Starting puberty late

Robyn Bell penis and balls, physical health, puberty, vagina and vulva

Starting puberty later than all of your friends can seriously suck

Yet again, the conversation had turned to periods and bras. My friends, sprawled around me in my bedroom, jumped to share their stories of blood and cramps, how to tackle these new griping pains and which bra was the most comfortable. My lips remained sealed; this wasn’t a discussion I could join.

I was a flat-chested, 16 year old who hadn’t started her period. No-one else seemed concerned. My friends constantly said that I was lucky and I should make the most of pre-puberty freedom. But that didn’t stop the panicky thoughts: was there something wrong with me?

No, as it turned out. Apart from the spectacular timing of my first period —slap-bang in the middle of my statistics exam— absolutely nothing was wrong.

What is puberty?

Puberty is the development a child’s body goes through as they become an adult. This can include hair growth, growing taller, getting spots and acne, getting more sweaty, and lots more. Delayed puberty can happen to any young person, regardless of their sex. For boys and young people with a penis, it usually means there are no signs of testicular development by the age of 14. For girls and young people with a vagina, it usually means their breasts haven’t developed by the age of 13, and/or their periods haven’t started by the age of 15.

Brook

But these are just the average ages! Young people go through puberty at different paces, and nearly all young people who experience delayed puberty are perfectly healthy. They simply have a slower physical development rate. These people typically have shorter or slimmer builds, and/or a family history of delayed puberty.

That said, if you are genuinely concerned, or think you might have an underlying condition that is causing delayed puberty, speak to your GP. It’s always better to get health stuff checked out, instead of keeping it to yourself and worrying about it.

Bodies develop at different rates. Your body will grow in its own time, and if that means taking time out from your statistics exam, then so be it!