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Everyone’s Gotta Go Through It

Puberty is the time when your body is changing from a child to an adult. It is preparing itself for reproduction. There are outside changes that you will see as well as some inside changes that you might not notice at first. Puberty can be awkward and confusing but eventually it will all pass. With your new body also come new responsibilities for taking care of it.

EVERYONE IS DIFFERENT

Not everyone develops in the same way or at the same pace. There is no exact formula for when the changes that make up puberty will happen or what the results will be. Eventually everyone more or less catches up so don’t panic and start comparing your body to your friends’.

WHAT'S GOING ON?

Puberty starts when the brain signals for the release of a hormone known as GnRH (gonadotropin-releasing hormone). This usually occurs sometime after age 8 for girls and after age 10 for boys. This hormone hits the pituitary gland in your brain (this is the little gland that regulates the release of most of the hormones in your body). Two more hormones are then let loose throughout your body- LH (luteinizing hormone) and FSH (follicle-stimulating hormone).

Why is the body sending out all these hormones? Hormones sometimes act as message carriers for the brain. These hormones head to the testes in boys and the ovaries in girls with the message- “It’s time to get ready.” Boys will begin to produce testosterone and sperm while girls will begin to produce estrogen and the uterus gets ready for a possible pregnancy. From that point on, every boy and girl is capable of creating a child which means new responsibilities.

WHAT WILL I SEE?

Girls

Breast development (for many girls, breast development can cause soreness and be slightly uneven)
Growth spurt
Acne
Body odor
Weight gain
Pubic hair growth
Underarm hair growth
Periods begin
Other vaginal discharges

Boys

Increased testicle and penis size
Pubic hair growth
Underarm hair growth
Body odor
Enlargement of hands and feet (first signs of growth spurt)
Growth spurt (can occur very fast at the end of puberty)
Facial hair
Acne
Deepening voice (that’s where the “cracking comes from”)
Weight gain
Increase in muscle mass
Erections

All of these physical changes are the result of new hormones flowing through your body. Hormones have an effect on your moods and emotions as well as you body. Next time you slam that door on your parents even though you know you really have no reason to be mad- remember that it may just be your body adjusting to the mixed messages it is receiving.

EMOTIONAL SIGNS OF PUBERTY

Moodiness
A new concern about looks
Overly emotional
Hyper-sensitivity
Awkward/Easily embarrassed
Short temper
Extra anxiety

Quick Facts

50% of boys develop extra breast tissue during puberty which usually disappears or becomes unnoticeable after about 6 months.

When puberty comes to a person early (before age 7 or 8) it is called Precocious Puberty

Exercise and good nutrition are very important during puberty.

Boys can sometimes experience a growth spurt almost overnight, causing them to lose a lot of their coordination for short periods of time.

The information provided on this site should not replace your physician’s advice.