call
your doctor for advice.
Headphones
It’s OK to turn on the music and tune out the world, but
don’t turn up the volume! Over time, exposing your ears
to loud noise can damage your hearing. Take this test: If
someone stands next to you and can hear sound coming
out of your headphones, the volume is too loud.
Many girls are allergic to the metals
used in cheap earrings. To be safe,
look for surgical steel, sterling silver,
or 14-karat gold.
Swimmer’s Ear
If you spend your summers at the
lake or in the pool, you’re a good
candidate for swimmer’s ear. This
is an infection
