Puberty

Changes in the Onset of Puberty

File photo | Credit: FatherlyOpens in new window Puberty is the result of a series of hormonal events during which young adolescents undergo the physical and neuroendocrine changes that are required to reach sexual maturity.

Three characteristics describe puberty:

1. It is controlled and sustained by hormones
2. There are changes in body height, weight, and shape, and
3. It is associated with changes in behavior and mood.

What is perhaps most fascinating about puberty is that, although the physical manifestations occur at a discrete point in development, puberty is actually a long process that is influenced by many factors, including some that occur much earlier in life. Even characteristics that are observed in infancy are linked to puberty in adolescence. In fact, puberty is simply one aspect of reproductive life rather than the only event. It is also strongly influenced by sociocultural and environmental factors.

Take a brief moment to think about what you know about puberty. Most people associate puberty with a girl’s first menstrual period or facial hair in boys; although those are certainly key characteristics of puberty, it is much more complex and interesting than that.

Did you know that a girl’s first period occurs pretty late in her pubertal development? Or that puberty is beginning earlier and earlier across generations? In this literature series we’ll review the basic characteristics of puberty, including the physical growth spurt and which hormones are key playersOpens in new window in the beginning of puberty.

Now let’s focus on the various pubertal changes, the key characteristics that take place in boys and girls.

Puberty tends to start earlier in girls (females) than in boys (males). Generally, girls attain puberty at a lower age of 10 to 13 years while boys reach puberty at a comparatively higher age of 12 to 14 years.

At puberty, many changes occur in the bodies of boys and girls. In both, boys as well as girls, there is a rapid increase in the rate of growth (height, etc.) during puberty.

Puberty is marked by the development of secondary sexual characteristics in boys and girls (such as growth of facial hair and deeper voice in boys; and development of breasts and start of menstruation in girls). The most significant sign of puberty in girls is the beginning of menstruation (or monthly periods).

The various changes which occur in boys during puberty are as follows:

• Hair grow on the face of boys (in the form of moustache and beard), and on chest.
• Voice deepens in boys. It becomes low pitched voice.
• Testes start to make sperms.
• Testes and penis become larger.
• Chest and shoulders of boys broaden (become wider).
• Body becomes muscular (due to development of muscles).
• Hair grow in armpits and in pubic regions (genital area) between the thighs.
• Rapid increase in height occurs.
• Feelings and sexual drives associated with adulthood begin to develop.

The various changes which occur in girls during puberty include the following:

• Breats develop and enlarge in girls.
• Ovaries start to release eggs (or ova).
• Menstruation (monthly periods) begin.
• Ovaries, oviducts, uterus and vagina enlarge.
• Hips of girls broaden (become wider). Extra fat is deposited on hips and thighs.
• Hair grow in armpits and in pubic regions (genital area) between the thighs (This change is the same as in boys).
• Rapid increase in height occurs (This change is the same as in boys).
• Feelings and sexual drives associated with adulthood begin to develop (This change is also the same as in boys.).

All the changes which occur in boys and girls at puberty are brought about by various hormones. When a boy or girl reaches puberty, he (or she) becomes an adolescent. Adolescence continues until the age of about 18 (or 19) years when the growth stops and the person becomes an adult.

Changes at puberty

In this segment, we will discuss in details, some of the changes which take place in adolescent boys and girls at puberty.

1.   Increase in Height

The most conspicuous change (clearly visible change) during puberty is the sudden increase in the height of boys and girls.

At the time of puberty, the long bones (the bones of arms and legs) elongate or lengthen and make a person tall. Thus, children gain a lot of height during puberty. Initially, girls grow faster than boys but by about 18 years of age, both boys and girls reach their maximum height. Generally, the maximum height of girls is slightly less than that of boys.

The rate of growth in height varies in different persons. Some boys and girls may grow suddenly at puberty and then slow down, while others may grow gradually. All the parts of the body do not grow at the same rate. Sometimes the arms and legs, or hands and feet of adolescent boys and girls look oversized and out of proportion with the body. But soon the other parts catch up with them in growth. This results in a more proportionate body.

It’s important to bear in mind that the height of a person depends on the genes inherited from the parents. For example, if both the parents (or one of the parents) are very tall, the son or daughter is likely to be very tall. The height of a person is more or less similar to that of some family member.

2.   Change in Body Shape and Appearance

When a child is small, sometimes it becomes difficult to tell from appearance whether the child is a boy or a girl. This is because small boys and girls have the same body shape. So, it is usually the type of clothes worn by a small child which help us in telling whether the child is a boy or a girl (and not the child's body shape). When puberty sets in, a time of rapid changes in body shape and appearance starts in boys and girls which make the boys and girls look different from one another.

Actually, testes in boys and ovaries in girls make different hormones which make the bodies of boys and girls to develop in different ways. so, the changes in body shape occurring in adolescent boys and girls at puberty are different. Some of the changes in body shape and appearance in boys and girls brought about by the onset of puberty are as follows:

• Boys develop broader shoulders and wider chests than girls.
• Girls develop broader hips than boys. Due to this, the region below the waist becomes wider in girls.
• Boys develop more muscle than girls. So, the body of boys looks more muscular than that of girls.
• Girls develop breasts. This also changes the body shape of grown up girls and makes them look different from boys.
• Boys develop Adam’s Apple (a bulge in front of throat) which makes them look different from girls.
• Boys develop facial hair (moustache and beard) but the girls do not have facial hair. So, growth of facial hair makes boys look different from girls.

3.   Change in Voice

When we are talking, our voice (or sound) is produced by the voice box. The voice box is in our throat. Voice box is also called larynx. At puberty, the voice box (or larynx) begins to grow in boys as well as in girls.

The growth of voice box in boys is much more than the growth of voice box in girls. Due to this, the voice box in boys becomes much bigger than the voice box in girls. This means that the grown up boys have a bigger voice box in their throat whereas grown up girls have a smaller voice box in their throats.

The bigger voice box in boys gives deeper voice (or low pitched voice) to the boys. Thus, the voice of boys changes at puberty and becomes deeper because their voice boxes enlarge too much and become bigger in size. The bigger (or larger) voice box in a grown up boy can be seen as a bulge (or projection) in front of the throat (or neck).

The bulge (or projection) at the front of throat or neck in grown up boys is called Adam’s Apple. Adam’s Apple is formed in grown up boys because of their bigger voice box in the throat.

It is called an Adam’s Apple after the story of Adam (the first man created by God) and Eve (the first woman created by God) described in Bible in which Adam ate a piece of forbidden fruit (apple) in the Garden of Eden which got stuck in his throat. An Adam’s Apple sometimes looks like a small rounded apple just under the skin in front of the throat. Thus, Adam’s Apple is a feature of throat (or neck) of grown up boys. It is a bulge (or bumpt) in the throat or neck.

A rough and harsh voice is called ‘hoarse’ voice. In adolescent boys, sometimes the muscles of the growing voice box go out of control due to which their voice becomes hoarse. This state of hoarseness of voice may remain for a few days or few weeks after which the voice becomes normal. During this time, the vocal cords of the voice box (or larynx) get adjusted to the new, bigger size of the voice box.

In girls, the voice box (or larynx) is comparatively small in size due to which it is hardly visible from outside. So, girls do not develop Adam’s Apple at puberty. The smaller voice box in girls gives shrill voice (high pitched voice) to the girls.

Before we go further, we should know the meaning of the terms such as pimples, acne, sebaceous glands and sweat glands.

• Pimples are small red spots on the face of a person.
• Acne is a skin marked by the eruption of numerous red pimples on the face.

Sebaceous glands are the small glands in the skin which secrete an ‘oil’ (called sebum) through skin pores to lubricate and protect the surface of skin. Sebaceous glands are commonly known as ‘oil glands’. Sweat glands are the tiny glands in the skin which secrete ‘sweat’ (pasina).

4.   Development of Pimples and Acne on the Face

Many young boys and girls get pimples and acne on the face during puberty. The pimples and acne are formed due to the increased activity of sebaceous glands and sweat glands present in the skin. This happens as follows: The level of hormones in boys and girls rises too much at puberty. These hormones stimulate the sebaceous glands and sweat glands present in the skin.

The increased activity of sebaceous glands (oil glands) causes them to secrete more ‘oil’ and the increased activity of sweat glands makes them secrete more sweat. The excess oil and sweat get collected in the tiny pores of the skin. The accumulation of oil, sweat and dead skin cells blocks the tiny pores in the skin of the face.

Bacteria grow in the mixture of oil, sweat and dead skin cells in the ‘blocked skin pores’ causing the swelling and redness of skin which leads to the formation of pimples. Thus, pimples are caused by the clogged and infected skin pores. When outbreaks of too many pimples occur often, it is considered acne.

Pimples and acne occur most commonly during adolescence. In most boys and girls, pimples and acne diminish over time and tend to disappear by the time one reacheds the age of 18 or 19 years. In some, they continue into adulthood.

5.   Development of Sex Organs

The onset of puberty brings about complete growth and development of sex organs in boys and girls due to which their reproductive systems start functioning at this stage. For example:

1. At puberty, the male sex organs like testes and penis enlarge and develop completely. The testes begin to produce male sex cells called ‘sperms’ at puberty. This makes the male (boy’s) reproductive system functional at puberty.
2. At puberty, the female sex organs like ovaries, oviducts and uterus enlarge and develop completely. The eggs (or ova) begin to mature at this stage. The ovaries start releasing mature eggs (or ova) at puberty. This makes the female (girl’s) reproductive system functional at puberty.

6.   Reaching Mental, Intellectual and Emotional Maturity

When a person reaches puberty, he (or she) becomes an adolescent. AdolescenceOpens in new window continues to the age of 18 or 19 years. During adolescence, a boy (or girl) reaches mental, intellectual and emotional maturity.

• Adolescence is a period which brings maturity in a person’s way of thinking. At this stage, adolescent boys and girls spend considerable time thinking about many things occurring in their minds. During adolescence, mental maturity makes the boys and girls more independent than before.
• Adolescence is a period which also brings intellectual maturity. Due to intellectual development, the boys and girls get into the habit of reasoning, and understanding things objectively. In fact, adolescence is the time in one’s life when the brain has the greatest capacity for learning..
• The changes which occur in the body of boys and girls during adolescence may cause emotional swings. These emotional swings show intense feelings such as joy, anger, boredom, worries or sadness which are not based on reasoning or knowledge. The adolescents also become self-conscious (unduly aware of one’s actions leading to nervousness).
  
  Sometimes, the adolescents feel insecure (not confident) while trying to adjust to the changes in body and mind. There is, however, no reason to feel insecure. The changes which take place in body and mind during adolescence are a natural part of the growing up process. Every human being has to pass through this stage. Our parents have passed through this stage, now we are passing though this stage, and one day our children will also pass through this stage in life.