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Puberty -- Changes for Males

Puberty — it's a crazy time. Your body's changing, and so is everything else. But, what is causing all these changes? Well, you know how everyone says that puberty is all about raging hormones; it's kind of true. Hormones that were hibernating suddenly awaken and signal your body to enter puberty. You might think this doesn't mean a lot but, hormones cause the changes that are associated with puberty. Below is a time line for physical changes that occur during puberty.

Physical Changes for Males
Genitalia and Pubic Hair
Growing!
Possible Breast Development
Voice Change
Body Hair
Acne
Timing of Puberty

Physical Changes for Males

Puberty Event	Age at which it happens

Growth of testicles and scrotal sac	10-13 1/2
Growth of pubic hair	10-15
Body Growth	10 1/2 -16 1/2
Growth of penis	11-14 1/2
Change in voice	About the same time as penis growth
Facial and Underarm Hair	About 2 years after pubic hair appears
Acne	About the same time as underarm hair appears

Genitalia and Pubic Hair

In the early stages of puberty, the scrotum grows larger and you might experience some reddening of the skin and notice texture change in the scrotal skin. Pubic hair might start appearing at the base of your penis. While the scrotum grows, the penis increases in length and has a smaller increase in width. About a year after your penis starts growing, most boys have their first ejaculation. This is at times scary or worrisome to boys, but it is perfectly natural and a part of the pubertal process.

At the same time, you might also be noticing that more pubic hair is growing and that it is becoming darker, coarser and curlier. The penis continues to grow, and the head of the penis develops. The scrotal skin gets darker and the scrotum also continues to grow. When the penis is fully developed, pubic hair will have grown like an upside down triangle around your penis and will probably have spread to your thighs as well. There is no healthy or natural way to increase penis size, and it is true: size does not matter.
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Growing!

Puberty can also cause you to go through a growth spurt, which results in an average growth of about 4.1 inches a year. Your head, hands, and feet are the first things to grow. Then you grow in your arms and legs, and finally your torso and shoulders catch up with the rest of your body.
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Possible Breast Development

During puberty, some boys do experience slight breast growth, but this is usually temporary and disappears after a while. However, if it does not disappear after puberty and continues to worry you, you might want to consult your doctor about it.
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Voice Change

Your voice deepens, and while the process is gradual, you might experience your voice breaking at times. This is normal and natural, so don't worry about it.
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Body Hair

Facial hair first appears at the corners of your upper lip and then spreads across the upper lip, to the upper parts of the cheek, below the bottom lip, and finally to the sides of your face and your chin. Underarm hair is also growing at this time as well.
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Acne

Accompanying underarm hair growth, your sweat and oil producing glands also start developing, which eventually results in acne when these glands are clogged. In order to avoid breakouts, you should wash your face twice daily. If you still regularly break out, you may want to speak with a dermatologist.
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Timing of Puberty

Puberty starts at different times and lasts for different periods of time for everyone. It can start as early as 9 years of age to as late as 13 1/2 years of age. The sequence of pubertal development usually ranges from 2 to 5 years. This is sometimes very difficult, as some of your peers may have entered and completed puberty before you have even started. There is no way to slow or speed up the process, but puberty happens to everyone, so never fear, it will happen to you!
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