9 Physical Changes That Occur During Puberty In Boys & Girls

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Physical changes during puberty differ in boys and girls. However, both males and females attain marked physical growth during puberty. This is when a child transitions to adulthood physically, mentally, and emotionally. These changes may begin at different times in each child. Some may have early puberty, while slightly delayed in a few.

Secondary sexual characteristics develop in puberty. For example, girls may begin to menstruate, while boys have mustaches and beards coming in, and their voices deepen. Read on to know more about physical changes in puberty for boys and girls and seek medical care if puberty is delayed.

10 Physical Changes During Puberty

Some major changes occur in adolescent boys and girls. During this period, the body starts to develop and grow into physical maturity. This is the time when your body will start developing all the secondary sexual characteristics. Many teens and families are hesitant to discuss body changes. It is important to speak to your child before these changes to know what to expect and reach out to your pediatrician if you have any concerns.

Physical Changes In Girls During Puberty:

The physical changes for females during puberty experience are marked by the following features of growth (1):

1. Puberty in girls is marked by the start of the menstruation cycle, commonly referred to as periods.

Point to consider

Some girls may experience a clear or white discharge from the vagina several months before periods start. If your girl is bothered by the discharge, you can advise her to use a panty liner. Consult your doctor if it’s itchy, painful, or smelly (1).

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2. During adolescence, significant physical changes occur, including breast development, which typically reaches full growth by the age of 18 (2).
3. Hair growth in the pubic area and the armpits are also observed. The growth of pubic hair may be the first sign of puberty in some girls.
4. The adolescent years are also marked by a rapid growth spurt. In girls this growth spurt starts at the age of 11 or usually around the time she reaches menarche and slows down by the age of 16 (3).

Health fact

Other typical puberty changes in girls may include wider hips, acne on the face, neck, shoulders, upper back, and chest, sweating under the armpits, and an increase in body odor (1).

Physical Changes In Boys During Puberty:

The physical changes during puberty for males that occur are different in a number of ways. The developments that a boy undergoes during adolescence are (4):

1. In boys, the scrotum and the testicles start to grow when they reach puberty.
2. The penis also increases in length and reaches the proper adult size and shape by the age of 17 or 18 (5).
3. Facial hair, as well as hair growth in the pubis area, armpits, and chest, have been observed. This usually starts around the age of 12; by the time the boy reaches 18 years, the pattern of body hair growth resembles those of adults.
4. The growth spurt starts at about 13 years and continues on to about 18 years of age. After that, the growth slows down (3).

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5. Adolescent boys commonly experience voice changes as a part of their physical transformation. Their vocal cords grow and as a result, the voice pitch changes into a heavier tone.

Did you know?

Due to hormonal changes, some boys may experience minor swelling in the area of their breasts and it usually resolves in one to two years (8).

How To Help An Adolescent To Cope With The Changes?

Here are some points to keep in mind as your adolescent goes through these changes (4) (5):

• It is important to remember that though the physical development in adolescence is rapid, the mental faculties are still in the developmental stage.
• With adolescence comes a whole new range of emotions, a new found sense of responsibility and freedom, and a lot of physical changes. The child is sometimes unable to keep pace with all the changes occurring in its body.
• Most times, adolescents distance themselves from their parents and tend to resort to their peer group for answers. It is at this point that you as the parent need to step forward and be a friend and guide to your child.

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• Make sure that your child is well-informed about all the physical changes they have to experience during adolescence.

Infographic: Common Physical Changes In Boys And Girls During Puberty

Both boys and girls experience physical changes during puberty other than developing secondary sexual characteristics. Check out the below infographic to know the common physical changes during teenage years to know if there is a delay.

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Illustration: Momjunction Design Team

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Dr. Joel WarshMD

Dr. Joel “Gator” Warsh specializes in Parenting, Wellness and Integrative Medicine. The board-certified pediatrician holds over ten years of experience and runs his private practice, Integrative Pediatrics and Medicine, in Los Angeles, California. Having grown up in Toronto, Canada, he did his masters degree in Epidemiology and Community Health and went on to complete a medical degree from Thomas Jefferson...more

Sadiya QamarContributor

Sadiya is a writer and editor with a passion for writing about parenthood and children. Her focus areas are health, wellness, and beauty. For MomJunction, she writes on kids’ health and nutrition.  Sadiya believes in doing in-depth research and providing accurate information to help parents with concerns on their children’s growth and development.more