The Five Stages of Puberty Every Girl Goes Through

Puberty seems to be this big scary thing that happens all at once, but, in reality, the process of coming into sexual health is a lot more gradual than all that. In fact, puberty starts when you don’t even realise it, beginning with the production of hormones in girls as young as eight or nine. Still, puberty tends to have more of an effect on your wellness once the outward signs start appearing, and it’s good to know what to expect. So, let’s go through all the different stages of puberty for girls.

 

1. The beginning of puberty: Between the ages of eight and 11 (although it may start later) you will go through the first stage of puberty. All the changes your body goes through will be internal, meaning that you may not notice you’re in this stage. However, just in case you were wondering, this is the stage in which your brain will create more hormones such as LH and FSH, and your ovaries will ovaries react and begin developing oestrogen-producing capabilities.

 

2. Stage Two: Generally speaking, you’ll go through the second stage of puberty when you are 11 or 12. This is the time in which your breasts will begin to grow or, as it is often referred to, “bud”. You know you have buds when you have some transitional breast tissue, and your areolas or nipples begin to darken and rise. While this usually happens before any other outwardly signs of adolescence, it’s not uncommon to see the beginnings of pubic hair before your breasts develop. During this stage of puberty, you are likely to have a growth spurt.

 

3. Stage Three: In the third stage of development, your breasts will continue to grow and your pubic hair will also carry on growing. You may find that hair begins to show up under your arms, and that your vagina grows in size. While you can pass through this stage anywhere between the ages of nine and 15, most girls tend to go through stage three of puberty around the age of 12 or 13. It is usually by this stage in development that you go through menarche, or your first period. Menarche tends to occur for seven out of 10 girls by stage three of puberty. Generally speaking, it takes less than three years for menstruation to occur after stage one of puberty, or once your body receives its signal from the brain to start making changes.

 

4. Stage Four: The fourth stage of puberty often occurs around ages 13 and 14 in girls, although it can happen earlier or later. During this stage, the accelerated growth of your height will usually slow down, and your level of body fat will reach a higher, adult level – usually tapering off at about 26% body fat. You’ll find that your pubic and underarm hair grows fuller and coarser. It’s common for girls to have their first periods by the age of 12 or 13 but, if this is the case, you might find that your periods are still irregular as your body is still balancing hormones and trying to find a rhythm.

 

5. The End of Puberty: Once you’ve reached stage five of puberty – usually between the ages of 14 and 19, you will have fully matured. By this time, it is likely that you will have achieved your maximum height, your breast will have reached their full size, and pubic hair will be fully developed. Likewise, your cardiovascular, skeletal and muscle systems will all be fully developed, and your periods and ovulation will occur regularly.

Categories: fully developed, generally speaking, girls, growth, hair, nbsp, puberty, pubic hair, stage, Stages of Puberty

Is Your Teen An Early Bloomer? What You Need To Know

Today, fewer schools have a dedicated sex education programme to help teenagers understand the changes that their bodies are going through. In fact, those that do don’t always cover other aspects to this phase such as body development and sexuality. A lot of girls use the internet now to get information about periods and changing bodies, but this is such an impersonal way to learn about something so important and could be providing wrong information in the case of some sites. However, there is some fantastic information out there that can help to boost the confidence and self esteem of young girls who may be having a hard time navigating hormones and puberty. But for young girls who are blooming earlier than their peers, this can be an especially difficult time. They may feel extremely self conscious and fearful of bullying about their new body, and this is a vital time when they’ll need all the information they can get in terms of understanding that these changes are perfectly normal. Everyone goes through the scary puberty stage, but we all get through it and come out unscathed on the other side – it’s simply part of growing up, no matter when it begins for your child.

In today’s hyper-sexualised culture, ‘blooming’ seems like the last thing that’s happening. It seems like all girls are being sexualised far too early and being forced to change what’s natural to them in order to fit the media’s idea of ‘normal’. It no doubt feels as though your child is coming into this phase too early, particularly if they are now going through puberty too, but it’s perfectly natural to feel anxiety during this stage. Both mums and daughters will be worried about the changes coming into play. Earlier and earlier puberty in teens these days means this issue is in the press a lot – we always seem to be hearing about the fact that kids are growing up too fast, both emotionally and physically. In the United States, for example, the average age for a girl to get her period is now around 12.5 years old. The processes that occur in the body are also happening earlier, such as the breast bud development, with many girls developing breasts as early as elementary school. The culture of periods being bad and shameful makes many girls anxious, but this is something to reassure early bloomers about so that they feel able to tackle the changes about to take place.

 

No matter when you or your daughter would like it to happen though, your child’s body will develop when it is ready. Nurturing encouragement is vital at this stage, as is providing as much information as your daughter needs. As with anyone going through puberty, whatever age it happens, a nutritious diet, plenty of sleep and exercise are all necessary for a healthy body. But it’s not all about the physical side – you need to ensure that they are emotionally healthy too, and this means making sure they have an open communication with you and people they trust. Many teens, and especially children developing early, feel isolated and self conscious, but this is a prime time for parents to step in and ensure that they nurture their children. It may be a frightening time for both mother and daughter, but it’s nothing out of the ordinary, and nothing that can’t be tackled with an open relationship between you both.

Categories: body, Early, emotions, girls, Information, puberty, young girls

Is Your Teen An Early Bloomer? What You Need To Know

Today, fewer schools have a dedicated sex education programme to help teenagers understand the changes that their bodies are going through. In fact, those that do don’t always cover other aspects to this phase such as body development and sexuality. A lot of girls use the internet now to get information about periods and changing bodies, but this is such an impersonal way to learn about something so important and could be providing wrong information in the case of some sites. However, there is some fantastic information out there that can help to boost the confidence and self esteem of young girls who may be having a hard time navigating hormones and puberty. But for young girls who are blooming earlier than their peers, this can be an especially difficult time. They may feel extremely self conscious and fearful of bullying about their new body, and this is a vital time when they’ll need all the information they can get in terms of understanding that these changes are perfectly normal. Everyone goes through the scary puberty stage, but we all get through it and come out unscathed on the other side – it’s simply part of growing up, no matter when it begins for your child.

In today’s hyper-sexualised culture, ‘blooming’ seems like the last thing that’s happening. It seems like all girls are being sexualised far too early and being forced to change what’s natural to them in order to fit the media’s idea of ‘normal’. It no doubt feels as though your child is coming into this phase too early, particularly if they are now going through puberty too, but it’s perfectly natural to feel anxiety during this stage. Both mums and daughters will be worried about the changes coming into play. Earlier and earlier puberty in teens these days means this issue is in the press a lot – we always seem to be hearing about the fact that kids are growing up too fast, both emotionally and physically. In the United States, for example, the average age for a girl to get her period is now around 12.5 years old. The processes that occur in the body are also happening earlier, such as the breast bud development, with many girls developing breasts as early as elementary school. The culture of periods being bad and shameful makes many girls anxious, but this is something to reassure early bloomers about so that they feel able to tackle the changes about to take place.

 

No matter when you or your daughter would like it to happen though, your child’s body will develop when it is ready. Nurturing encouragement is vital at this stage, as is providing as much information as your daughter needs. As with anyone going through puberty, whatever age it happens, a nutritious diet, plenty of sleep and exercise are all necessary for a healthy body. But it’s not all about the physical side – you need to ensure that they are emotionally healthy too, and this means making sure they have an open communication with you and people they trust. Many teens, and especially children developing early, feel isolated and self conscious, but this is a prime time for parents to step in and ensure that they nurture their children. It may be a frightening time for both mother and daughter, but it’s nothing out of the ordinary, and nothing that can’t be tackled with an open relationship between you both.

Categories: body, Early, emotions, girls, Information, puberty, young girls

Puberty Blues: How to Deal with Your Body’s Changes

Puberty doesn’t just affect your sexual health – i.e. get your body ready for making babies – it also impacts your overall wellbeing. Out of nowhere, your jeans no longer fit, your legs rub together when you run and pores are taking over your face – what’s happening to you? If you’ve ever felt out of step with your body, you’re not alone.

 

Some of the changes that come with growing up are pretty cool. Guys become more muscular, and girls start developing breast – all things we appreciate. However, before, during and after puberty, your body goes through other changes you might not expect, and this can take its toll on your wellness. You notice that your bum and stomach starts to grow, or you find that you’re suddenly taller and skinnier than you once were. Sometimes, you get a temporary layer of fat during puberty, and this is so your body can prepare itself for a growth spurt. Other people find they fill out permanently, even if they exercise and eat healthy foods. Then there are those who chow down on everything in sight and still stay skinny.

 

Eventually, all these changes balance out and you adjust to your new body, but it can get some getting used to the way it moves and works. What happens to you physically during puberty can influence how you feel about your body and yourself for a long time to come. It’s perfectly normal to be worried or even upset by the changes you go through; lots of teens base their self-image on how their bodies feel and perform. Even minor details, such as the way you smell, change when you go through puberty, and this is a perfectly normal part of growing up. Still, there are things you can do to help yourself adjust physically and emotionally.

 

1. Don’t compare: It’s natural to look at your friends for comparison, but it’s not a good idea. Everyone develops differently and at different times, meaning that there’s no point comparing yourself to others. You might have had a growth spurt before everyone else and think you’re too tall, but your friends are probably thinking they’re too small. It’s usually hardest for the people who develop first or last. Also, don’t compare yourself to celebrities and models. With clever airbrushing, hair and makeup, anyone looks that good in the media. In reality, however, no one looks that good.

 

2. Treat your body well: Part of developing a mind and life of your own means making educated choices about food and exercise. Plus, if you eat right and exercise, you can take some control over how your body turns out. Exercise also boosts your mood, which can be helpful if your changing body has you feeling sad or confused. You don’t have to join a gym or start an insane fitness regime; just go for a walk, play with your dog, or throw a Frisbee with your friends to reap the mood-boosting benefits of exercise. Taking yoga, martial arts classes, or other activities that involve focusing on how the body stretches and moves can help you become familiar with your body.

 

3. Befriend your body: It takes time to get to know your new body, much in the same way that your relationships with your friends evolve and grow. Just like you know your friends’ secrets, you also see a side to your body that no one else does. However, that doesn’t mean you know your body, or see it accurately. You can spend ages focusing on your sticking-out stomach in the mirror, but all this time you spend obsessing actually distorts your view of reality. The truth is, other people won’t notice it like you do.

Categories: body, Comparison, exercise, Friends, growth spurt, nbsp, puberty

Delayed Puberty: Why Aren’t I Growing Like My Friends Are?

As a teenager, you start becoming more and more aware of your sexual health and wellness when you see your body begin to change, as well as everyone else’s around you. However, when everyone else seems to be changing, and you don’t notice any changes in yourself, you can start to become concerned about your wellbeing. While puberty generally starts when you’re between the ages of seven and 13 (girls) or nine and 15 (boys), some young people pass this normal age range for puberty without showing any signs of body changes. This is called delayed puberty.

 

Puberty enables your body to grow from a child’s into an adult’s. Girls notice breast development, more pubic hair, growth (both in terms of height and getting more curves) and you also begin to have periods. This is because your body is producing more of the sex hormone oestrogen. Guys will start to grow pubic and facial hair, have a growth spurt, gain wider and more muscular shoulders and your testicles and penis will get larger. This is because your body is producing more of the sex hormone testosterone. However, several things can get in the way of the puberty process, which is where delayed puberty comes in.

 

More often than not, delayed puberty occurs because it’s a family trait. If you think you may be experiencing delayed puberty, talk to a relative about others in your family, and you’ll probably find that a parent, uncle, aunt, brother, sister, cousin or all of the above developed later than usual, too. This is called constitutional delay (or being a late bloomer). It’s nothing to worry about, and usually doesn’t require any kind of treatment. It just means that you’ll develop a bit later than other young people. However, sometimes a delay in puberty can be caused by a more serious wellness concern.

 

Medical problems can get in the way of the puberty process, as the illness makes it harder for your body to grow and develop. If you having an underlying chronic illness – such as diabetes, cystic fibrosis, kidney disease, or even asthma – this may be delaying your puberty, but you can make this less likely to happen if you have proper treatment and better control of these conditions. Your pituitary or thyroid glands produce hormones important for body growth and development, so delayed puberty can also happen if you have problems in these glands.

 

You may also develop later than your friends if you’re malnourished, meaning that you don’t eat enough or you don’t eat the proper nutrients. This is often the case with teens who have the eating disorder anorexia, as they often lose so much weight that their bodies cannot develop properly. Girls’ bodies require a certain amount of fat before they can go through puberty or get their periods, so if you’re a girl who’s extremely involved in sports, you may also be a late developer because your level of exercise keeps you so lean.

 

Another reason why delayed puberty occurs is chromosomal problems. If you have problems with your chromosomes – which are made up of DNA that contain your body’s construction plans – this can interfere with normal growth processes. An example of this is Turner syndrome, in which one of a female’s two X chromosomes is abnormal or missing. This interferes with how you grow, the development of your ovaries and your body’s production of sex hormones. If you have untreated Turner syndrome, you may be shorter than normal, infertile, and have other medical problems. Males with Klinefelter syndrome are born with an extra X chromosome (XXY instead of XY). This condition can slow sexual development.

Categories: body, delayed puberty, family history, medical problems, puberty, puberty occurs, puberty process, sex hormone, turner syndrome, underlying medical, young people

Period Drama: What To Expect from Menstruation

Of all the signs that you’re becoming a woman, getting your period is probably the biggest. Starting menstruation not only affects your sexual health – i.e. enabling you to get pregnant – but it can also be a confusing time, and have an impact on your mental wellness. While some of your friends may be excited to start their periods, others are probably feeling afraid or anxious about it. However, you’ll feel more positive about your wellbeing once you know more about your reproductive system and what actually happens during the menstrual cycle.

 

Girls can start having periods from the age of eight up to 17, but most girls tend to get them between 11 and 14. Generally, you can expect to get your first period about two to two-and-a-half years after your breasts have begun to develop. Also, roughly six months before your periods start, you might notice that you have an increased amount of clear vaginal discharge. This discharge is common, and you have no need to worry about it unless it has a strong odour or causes itchiness.

 

About once a month, a tiny egg leaves one of your ovaries (which sit on either side of your uterus, or womb, and contain thousands of eggs, or ova). This process is called ovulation, and lets one of your eggs travel down the fallopian tubes and on its way to your uterus. A few days before this, your body’s oestrogen levels will stimulate your uterus to get ready for a pregnancy. The uterus builds up its lining with extra blood and tissue, making then thick and cushioned. If a sperm then fertilises the egg, it travels to your uterus and attaches to these cushiony walls, so it can slowly develop into a baby.

 

However, as you ovulate every month, most of the time the egg will not be fertilised by a sperm (which happens during unprotected sex) and will not attach to the wall of your uterus. When this happens, your uterus needs to get rid of the extra tissue lining and will shed the blood, tissue and unfertilised egg. When this goes through the vagina and out of the body, it is a menstrual period. This will continue to happen almost every month unless you become pregnant, in which case you get nine months off! You continue to have periods until you reach menopause (which happens, on average, at the age of 52).

 

All girls are different, meaning their menstrual cycles will last for different lengths of time and the actual periods will vary. Your menstrual cycle starts on the first day you have a period, continues during the time you’re bleeding and lasts up until your next period. After your first period, you might find your menstrual cycle lasts anywhere between 21 and 45 days and, after a couple of years, cycles shorten to an adult length of 21-34 days. It’s common to have irregular cycles when you’re just beginning to menstruate, as your body is getting used to all the changes. Cycles usually become more regular after a year or two, but some women do have irregular periods into adulthood. It’s it’s a good idea to keep track of your menstrual cycle with a calendar.

 

In terms of how long your actual period will last, this also varies. For some girls it’s a case of two or three days, while others can last up to seven. Your menstrual cycle, or how how much blood comes out of your vagina, can vary widely from girl to girl, too. Most teens will change pads three to six times a day, with more frequent changes when their period is heaviest, usually at the start of the period. If you’re concerned about starting your period or that you’re losing too much blood, talk to a nurse or GP for more information.

Categories: cycle, menstrual, menstrual cycle, period, Periods, puberty, uterus

Prepared for Puberty: What Changes Should You Expect?

Ok, they’ve probably taught you about this in school, but in case you weren’t listening or were too worried about what your friends were saying to pay close attention, let’s talk about puberty. During your teenage years, your body begins to develop and change more than it will at any other time in your life – except when you were a baby – and this is known as puberty. The important thing to note here is that everyone goes through these changes, and it’s perfectly normal. Still, it’s a good idea to know what to expect, so you don’t get freaked out when these changes occur.

 

At a certain age during your adolescent years (between seven and 13 in girls and nine and 15 in guys), your brain releases a gonadotropin-releasing hormone, or GnRH, which starts the puberty process. The GnRH travels to a gland under your brain known as the pituitary gland, and this releases two more puberty hormones into your bloodstream; luteinizing hormone (LH) and follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH). Although both guys and girls will have both of these hormones in their bodies, your sex will determine how these hormones go to work on different parts of the body. For guys, these hormones signal the production of testosterone and sperm, while FSH and LH stimulate girls’ ovaries to begin producing another hormone called oestrogen. Both of these processes prepare your body for reproduction.

 

Another change that happens during puberty is a growth spurt. For about two or three years, your body rapidly grows – even up to four or more inches in the space of a year. This will be the last time you grow in your life so once your growth spurt ends, this is your new adult height. Your body will also change in shape as well as size. Guys, your shoulders will widen and your body will become more muscular. You’ll also notice that your voice becomes deeper, your testes get bigger and your penis lengthens and widens. Some guys do experience a bit of breast development, but this often goes away by the end of puberty.

 

Girls, you’ll probably become curvier, gaining more weight on your hips and bigger breasts. This begins with a little swelling under your nipple, and you may find that one breast grows more quickly than the other. However, time will soon even things out. It’s perfectly normal to experience occasional soreness under the nipples as your breasts start to enlarge. It’s also completely healthy and common to notice an increase in body fat, so don’t try to go on a diet to go back to your pre-puberty weight – that was a kid’s weight, of course you’re not going to weigh the same! If you ever have questions or concerns about your weight, talk it over with your doctor. About two to three years after your breasts start growing, you’ll have your first period.

 

One change that both guys and girls go through is finding hair in new places. In the beginning, you’ll notice light and sparse hair growing under your arms and in your pubic area (on and around your genitals). As you go through puberty, this hair becomes longer, thicker, heavier, and darker. Eventually, guys also start to grow hair on their faces. Speaking of faces, you may also develop acne, due to the hormonal changes in your body. This normally disappears during adulthood, but until then you may have acne on your face, your upper back, or your upper chest. It helps to keep your skin clean, and your doctor will be able to offer some suggestions for clearing up acne.

Categories: body, change, girls, growth spurt, growth spurts, guys, hormones, puberty

Could Puberty Be Affected By Your Weight As A Child?

Around 13 million children aged between 2 to 19 are obese in the United States alone, with the levels of this condition rising each year. Obese children are more likely to have high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes and high cholesterol. The Centres for Disease Control and Prevention also reported that obese children and adolescents have a higher risk of psychological and social issues, such as discrimination and low self-esteem – this can carry on long into adulthood. To add further to these risk factors, studies have shown that childhood obesity could disrupt the age at which children reach puberty, leading to diminished ability to reproduce. This is particularly the case amongst females.

 

Both ends of the spectrum, whether it’s anorexia or obesity, can lead to problems with the reproductive organs. In terms of evolution, obesity is a fairly recent addition to health issues – nutritional status is vital to reproduction, and metabolic syndromes caused by obesity can affect one’s reproductive capacity. Researchers have stated that further studies are needed in order to look into the overall impact of obesity where puberty is concerned. It appears to start earlier in girls, and this is being accelerated as the years go on. This could have a number of effects, according to scientists.

 

One theory is the impact on kisspeptin, which is a recently characterised neurohormone which is vital for reproduction. It’s also thought that the effect on pubertal timing could be the disruption of circadian clocks, which reflect the natural rhythms of the day and night. Disruption of sleep-wake cycles can lead to an effect on the secretion of hormones such as cortisol, testosterone and insulin – one result of this is the impact on the reproductive cycle. Researchers claim that excess fat could also be contributing to the rates of infertility and reproductive diseases, such as increasing the risk of reproductive cancers and metabolic syndrome.

Categories: Children, puberty, weight

Researchers Provide Insight into Female Early-Onset Puberty

Significant insight into why early-onset puberty occurs in females has been provided, thanks to new research from Oregon Health & Science University. Conducted at OHSU’s Oregon National Primate Research Centre, the research points to epigenetics at the culprit, and this finding may help to improve the wellness of girls who develop early or late, with new potential therapies.

According to the paper, which was published in the journal Nature Neuroscience, the OHSU investigators are researching how the control of puberty is affected by epigenetics, which are changes in gene activity linked to external factors that do not involve changes to the genetic code itself. By improving the understanding of these complex protein/gene interactions, the OHSU scientists believe they will be better able to understand both early-onset (precocious) puberty and delayed puberty, and highlight new therapy avenues.

For their study, researchers examined puberty in female rats, finding that a group of proteins, called PcG proteins, regulate the activity of a gene called the Kiss1 gene. Your body needs the Kiss1 gene for puberty to occur, and when these PcG proteins diminish, your Kiss1 is activated and puberty begins. The role of PcG proteins is to turn off specific downstream genes at key developmental stages.

According to the OHSU scientists, two forms of epigenetic control impact the activity of these ‘master’ genes and their ability to turn off puberty. The first is a chemical modification of DNA known as DNA methylation, and the other is changes in the composition of a specialised set of proteins, known as histones, that modify your gene activity by interacting with DNA.

The researchers were able to use this information to delay the early-onset of puberty in female rats, and their work is a first because, as Alejandro Lomniczi, PhD, a scientist in the Division of Neuroscience at the OHSU Oregon National Primate Research Centre, explained, ‘While it was always understood that an organism’s genes determine the timing of puberty, the role of epigenetics in this process has never been recorded until now.’

Sergio Ojeda, DVM, who is also a scientist in the Division of Neuroscience at the OHSU ONPRC, commented, ‘Because epigenetic changes are driven by environmental, metabolic and cell-to-cell influences, these findings raise the possibility that a significant percentage of precocious and delayed puberty cases occurring in humans may be the result of environmental factors and other alterations in epigenetic control.’  She added, ‘There is also much more to be learned about the way that epigenetic factors may link environmental factors such as nutrition, man-made chemicals, social interactions and other day-today influences to the timing and completion of normal puberty.’

Google+
Researchers Provide Insight into Female Early-Onset Puberty

Categories: female health, puberty, Research