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Abstract Background Previous studies have examined the association between blood lead levels and pubertal timing in adolescent girls; however, the evidence is lacking on the role of lead exposure during sensitive developmental periods on sexual maturation. Objectives To examine the association of prenatal and early childhood lead exposure with pubertal stages among 264 boys and 283 girls aged 9.8–18.0 years in Mexico City. Methods We measured maternal bone lead (a proxy for cumulative fetal exposure to lead from maternal bone stores mobilized during pregnancy) at 1 month postpartum. Blood lead was measured annually from 1 to 4 years. Pubertal stage was assessed by a pediatrician. We examined the association between lead and pubertal stages of breast, pubic hair and genitalia using ordinal regression. Age at menarche was evaluated using Cox proportional-hazard models. Results Multivariate models showed that maternal patella lead and early childhood blood lead were inversely associated with breast growth (patella OR = 0.72, 95% CI: 0.51–1.00; blood OR = 0.70, 95% CI: 0.53–0.93) in girls. Girls with maternal patella lead in the 3rd tertile and child blood lead in the 2nd tertile had a later age at menarche compared with girls in the 1st tertile (patella HR = 0.60, 95% CI: 0.41–0.88; blood HR = 0.65, 95% CI 0.46–0.91). Additionally, early childhood blood lead was negatively associated with pubic hair growth (OR = 0.68, 95% CI: 0.51–0.90) in girls. No associations were found in boys. Conclusions These data suggest that higher prenatal and early childhood exposure to lead may be associated with delayed pubertal development in girls but not boys. Our findings are consistent with previous analyses and reinforce the reproductive effects of lead for girls. Highlights • This is the first study to examine the prospective associations of early lead exposure with puberty in chilren. • Maternal bone leads were used to estimate cumulative fetal exposure over the course of pregnancy. • Cumulative blood lead from 1 to 4 years was used to estimate early-life exposure. • Higher prenatal and early-life exposure to lead are associated with later pubertal development in girls. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The literature on pubic hair removal (PHR) practices primarily focuses on women in Western societies and attributes recent increases in PHR to product marketing, pornography, and pop culture. Here, we explore PHR and retention practices outside the cultural West through content coding of societies in the Human Relations Area Files' database, eHRAF World Cultures. Thirty-one societies noted distinct PHR or retention practices. Descriptive data on 72 societies provided additional context to the perception of pubic hair and reasons for its removal or retention. Results indicate that women practice PHR more commonly than men cross-culturally and practices are often tied to concerns about hygiene and sexual activity. Findings show that some features of PHR cross-culturally resemble those of the cultural West in which these practices have been best characterized, though these practices cannot be attributed to the same suite of factors such as exposure to pornography or product marketing. We interpret these findings within cross-cultural and evolutionary perspectives. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Even if pubic hair represents a reliable and widely accepted alternative hair matrix to identify drug abusers, it might produce false positive results due to external contamination. The aim of this study was to verify whether the external contamination of pubic hair with cocaine could influence the discrimination between active users and false positive subjects. The analysis was performed on in vivo and in vitro samples; the contamination was carried out by rubbing pubic hair with cocaine hydrochloride contaminated hands for three consecutive days. Five days after the beginning of the contamination, the pubic hair was collected and analysed at different times for two months. Data from our studies show that all in vivo samples yielded false positives; the in vitro samples were negative only for 10 days and then yielded false positives.

We examined relations between sleep-wake behaviors and pubertal development from age 8.5 through 15.5 years in a US-based sample of 488 boys (75% White) and 478 girls (78% White). Applying conditional nonlinear growth models to 7-waves of longitudinal data, we examined how sleep-wake behaviors are related to individual differences in the developmental timing and tempo of secondary sex characteristics. For girls, results supported the hypothesis that circadian changes in bedtimes, wake times, sleep duration, and eveningness preference were uniquely related to development of discrete aspects of secondary sex characteristics. For boys, the hypothesis was generally not supported. Different endocrine systems related to discrete secondary sex characteristics may be responsible for more relations between sleep and pubic hair development than for breast or genital development. Further research into associations between adrenarche and sleep during puberty may help researchers understand more about the origins and timing of adolescent sleep changes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: To assess the presence of testicular asymmetry and the currently used threshold values in varicocoele management in a healthy adolescent population. Subjects and Methods: We conducted an observational cross‐sectional study from April 2015 until December 2016 in which we recruited 539 adolescent boys aged 11–16 years. A clinical examination including testicular size measurement by ultrasonography was performed. Testicular volume (TV) was calculated using the Lambert formula (length × width × height × 0.71). The Testicular Atrophy Index (TAI) was calculated using the formula [(TV right – TV left)/largest TV] × 100. The data for all statistical analyses were stratified for Tanner stage for genital development (TSG) and pubic hair (TSP). Non‐parametric tests were used to assess the difference between right and left TV, and the prevalence of a smaller left testis for the entire population, and between each TSG and TSP. Parametric tests were used to determine the difference in mean TAI between each TSG and TSP, and to compare the mean TAI to a test value of 0. Results: Of the 539 recruited boys, we excluded 194 due to a current or past pathology, including varicocoeles, influencing normal (testicular) growth or due to incomplete data. Most boys were in the second Tanner stage, followed by the third Tanner stage. The mean ( sd) age of the entire population was 13.33 (1.25) years. Of the 345 included participants the mean ( sd) left TV was 7.67 (5.63) mL and right TV was 7.97 (5.90) mL. The mean ( sd) TAI was 2.85 (17.00)%. In all, 203 (58.84%) boys had a smaller left testis and 142 (41.16%) had a smaller right testis. In all, 51 boys (14.78%) had a TAI >20%, 45 (13.04%) had a TV difference (TVD) of >2 mL with a deficit in left TV, and 69 (20.00)% had a TAI >20% or a TVD of >2 mL with a deficit in left TV. Related‐samples Wilcoxon signed‐rank test showed a significant difference in mean left and right TV for the entire population, and more specifically for TSG3 (P < 0.001) and TSP3 (P = 0.004). A one‐sample t‐test showed a significant difference in the mean TAI vs the test value of 0 for the entire population (P = 0.002), and more specifically for TSG3 (P < 0.001) and TSP3 (P = 0.003). Conclusion: Testicular asymmetry, with a smaller left testis, was seen in a considerable number of healthy adolescents. One out of five adolescents had a smaller left testis and met one of the threshold values currently used in varicocoele management. Therefore, in left‐sided unilateral inguinoscrotal pathology, a smaller ipsilateral testis in combination with a TAI of >20% and/or TVD of >2 mL requires careful interpretation and serial measurements of TV should always be performed. Furthermore, this study provides reference values for TV, TVD and TAI according to TSG and TSP for a healthy adolescent population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND Pubic atrichosis or hypotrichosis is quite common among Korean women. Although Korean people are increasingly opening up to Western culture, pubic hair transplantation is still pursued for cultural reasons. However, many hesitate to undergo restorative surgery because follicular unit strip surgery would leave a linear donor scar, preventing patients from hiding their surgical history. Thus, follicle harvesting using nonshaven follicular unit extraction (NS-FUE), aside from many other strengths, is very useful when performing pubic restorative surgery. There has been no previous report concerning the effectiveness of NS-FUE for treating pubic atrichosis or hypotrichosis. OBJECTIVE To investigate the effectiveness of NS-FUE when performing pubic restorative surgery. MATERIALS AND METHODS The 50 patients who were included in the study underwent pubic hair restoration using NS-FUE between March 2014 and June 2016 at Dana Plastic Surgery Clinic (Seoul, Korea), and were followed for at least 10 months afterward. Patients and the surgeon completed a survey about donor and recipient site surgical results using a 5-point Likert scale. RESULTS The average satisfaction scores of patients and surgeon were 4.5 and 4.6, respectively. CONCLUSION Nonshaven follicular unit extraction is one of the most effective harvesting methods when performing restorative surgery for patients with pubic atrichosis or hypotrichosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The effects of environmental lead exposure in the neuro-endocrine system have been shown to impact the maturation and tempo of puberty development in adolescents. In low and middle income countries very little is known regarding the detrimental health effects of childhood lead exposure with regard to the tempo of puberty development. To help address this gap in data, we examined the association between lead exposure and puberty progression in males and females. Study participants from the urban Birth to Twenty Plus (BT20+) birth cohort in Soweto-Johannesburg, South Africa with data for blood lead levels at age 13 years, cord blood lead levels, pubic hair development and breast development in females, and pubic hair development and genital development in males, were included in this study. The sample comprised 1416 study participants ( n = 684 females). Pubertal development trajectory classes were defined using Latent Class Growth Analysis. Data were examined for (i) an association between cord blood lead levels and pubertal trajectory classes; and (ii) an association between blood lead levels at age 13 years and pubertal trajectory classes. In females, there was an association between adolescent elevated blood lead levels (≥5 μg/dL) and lower level of maturation at age 9 years and slower progression of pubic hair and breast development (relative risk ratio (RRR) = 0.45, p < 0.0001; 95% CI (0.29–0.68)) and (RRR = 0.46, p < 0.01; 95% CI (0.27–0.77)), respectively. In males, elevated blood lead levels at birth were associated with slower tempo of pubic hair development (RRR = 0.20, p < 0.05). Findings from this study suggest a possible role for environmental lead in altering pubertal development in South African adolescents as shown by slower tempo of progression through the Tanner stages pubertal development in females and males. There were also gender-differences between the effects of prenatal and postnatal lead exposure during pubertal development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: There is an association between puberty and depression, but many things remain poorly understood. When assessing puberty in females, most studies combine indicators of breast and pubic hair development which are controlled by different hormonal pathways. The contributions of pubertal timing (age at onset) and pubertal status (stage of development, irrespective of timing) are also poorly understood. We tested the hypothesis that stage of breast development in female adolescents, controlled largely by increased estradiol, would be more strongly associated with depression than pubic hair development which occurs in both males and females, and is controlled by adrenal androgens. We investigated whether this association was independent of pubertal timing. Methods: ROOTS is an ongoing cohort of 1,238 adolescents (54% female) recruited in Cambridgeshire (UK) at age 14.5, and followed-up at ages 16 and 17.5. Depression was assessed using the Mood and Feelings Questionnaire (MFQ) and clinical interview. Breast and pubic hair development were assessed at 14.5, using Tanner rating scales. Results: For each increase in Tanner breast stage at 14.5, depressive symptoms increased by 1.4 MFQ points (95% CI 0.6 to 2.3), irrespective of age at onset. Pubic hair status was only associated with depressive symptoms before adjustment for breast status, and was not associated with depression in males. The same pattern was observed longitudinally, and for depression diagnoses. Limitations: We did not directly measure hormone levels, our findings are observational, and the study had a relatively low response rate. Conclusions: Females at more advanced stages of breast development are at increased risk of depression, even if their age at pubertal onset is not early. Alongside social and psychological factors, hormones controlling breast but not pubic hair development may contribute to increased incidence of female depression during puberty. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Study Objective This study identified the prevalence of menarche and coincident sexual characteristics in female adolescents with Hutchinson-Gilford Progeria Syndrome (HGPS). Design Data were examined to determine the prevalence of menarche in female adolescents older than 12 years; all were participants in clinical trials between 2007 and 2016. Setting Pediatric hospital in Boston, Massachusetts. Participants Fifteen female adolescents, median age 15 (range, 12.0-20.3) years with a confirmed diagnosis of HGPS. Interventions and Main Outcome Measures Report of menarche, anthropometric and serum hormonal measures, Tanner pubertal staging, and body composition using dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry. Results Nine of 15 (60%) participants reported spontaneous menarche at a median age of 14.4 years (range, 12.0-16.5 years). In those experiencing menarche vs not, median age was older (16.5 vs 13.6 years; P = .02), whereas body mass index did not differ (10.5 vs 10.4; P = .53) nor percentage body fat (19.4% vs. 19.3%; P = .98) or serum leptin levels (0.40 vs 0.40 ng/mL; P = .23). Among those who achieved menarche, 2 of 9 (22%) had Tanner II breast development and 2 of 9 (22%) exhibited Tanner II Pubic hair, all reflecting minimal pubertal development. Only early signs of puberty were similarly seen in the non-menstruating group, including 1 of 6 (17%) with Tanner II breasts and 2 of 6 (33%) with Tanner II pubic hair, and Tanner staging did not differ between those who reported menarche vs those who did not (each P = 1.0). None of the participants achieved Tanner IV or V thelarche over the course of the study. Conclusion Menarche was achieved in more than half of adolescent girls with HGPS, in the setting of little to no physical signs of pubertal development and minimal body fat. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Body hair removal is a behaviour that has become normative among women in Westernised cultures, and is presented by the media as the feminine ideal, despite being painful and a potential cause of infection. Of concern, removal may be part of a more global pattern of appearance dissatisfaction and risky sexual behaviour. The aim of the present study was to examine the relationships among pubic hair removal, body image and sexual health indicators.Methods: Women (n=264; Mage=33.82, s.d.=11.13, range=18-66) completed self-report questionnaires assessing these constructs, including an assessment of body hair removal practices.Results: Greater appearance concerns (as measured by thin-ideal internalisation, appearance investment and self-objectification) and sexual health indicators (i.e. less condom use self-efficacy when a partner disapproves of condom use) all predicted greater importance of reasons for pubic hair removal (R2=0.315, F(8184)=9.97, P<0.001), controlling for age groups. Additionally, women who removed a greater amount of hair reported more thin-ideal internalisation and appearance investment than those who removed less hair.Conclusions: Women who express stronger reasoning for pubic hair removal, and remove a larger amount of it, may endorse problematic beliefs and behaviours particularly related to appearance concerns. It is important for practitioners to consider this practice as distinct from grooming and to be aware of its association with a broader array of risky beliefs and behaviours that can compromise women's well-being. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]