How do I help my teenager look after their body and hygiene?

The short answer

Treat hygiene as several separate tasks, not a verdict on maturity or self-respect. Washing the body, washing hair, brushing teeth, using deodorant, changing clothes, caring for skin, shaving and managing periods each require different sensations, steps and timing. Ask which part is difficult. The barrier may be pain, water pressure, smell, texture, motor effort, initiation, memory, time awareness, privacy, fatigue or missing information. Explain the health or practical reason without disgust or social threats. Then change the difficult part: offer a wash at the sink, unscented products, a softer brush, clothes that are easier to change, visible supplies, one agreed cue or a shorter sequence. Let the teenager choose products and protect privacy. Give the least hands-on help that makes the task possible, and review it as skills change. Seek dental or health advice for pain, bleeding gums, infected or severe acne, sudden changes in sweating or smell, skin problems, or a marked decline in self-care that may reflect illness or mental-health difficulty.

• Separate body-care tasks and identify the barrier inside each one.
• Explain the purpose without disgust, ridicule or threats about friendship.
• Offer product, method and timing choices where the outcome permits them.
• Protect privacy while keeping needed assistance available.
• Check pain, skin, dental and mental-health concerns when self-care changes.