Puberty can feel confusing and even a bit scary. Your body starts changing in ways you might not understand. Maybe you notice you are getting taller fast. Or you see hair growing in places it didn't before. These changes are normal and happen to everyone. Understanding what to expect makes puberty easier.
Puberty is the time when your body transitions from a child to an adult. During this phase, your body develops in ways that allow you to have children someday. Physical changes during puberty are caused by hormones. These are chemical messengers that tell your body what to do. For girls, the brain tells the ovaries to make estrogen. For boys, the brain tells the testicles to make testosterone. These sex hormones trigger various bodily changes during puberty.
Signs of puberty in boys and girls show up at different ages. For girls, puberty begins between the ages of 8 and 13. Most girls begin around age 10 or 11. For boys, puberty begins between 9 and 14 years old. Most boys begin around age 11 or 12. Usually, boys begin puberty about two years after girls.
Girls notice several body changes during puberty. These changes follow a pattern, though not at the same pace for everyone.
For about 85% of girls, breast development is the first sign of puberty. Small bumps called breast buds appear under the nipples. It is normal for one breast to grow faster than the other. They even out over time. Breasts can feel tender or sore as they grow. This discomfort usually resolves with time. Full breast development takes one to two years.
Dark, coarse hair begins to grow around the vulva (the external genital area). This pubic hair starts out thin and gets thicker and curlier over time. About 12 to 14 months after breast buds appear, hair starts growing under the arms. Hair on the legs and arms darkens and becomes more noticeable.
Girls have a major growth spurt during puberty. This usually happens one to two years before the first period. During the growth spurt, girls grow 5 to 20 centimetres (about 2 to 8 inches) taller. During this period, rapid growth occurs. You might notice your feet, hands, and face grow before your arms and legs catch up. This can make you feel awkward or clumsy. Don't worry about it. Proportions balance out over time. Most girls reach their peak height by age 16. Some keep growing until age 20. After getting their period, most girls grow only another 1 to 2 inches before they stop growing.
A girl's hips widen during puberty. Body fat increases, especially on the hips, thighs, and buttocks. This gives girls a curvier shape.
The first period usually comes about two years after breast development starts. For most girls, this happens between ages 9 and 16. Periods signal that the body has become capable of pregnancy. Early periods might be irregular. It can take a year or two for periods to become regular.
Girls also experience:
Boys undergo different body changes during puberty than girls do. Their changes follow a pattern, too.
For boys, the first sign of puberty is testicle enlargement. The scrotum (the sack that holds the testicles) gets bigger and darker. This change is subtle and easy to miss. About a year after the testicles start growing, the penis grows longer and wider. It is normal for one testicle to be bigger than the other. Full genital growth takes about three to four years.
Pubic hair appears 18 to 24 months after the testicles start growing. Many boys think this is the first sign of puberty because they can easily see it. Dark, coarse hair grows above the penis and on the scrotum. Later, hair grows under the arms, on the face, chest, and legs. Some young men continue to develop more body hair well into their 20s.
Boys have their growth spurt later than girls. It usually happens about six months after pubic hair appears. For most boys, the major growth spurt occurs between ages 12 and 15. At their fastest growth, boys grow about 9 centimetres (3.5 inches) each year. Growth spurts for boys last longer than for girls. This is why adult men are, on average, taller than adult women. Some parts of the body grow faster than others. Like girls, boys’ feet, arms, legs, and hands may grow before their torso does. This can make them feel clumsy for a while. Most boys stop growing by age 17 or 18. However, some continue to grow into their early 20s. This is especially true for late bloomers who hit puberty later.
A boy's shoulders get broader during puberty, and muscle mass increases. They gain weight and develop more defined muscles. Their faces become less round and more adult-like, while their jaws get wider.
Testosterone makes the voice box (larynx) grow larger. You can see this growth as the Adam's apple. As the larynx grows, the voice deepens. Voice changes don't happen overnight. Sometimes the voice cracks or suddenly shifts between high and low. This is normal and won’t last long. Within a few months, the voice becomes deeper and stays that way.
During puberty, boys have erections more often. An erection is when the penis gets hard. Erections can happen when boys feel nervous, excited, or for no reason at all. This can feel embarrassing, but are a normal part of development. The body also begins producing sperm. Semen (the fluid that carries sperm) can be released during an erection. This is called ejaculation. Sometimes ejaculation happens during sleep. This is called a wet dream or nocturnal emission. Wet dreams are normal and part of how the body prepares to make sperm.
Some boys develop small amounts of breast tissue during puberty, called gynecomastia. This is caused by hormone changes. This usually disappears on its own within 6 to 18 months. If it lasts longer or becomes more noticeable, see a doctor.
Boys also experience:
Physical changes during puberty transform your body from a child's to an adult's. These changes happen because of sex hormones. Puberty happens in boys and girls at different times and follows different patterns. Understanding these body changes during puberty helps you know what to expect. Puberty is a normal, healthy part of growing up. Your body knows what to do. Give it time, take care of yourself, and ask for help when you need it.
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Puberty is when your body changes from a child's body to an adult's body. It happens because your brain releases hormones. These hormones tell your ovaries (in girls) or testicles (in boys) to make sex hormones estrogen and testosterone. These sex hormones trigger physical changes during puberty, like growth spurts, body hair, and sexual development. Puberty prepares your body to reproduce someday. It's a natural part of development that everyone goes through.
For girls, puberty starts between ages 8 and 13, with most beginning around 10 or 11. For boys, puberty begins between ages 9 and 14, with most beginning around 11 or 12. Boys start about two years later than girls. Every person is different. Starting earlier or later than friends is normal. Genetics, nutrition, and health affect timing. See a doctor if puberty starts before age 8 in girls or 9 in boys.
For about 85% of girls, breast development is the first sign. Small bumps called breast buds appear under the nipples. Breasts can feel sore, and one may develop more quickly than the other. Some girls notice pubic hair growth first instead. Within a year or two, additional signs of puberty in boys and girls appear: more pubic and underarm hair, body odour, acne, growth spurts, and changes in body shape. The first period comes about 2 years after breast development starts.
A growth spurt occurs because sex hormones (estrogen and testosterone) signal bones to grow faster. These hormones signal the growth plates and the soft tissues at bone ends to rapidly form new bone. Before puberty, children grow about 2-2.4 inches yearly. During puberty, girls grow 5-20 centimetres and boys grow about 9 centimetres per year at peak growth. Thus, the puberty body changes are explained and justify the sudden height increase. Nutrition and sleep also matter since growth hormones are released during deep sleep.
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