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What is "Personal Hygiene" During Adolescence?
It means the practice of keeping the body clean to prevent infections and diseases.
It is especially important during adolescence, when the body sweats more and produces extra oily secretions.
![6.4.2 Personal Hygiene - Adolescence: A Stage o - [Teachoo] - Concepts](https://cdn.teachoo.com/test/7f66efe9-2c9b-44e0-bdca-0d68353da792/image-an-adolescent-washing-hands-with-soap-with-bath-items-like-soap-towel-and-clean-clothes-shown-in-the-background-symbols-of-daily.png)
Key features of personal hygiene
- Daily bath with clean water and soap.
- Special attention to body folds — armpits and pubic region — where bacterial growth can lead to infections.
- Wear clean clothes daily.
- Wash hands often, especially before meals and after using the toilet.
What is "Menstrual Hygiene"?
It means the practices that keep the body clean during menstruation .
It is essential for both comfort and health .
How menstrual hygiene is maintained
- Use sanitary pads (Fig. 6.1).
- Use reusable cloth pads designed for this purpose.
- Use biodegradable sanitary pads — environment-friendly options now available.
- Change the pad regularly for freshness and to prevent infections.
Proper disposal of used sanitary pads
- Wrap the used pad in newspaper .
- Dispose inside a dustbin — never on the floor or in open bins.
- This ensures community health and environmental cleanliness .
Menstrual hygiene is the set of practices — using a clean sanitary pad, changing it regularly, washing carefully, and disposing of used pads properly — that keep the body clean and infection-free during menstruation.
📋 NCERT Question 7 — Mohini's Concern About Sanitary Hygiene
To support menstrual hygiene, the Government of India has introduced several initiatives:
- Menstrual Hygiene Scheme (MHS) — provides sanitary pads free of charge or at a reduced price to adolescent girls in rural areas, along with awareness programmes.
- Rashtriya Kishor Swasthya Karyakram (RKSK) — aims to improve overall adolescent health, including menstrual health and hygiene; encourages peer education.
- Suvidha Sanitary Napkin Initiative — provides biodegradable sanitary pads at affordable prices through Jan Aushadhi Kendras .
- State-Level Initiatives — e.g., the 'Shuchi Scheme' in Karnataka, and free sanitary napkin schemes in Tamil Nadu and Odisha.
