In this episode, we’re talking about some of the first body changes you might notice when you go through puberty. We’re answering a lot of listener questions in this episode including: Why do grownups have hair where kids don’t? Why do armpits get stinkier during puberty? Why do zits happen? Why do you get oilier when you’re a teen?

Dr. Cara Natterson, author of The Care and Keeping of You and host of the podcast This is So Awkward, joins us again to help us navigate tricky issues dealing with your skin, sweat and hair.

Click here for a transcript of this episode.

Kids grow a lot during puberty, and they also go through changes that make it possible for them to eventually have kids of their own. But it’s not just your body that changes during puberty. Your brain goes through changes, too, as it rewires to become more like an adult brain!

It’s like your whole body is under construction. So it’s no wonder that our listeners have lots of questions about this period in life. 

In this episode we’re covering the basics. What is puberty? What’s kicking off these changes? And when can you expect them to happen? Dr. Cara Natterson from Less Awkward is here to help us answer.

And remember: No two people go through puberty exactly the same way. It’s different for everyone!

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Click here for a transcript of this episode.

Puberty! It’s a lot. There are the awkward conversations and the questions we’re too nervous to ask and the sometimes uncomfortable experience of living in a body that’s changing fast (and publicly!).

This podcast is here to help. Hosted by Molly Bloom, of the award-winning science podcast Brains On, and co-hosted by high schoolers who've just been through it, Puberty! (The podcast) is for everybody — and every body

Designed for kids 7-12, the show will cover everything from brain chemicals to consent, in a straight-forward and digestible package. This is a safe space for young people to understand their bodies and their brains, and it’s a resource for parents to tackle otherwise difficult topics.

Experts, including Dr. Cara Natterson (Less Awkward), Chris Pepper (Talk to Your Boys), Nora Gelperin (Advocates for Youth), and Erin Walsh (Spark & Stitch Institute), provide science-filled explanations and answer listener questions.

This series is a great tool for parents to start conversations with their kids about puberty. The series is thoroughly researched, fact-checked and driven by questions from the Brains On Universe audience. If you have a question you’d like to hear answered on a future episode you can submit them brainson.org/contact

And if you’re a parent who lives in Los Angeles, we’re hosting a live conversation at LAist with Dr. Cara Natterson and Dr. Christopher Miller about how to navigate this time in your kid’s life. You can RSVP here: https://laist.com/events/brains-on-universe-presents-puberty-the-podcast