What is puberty

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Skip to main content. Young people Home Young people Actions for this page Listen Print. Summary Read the full fact sheet. On this page. Physical changes for girls around puberty Physical changes for boys around puberty Emotional changes for girls and boys around puberty Support of parents and carers through puberty Parenting a child through puberty Where to get help.

Physical changes for girls around puberty The physical changes that happen for girls around puberty include: Body shape - Your hips will widen and your body will get curvier. Height - You will grow taller. Acne - You may develop acne. This is a condition of the skin that shows up as bumps — most commonly on the face, neck, shoulders, upper back and chest.

These bumps can be blackheads, whiteheads, pimples, or cysts. Hormonal changes during puberty cause acne in teens. Sometimes the breasts are different sizes. The breasts may be tender during this time. This is normal, but speak with your doctor if you are worried. Hair growth - Hair will start to grow around the pubic area and under your arms, and hair on your legs and arms will darken.

Vaginal discharge - You may start to get a clear or whitish discharge from your vagina. This is a normal, natural self-cleaning process. Some males also experience swelling around their nipples during puberty. This usually goes away. In around half of males, it can last a few months or a few years. The chest and shoulders tend to become broader, and most people have growth spurts. The total amount of body fat typically starts to drop as muscle develops. A person may start having involuntary erections and wet dreams , or ejaculation while sleeping.

They may wake up with damp sheets. This can happen automatically and is not necessarily the result of sex dreams or touching the penis, though these, too, are normal. At what age do males stop growing? Intersex is an umbrella term for differences in sex development DSD. This can include differences in genitalia, hormones, chromosomes, or internal anatomy. There are many forms of DSD, and different people can have very different experiences during puberty.

The Intersex Society of North America point out that some people do not know about these differences until puberty begins. Some people do not experience all the usual, expected changes of puberty. Others may go through puberty later than usual, for example, or they might develop characteristics that do not align with their gender identity. Some people decide to help their bodies match their gender.

This might involve taking hormones or undergoing surgery, among other options. Others decide not to. There is no right or wrong answer. It provides information about the changes that happen during puberty, both inside and outside the body and brain.

The website includes a Your Puberty section, which looks at the changes that people might expect based on various conditions that affect sex development, including androgen insensitivity syndrome, gonadal dysgenesis, congenital adrenal hyperplasia, and other DSDs.

This is when puberty begins in females younger than 8 or males younger than 9. In most cases , early puberty is not a problem and does not require medical treatment. Common signs of early puberty are the appearance of pubic hair and body odor. A female might have early breast development, but this is often fatty tissue and may not lead to progressive growth. In some cases, early puberty can signal a health problem, such as a genetic condition, a hormonal condition, a brain abnormality, or a problem with the testes, ovaries, or adrenal gland.

To address the issue, a doctor may recommend treatments to temporarily stop the effects of the hormones involved, especially if the underlying hormonal imbalance could cause problems later in life, such as weak bones or a lack of growth. Meanwhile, research suggests that puberty is starting earlier now than in previous generations. In girls: The first sign of puberty is usually breast development. Then hair grows in the pubic area and armpits. Menstruation or a period usually happens last.

In boys: Puberty usually begins with the testicles and penis getting bigger. Muscles grow, the voice deepens, and facial hair develops as puberty continues. Start Here. Go to whole of WA Government Search. Open search bar Open navigation Submit search. Healthy living. Facebook Youtube Twitter. Home Healthy living Puberty. Last reviewed: Acknowledgements Public Health.

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