WHY DO WE GET IT?
Between the ages of 9-13 (usually), all girls go through that life stage known as puberty. Basically, it starts with a rapid growth spurt – so you grow a few inches, your breasts bud, and then, gasp – hair in new places. Finally, a sticky white discharge is spotted on your underwear. It’s ok! This is just your body prepping for its first period. Once that happens, you are officially done with puberty.

CYCLE OR PERIOD?
This can get confusing. Basically, the first day of your period is the beginning of your menstrual cycle. Your hormones get all out of whack (which is why you may find a stray zit or that you’re acting kind of strange and irritable). This happens every month and signals your body to prepare an egg and the uterus for pregnancy.

If your egg isn’t fertilized by a sperm, then the unfertilized egg is shed and you get your period. Thus, your menstrual cycle is over when your next period begins.

HOW DOES THIS ALL HAPPEN?
Both of your ovaries contain all of the eggs you will produce in a lifetime. Once a month, you ovulate, which is when one egg matures and takes a little trip out of the ovary, through the fallopian tube and to the uterus. Your “flow” or period then goes from the uterus through the opening of the cervix, through the vagina and out of your body.

ARE TAMPONS SAFE?
According to the FDA (Food and Drug Administration), there are very rare cases of something called Toxic Shock Syndrome (TSS). This is a potentially fatal disease caused when a certain bacteria gets in the blood. No need to panic here!