What causes the body to change during puberty?

Ahh, puberty…when we start to feel like real-life science experiments. Suddenly our faces sprout volcano-like bumps, hair grows in new and unusual places (hello there armpit hair), emotions run wild (cue the tears for no reason), and suddenly everyone around us becomes so incredibly attractive (not). If you’re reading this article, chances are you’ve got some questions about what’s going on and why your body seems to be changing faster than an Instagram influencer changes their outfit.

Don’t worry kiddo, we’ve got you covered! We’re not doctors or scientists by any means – just regular people who have been there done that! So let’s dive right into it!

First things first…What even is puberty?

Puberty is a time when our bodies go through a lot of changes so we can become adults (woohoo adulthood, said no one ever!). It starts somewhere between ages 8-14 years old for most people – although some may experience it as early as age 6 or as late as age 18.

The exact timeline differs from person-to-person but generally speaking boys tend to enter puberty later than girls do. On average:

  • Girls start puberty between ages 8-13
  • Boys start between ages 9-14

Now that we know what it is and when it typically happens, let’s talk about some of these wildly exciting physical changes that make us want to hide under the covers until we’re at least thirty…

Bigger Feet = Bigger Shoes

One day your favorite shoes fit perfectly fine…and then seemingly overnight they are too small for you! WTF? Your feet seem to be growing way too fast but don’t worry sweaty palms my friend – this is totally normal (good news)!

During puberty foot growth occurs among a myriad of other changes due to something called Endocrine Glands. These glands produce various hormones that, among other things, contribute to the development of your bones. As your feet (and every part of your skeleton) grow in size and become denser you may see a change in shoe size (no more pretty little flats for most girls).

Hair – Hair Everywhere!

Your hair is growing faster than ever (didn’t think it was possible)! Leg hair, armpit hair…wait is that armhair? Suddenly nothing seems safe from the growth spurt invading our bodies.

This sudden hair frenzy during puberty can be attributed to rising levels of testosterone or estrogen depending on whether you’re male or female respectively. And yes , girls have testosterone too by the way…

Before we move onto some potentially cringey topics let’s talk about an important element that is vital when it comes down to understanding puberty.

Hormones

Hormones seem like just another big science-y word but they play a huge role when it comes down to what happens with our body during adolescence. At least 10 different types of these little trouble makers circulate within us at any given time influencing everything from mood swings (cue tears) and height increase all the way down low to fertility and sex drive!

To really understand how puberty affects us physically we need hone in on two specific ones:

  1. Testosterone: There’s no sugarcoating this one; testosterone makes people feel like…well (kings) but also brings physical changes such as deeper voices and muscle expansion.
  2. Estrogen: Everyone has estrogen because it plays an essential role in making sure sexual organs function properly- regardless if you’re male or female. It kickstarts breast enlargement for females as well as facial plumpness/decreased body hair for males.

Now let’s talk about these cringey topics mentioned earlier…

Boobies

Yes, we’re going there! For girls, puberty is often characterized by breast development – this may come across as fun and exciting or just plain weird lol (totally fine)!

By now you’re probably not surprised given the estrogen-charged news above. As levels of hormones adjust in your body (including that pesky testosterone… sigh) tissues within your breasts change shape causing size changes as well hence leading to wonderful treats like bra shopping and comments such as “wow you’ve grown so much since last summer!” (embarrassed)

It’s worth noting that one breast may tend to develop faster than the other- which does feel kind of awkward at first and yet another thing that makes us a walking science experiment!

What Has Happened To My Voice?

When it comes down to boys’ physical changes during puberty , nothings signals it clearer than their voice starting sunkenly low (if they already weren’t blessed with a deep bass!). This sweet vocal transition happens when layers of tissue develop on our vocal cords (that lie within our throats) caused by testosterone raising its flag high up in the sky signaling definite masculinity.

“Uhhh hey mom” becomes, “Hey Ma! Let me drive my truck down town” (Sexy echo). Thankfully our vocal range gets stabilized over time but early stages can make communication pretty difficult (agh help!)

Final Thoughts

So, next time you feel like your body is getting out-of-hand think back to all those lovely hormonal fluctuations happening inside of us. The complicated chemistry behind this onslaught will finally provide some solace towards realizing why we are experiencing what we are experiencing instead of feeling helpless or embarrassed.

Puberty ultimately isn’t something anyone has control over- but hopefully gaining an understanding goes a long way in putting mind at ease (slight relief). After all, these physical and emotional changes make us unique just the way we are- it’s good to know what’s happening so we can adjust easier along the way!

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