As you get older your body goes through several changes. This is called puberty, and the speed of these changes is different for everyone. 

Between the ages of 8 and 18, most people will go through a stage of development called puberty. During this time, you may experience various changes physically and emotionally. 

Changes in our bodies at puberty are preparing our bodies to be able to make babies. Our bodies normally start to get ready many years before we want to or are ready to have children.

Puberty impacts us differently depending on our biological or anatomical sex

Hormones 

A word that you might hear a lot in relation to puberty is hormones. Hormones are what causes of a lot of the changes that people experience during puberty.   

Hormones are chemicals that are produced naturally within the body and released into the bloodstream to send messages to other parts of the body. Different hormones will send different messages, triggering different changes during puberty.   

Sex hormones are chemicals in our bodies that produce changes based on our biological sex:

Male Hormones: For those born male/have a penis, testosterone is the key hormone that is produced in the testes and triggers certain changes during puberty. 

Female Hormones: For those born female/have ovaries, oestrogen is the key hormone that is produced in the ovaries and triggers certain changes during puberty. 

Most people have a small amount of both hormones in their body, regardless of what sex they were assigned as at birth, as there are other places in the bodies that these hormones can be produced. People who are intersex may have higher levels of one or both hormones, that do not necessarily align with the typical definition of male or female. It is usually during puberty that intersex people discover that they are intersex. 

For more on intersex identities, head to this page 

Physical changes that happen to most people: 

  • You will grow taller  

  • You will grow body hair in places where you didn’t have it before, such as on your legs, armpits, genitals and face  

  • The sweat glands under your arms and between your legs will become more active  

  • You may get spots on your face and body  

  • Your hair may get more greasy  

  • Your voice will get deeper  

  • Your nipples might become more sensitive  

  • Your muscles will develop, and you might notice differences in your arms, legs, tummy and chest.   

Emotional changes that happen to most people: 

  • You may experience mood swings, feeling happy and content one moment, then sad or overwhelmed the next 

  • You may experience heightened sensitivity which can make you feel more self-conscious about things like your appearance 

  • You may want independence 

  • You may experience new emotions such as guilt, pride, empathy, shame 

  • You may engage in more risky or ‘naughty’ behaviours 

  • You may experiment with your expression and realise your likes and dislikes have changed 

  • You may struggle with sleeping, or sleep too much 

Changes that happen to girls and those with a vulva/vagina 

Genitals:

There are a few different things that change for girls and those with a vulva/vagina during puberty: 

Discharge: 

In puberty it is normal for your vagina to produce discharge, a small amount of clear or milky fluid that comes from the vagina, keeping it healthy. The amount of discharge can vary from day to day, and person to person. 

If your discharge changes colour or consistency, if it smells different than usual, if there’s an unusual amount of it, or if you get itching around your vagina or a stomach pain, this may be the result of an infection, and you should talk to your doctor as soon as you can. 

Periods: 

You will also start your period (menstruation) at some point during puberty. Menstruation is a part of your fertility cycle when unneeded blood and tissue is released from the womb/uterus and out of the body through the vagina.   

It is important to know that some people’s periods don’t start until they are 16 or 17. 

Also, some people with vaginas don’t have periods at all. 

New hair and growth: 

You may find new hair growing in places where you didn't have hair before, such as your armpits, on your legs, and on your pubic area.

You may also experience changes in your current hair type and texture.

Breast/chest tissue growth: 

For girls and people with vaginas, their nipples and breasts may start to swell and fill out. Breast/chest tissue can continue growing until 18 or beyond, changing shape, size and sensitivity throughout life depending on different factors. It is common for one breast to grow larger than the other.

Changes that happen to boys and those with a penis

Genitals:  

There are various changes that will happen to your genitals as you go through puberty.  

Your penis and testicles will grow larger and begin to produce semen. 

You may also start to experience erections, which are when the spongy tissue of the penis fills with blood and becomes hard. This can happen when you are sexually excited, and when you aren’t; it is completely normal to get 'random boners' during puberty whilst your body adjusts to new hormones. You might also have 'wet dreams', which is when you ejaculate while you are asleep. Again, this is completely normal and there is no shame in it. 

New hair and growth: 

It is common for hair to grow on the armpits, chest, legs, face and around the genitals. The placement and amount of hair will vary from person to person. 

Breast/chest tissue growth: 

Regardless of your sex or gender, everyone has breast/chest tissue. 

For boys and people with a penis, their chests will develop by growing more muscle, specifically the pectoral muscles, also called 'pecs'. Throughout puberty, it is common and normal for testosterone levels to drop, which can result in oestrogen levels making your chest grow and feel tender or sore. 

Transgender folks 

Some transgender people say they experience a 'second-puberty' once they begin HRT treatment. They may experience similar things such as hair in new places, acne, breast/chest tissue growth, hormonal and emotional changes. 

Commonly asked questions:

'Why do I have acne and smell even though I stay clean?' 

Hormonal changes activate sweat and oil glands, which can lead to pimples and body odour even with regular hygiene. This is completely normal and isn't something to feel embarrassed about as everyone around you have or will experience this once in their life. If your acne or body smell becomes more bothersome, we could talk to a doctor or dermatologist who can suggest specific treatments or products that might help. 

'Does acne go away after puberty?' 

Yes - For many people, acne tends to improve or often goes away after puberty. During puberty, hormonal changes can lead to an increase in oil production, clogged pores, and the growth of acne-causing bacteria, resulting in pimples and acne breakouts. However, once most people reach adolescence and their hormones begin to stabilize, their acne may become less severe. 

'What if I am older than the age-range for going through puberty and haven't started yet?' 

Puberty happens to people at different ages, but if you are over 18 and still haven't experience puberty, its best to speak with your GP who may recommend appropriate testing and treatment if necessary.