Dr Carmen Briner

Home
South Africa
Cape Town
Dr Carmen Briner

GP | Women’s & girls’ health
Puberty • Periods • Perimenopause
Helping you feel informed & supported

I’m a GP with a background in public health and a special interest in women’s and female adolescent health. I offer care for periods, contraception, menopause & weight management, plus puberty guidance for parents & t(w)eens.

03/03/2026

Recent reports about endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs) in menstrual products have understandably caused concern among women and parents.
‌
The recent University of the Free State study detected certain chemicals, including phthalates, parabens, and bisphenols, in sanitary pads and pantyliners sold locally.
These substances are used in plastics, fragrances, adhesives, and packaging.
Importantly, the study measured the presence of these chemicals in the products themselves. It did not measure how much is absorbed into the body during normal use, nor did it assess health outcomes.
‌
EDCs are chemicals that can interfere with hormone signalling under certain conditions. We are exposed to them from many sources in daily life, including food packaging, cosmetics, plastics, dust, water, and air, not just menstrual products.
‌
At sufficiently high exposures, some EDCs have been associated in research studies with reproductive effects, developmental changes, thyroid disruption, metabolic effects, and certain cancers. However, much of this evidence comes from animal studies, occupational exposure, or population-level data, not specifically from menstrual product use.
‌
At present, we do not have clear evidence that EDCs in menstrual products cause measurable harm in typical users. One of the biggest unknowns is absorption, how much actually enters the body during real-world use.
‌
Future research still needs to clarify how much of these chemicals people are actually exposed to per menstrual cycle and how factors like heavier bleeding or longer periods might influence that exposure.
‌
For those who are concerned, practical steps include choosing fragrance-free products, certified organic options, or reusable products such as menstrual cups or period underwear, whichever feels safest and most comfortable for you.
‌
Research in this area is evolving, and greater transparency from manufacturers is likely to improve over time. In the meantime, our role as parents is to make informed and balanced decisions, without unnecessary anxiety.
‌

23/02/2026

Raising a girl through puberty can feel overwhelming, especially when it seems to arrive before you’ve had time to prepare.

The Puberty Preparedness Kit was created to support both parents and girls through this transition together, giving adults clear guidance on what’s happening, while helping young girls understand and feel more confident in their changing bodies.

Inside you’ll find tools to help you:

• Understand what’s happening in her body
• Support emotional and behavioural changes
• Talk about periods openly and without awkwardness
• Build confidence, body awareness, and self-trust
• Reduce anxiety around the unknown, for both of you

It includes printable trackers, affirmation cards, educational pages, and conversation prompts designed specifically for the tween years.

Designed for early puberty - before changes begin, during the first signs, or just after a first period.

Download available now on my website - link in bio.

PubertySupport

17/02/2026

Heavy menstrual bleeding is one of the most common concerns I see in practice.

Many people assume periods are supposed to involve large amounts of blood, when in reality the typical loss is around 30–40 mL per cycle. Medically, heavy bleeding is defined as roughly 80 mL or more.

But outside of research settings, no one is measuring volume in a jug. In clinical practice, what matters more is impact.
Bleeding that soaks protection very quickly, requires frequent changes, disrupts sleep, causes accidents, or leads to missed school, sport, or social activities is not something to ignore.

Over time, heavy bleeding can lead to iron deficiency, fatigue, reduced concentration, and lower quality of life, especially in adolescents.

Heavy periods are common, but they are not something someone should simply have to tolerate. Effective treatments exist, and assessment can help identify both causes and solutions.

09/02/2026

If you’re feeling unsure about how to talk to your daughter about puberty, you’re not alone.

Most of us were never taught how to have these conversations ourselves. So of course it feels awkward now.

That’s why I created the Puberty Preparedness Kit - a digital guide to help moms and daughters navigate puberty together.

Inside, you’ll find:
✔️ Clear explanations of body changes & periods
✔️ Language to help you know what to say
✔️ Tween-friendly pages written directly to her
✔️ Conversation starters, printables & trackers

This isn’t a once-off talk. It’s support for many small conversations over time.

🔗 Link in bio

05/02/2026

One of the quieter challenges I see in practice is parents feeling unsure about how much control to hold onto as children move into adolescence.

Wanting independence is normal. Being ready to self-govern is something that develops much later.

During puberty, the emotional and reward centres of the brain mature before the systems responsible for regulation and long-term decision-making.

This is why guidance around sleep, routines, food, and boundaries still matters, even when children push back.

Letting go doesn’t mean stepping aside completely. It means gradually handing over responsibility, in line with development.

Independence grows best inside structure 🤍

02/02/2026

Early signs of puberty often raise understandable concern - not because something is usually wrong, but because the normal range is wider than many parents expect.
‌
In general practice, decisions aren’t made based on a single sign. What matters medically is timing, pace, and pattern.
‌
Gradual changes that follow a typical sequence, especially when there’s a family pattern of earlier or later development, often just need monitoring over time.
‌
What prompts further assessment is puberty that starts very early, progresses rapidly, or comes with other symptoms that don’t fit the usual developmental pattern.
‌
In practice, a GP’s role is usually to take a careful history, track growth and development over time, and decide whether monitoring alone is appropriate or whether further assessment is needed. When investigations are required, they’re guided by the clinical picture.
‌
This is why context matters more than one sign, and why many of these conversations are best had early, with medical guidance, rather than in reaction to a single change.
‌

27/01/2026

Mood changes are one of the most common concerns I hear about during puberty.
‌
Not because every child is struggling, but because the emotional shifts can be sudden, intense, and hard to make sense of.
‌
During puberty, the brain regions that process emotion, reward, and social stress mature earlier than the systems responsible for impulse control and emotional regulation. Add in hormonal change and disrupted sleep, and everyday experiences can feel much bigger than they did before.
‌
For most children, this is a normal part of neurodevelopment. What matters clinically is how severe the changes are, how long they last, and whether they begin to interfere with daily functioning.
‌
This is why context, not just behaviour, is so important when we’re deciding what needs support.
‌

21/01/2026

Puberty doesn’t just change the body, it actually remodels the brain. And this is where many parents get caught off guard.

One of the most important shifts during puberty is how emotions and self-control develop. The parts of the brain responsible for emotion, reward, and social sensitivity mature earlier and more rapidly than the areas responsible for impulse control, perspective, and emotional regulation. So, for a period of time, children experience stronger emotions with fewer internal brakes.

Dopamine and reward sensitivity increase, making everyday experiences and emotions like excitement, frustration, embarrassment, rejection, feel more intense excitement. And at the same time, sleep patterns shift, and ongoing sleep debt further reduces emotional regulation. What we see as a result are reactions that often feel bigger than the situation would suggest.

This isn’t defiance or a personality change. It’s a normal stage of brain development that usually settles as regulatory systems mature.

Understanding this physiology helps parents respond with more clarity and less blame - toward their child, and toward themselves.

15/01/2026

Painful or heavy periods are often normalised, especially in teenagers.
‌
But from a medical perspective, there’s an important difference between common and acceptable.
‌
Periods that cause significant pain, heavy bleeding, anaemia, or disruption to daily life deserve proper assessment - at any age.
‌
In practice, this often starts with listening carefully, tracking symptoms, and deciding whether reassurance, treatment, or investigation is appropriate.
‌
Period concerns are valid concerns!

Address

Cape Town

Website

http://www.drcarmenbriner.co.za/

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when Dr Carmen Briner posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Want your practice to be the top-listed Clinic in Cape Town?