Puberty in boys

Puberty in boys is characterized mainly by the emergence in the process of growing up of the ability to perform the reproductive function, to bear children.

In the age period from 11 to 13 years, the mechanisms of production of a specific hormone gonadotropin-releasing hormone are launched in the hypothalamus of the brain of a young male. It should be noted that the release of this hormone in the body of a boy at first occurs exclusively at night, at the stage of deep sleep. In the process of further puberty of boys, the dependence on the phases of sleep shows a tendency to significantly decrease, and the hormone begins to be secreted more frequently during periods of wakefulness. The result of the action of gonadotropin-releasing hormone is the activation of sperm production - spermatogenesis, as well as male hormones androgens. Androgens, in turn, cause a number of characteristic changes occurring in the body.

In particular, the total volume of muscle mass increases, and bones begin to differ in the increased amount of protein contained in them. As a result, the body size increases, and this process is not uniform, but spasmodic. At different ages of the period of puberty of boys, it can occur with different, greater or lesser degrees of intensity. The peak of growth activity occurs at 12 and 15-16 years. The height of a boy during this period of time can increase by more than 10 cm per year. After 18 years, the height of a boy who by this age has already become a young man can increase by approximately 3 centimeters. Due to the high content of androgen hormones in the body, at some point in time, the growth zones of long bones begin to ossify, which causes the cessation of their lengthening in the future.

The sexual organ of boys during puberty undergoes changes in the process of development, consisting in the fact that the testicles and scrotum, prostate gland and seminal vesicles become larger in size, the penis increases. The first ejaculations appear in boys from 12 and a half to 14 years old.

The hormone testosterone, which is produced in large quantities along with androgens, causes the onset of male-type body hair growth. One of the results of androgen exposure is the active development of the Adam's apple, also called the "Adam's apple". This is accompanied by an elongation of the vocal cords, which leads to the formation of a relatively low timbre. In the process, a "voice break" may occur.

Puberty in boys is a largely individual process, and although it usually occurs within certain general age limits, it often depends on many factors in each specific case. For example, boys of the same age can have quite a significant difference in height, degree of body hair, etc.

Puberty in boys

When the period of puberty in boys comes, the endocrine system comes to the forefront in the body. A number of specific changes that occur with the child are associated with the peculiarities of its activity, in which in this case the lower appendage of the brain - the pituitary gland - plays the leading role. Hormones produced by the pituitary gland, entering the blood in large quantities, are transported to all parts of the body, acting as a stimulator of body growth and its intensive physical development. In addition, the hormones of the pituitary gland activate the functioning of the male sex glands - the testicles, which also begin to secrete the corresponding hormones. The period of puberty in boys is characterized by an increase in their content many times over. In turn, this is reflected in the changes that literally occur before your eyes with the child in the transitional, teenage years.

A significant change in hormonal levels can cause a state of psycho-emotional instability that is common to many teenagers. With insufficient upbringing and a lack of internal culture, boys during puberty can show nervousness, be aggressive towards elders, and take a negative position towards everything that comes from them. Teenagers' actions are characterized by impulsive thoughtlessness, they are often unpredictable and contradictory.

Of particular importance for boys during puberty are issues and problems related to sexual relations. And this is not surprising, because the very essence of everything that happens at this time is to prepare the maturing organism to fulfill one of the most important purposes in human life - procreation.

The period of puberty in boys is a very important time for the development and formation of personality. At the same time, the teenager's self-esteem and self-identification are largely formed, which determines the success and nature of his socialization in the future based on the characteristics of the social roles played by men in human society.

Age of puberty in boys

The age of puberty in boys can cover the time limits from 11 to 18 years. Puberty in boys begins mainly at the age of 9-14 years. After 2-5 years from the onset of adolescence or puberty, as this time in a child's life is also called, the final formation of sexual characteristics is completed. The external genitalia, the penis and testicles, increase in size. In the testicles, the processes of spermatogenesis - the maturation of spermatozoa - are launched, male hormones are produced. The effect of these hormones is that secondary sexual characteristics are formed: in addition to the changes occurring with the genitals, body growth increases, male-type hair appears on it with pubic and armpit hair, and a beard begins to grow. At the age of puberty, sweat glands in boys become more active, which leads to increased oiliness of the skin and can provoke the occurrence of acne.

The age at which puberty occurs in boys is determined by a number of factors, including heredity, nationality, living conditions, and nutrition.

Constant excessive physical stress can cause the onset of puberty in boys to be delayed and delayed. Over the past 100 years, there has been a trend toward a gradual decrease in the age at which puberty begins. It is generally believed that this is due to the ongoing general improvement in living conditions and nutrition. It is also possible that environmental conditions may have an impact.

Based on all of the above, let us summarize that the age of puberty in boys, in general, decreases to a certain extent from year to year. This is largely facilitated by eating a sufficient amount of food that is distinguished by a balanced content of essential substances, vitamins and microelements, a high level of physical activity and sports. For normal puberty, boys must also give up smoking and drugs, and inhalation of toxic vapors.

When does puberty start for boys?

The age when puberty begins for boys is usually 10-12 years. However, these figures are not a rigid constant and some kind of unambiguous unshakable standard. Under certain circumstances and due to some existing factors of an individual, hereditary or social and everyday nature, the onset of puberty may be postponed to a later time. Therefore, for parents there should be no reason to sound the alarm if a child entered puberty at 14 or even 15 years old. There is nothing out of the ordinary or supernatural in a delay of a year or two.

However, the boy in this regard may feel anxious and worried about the fact that he is somehow different from his peers, for example, that he is shorter than them, and he does not have that fluff on his upper lip like everyone else, as if indicating adulthood. In this case, he really needs the support of close people who need to support him, to encourage him.

But sometimes too late terms, when puberty begins in boys, may indicate that there are some disorders. This situation requires seeking advice from specialists and the appointment of appropriate corrective measures. Thus, if the first signs of puberty in boys are delayed by 12-13 years, it is worth visiting an andrologist or urologist.

Puberty Standards for Boys

Each person is unique and inimitable in their own way, not like everyone else in height, weight, facial features and the totality of all other individual characteristics. Individually, from the beginning of life, the growth and development itself, the transformation from a child into an adult, occurs. Of no small importance in this is the achievement of sexual maturity and self-identification, in this case, as a man. After all, we all come from childhood, and this wonderful time, as well as the transitional puberty period from childhood to adulthood, is very important. This transition occurs differently for each individual, but there are some standards for the sexual maturation of boys.

The primary criterion is the age at which the first signs of the activation of processes in the child's body are noted, due to which the reproductive function should be actualized over time. Puberty in boys begins at 11-12 years. Ages of 14-15 years are also considered within the norm.

Next, the change in the size of the genitals is assessed. During puberty, the testicles increase from 2.7 cm at 7 years to 2.8-3 cm at the onset of puberty. By the age of 13 – to 3.6-3.7 cm.

The penis from the age of 7 until the onset of puberty grows from 3-3.5 cm to 3.8 cm and at the age of 13 it is 6.3 cm, respectively.

At 15 years of age, the size of the testicles usually increases to 4 cm, and the penis reaches 6.7 centimeters.

Another indicator is the appearance of body hair. At first, hair grows on the pubis, and by the age of 14-15 – in the armpits. At the same time, the growth of youthful fluff on the chin and above the upper lip is noted.

Around the same time, by the age of 14, wet dreams often begin to appear.

During puberty in boys, there are two main growth spurts. At 10-11 years of age, a child can grow 10 cm. By age 13, another 7 to 8 centimeters may be added.

Standards of puberty for boys are, of course, approximate and very average indicators. Some variability is certainly possible and even inevitable in some places. But differences do not necessarily and not in every case indicate the presence of serious deviations in the child's development. Unless, of course, their values are too out of the ordinary.

Stages of puberty in boys

During puberty, various stages of sexual maturation of boys follow one another. Often, right up until the very moment when the child begins to show the first signs of the beginning to form prerequisites for the fact that in the future he will acquire the ability to perform the reproductive function, his general development is of a stable, uniform nature. At the same time, there are no obvious and significant changes in the hormonal background. All processes associated with sexual maturation of boys generally reach their peak activity two years later than in young representatives of the fair sex. Noticeable changes occurring with boys become apparent only after they reach 12-13 years of age.

According to many andrologists, the strength of the future man's sexual constitution is determined primarily by the early age at which the boy's puberty began. However, it should be noted that this statement is only true when the child has no endocrine system dysfunctions.

The main signs of approaching adulthood include an increase in the size of the penis, which begins around the age of 11. The beginning of active restructuring of the body is also indicated by the beginning of an increase in the size of the testicles at the age of 11-12.

At 12-13 years old, during the process of puberty, boys begin to grow hair on the pubis. At first, the shape of the hair growth is like a diamond, and later, from 17-18 years old, the inner surfaces of the thighs join the hair growth area. Subsequently, there is complete hair growth on the body according to the male type of hair growth. Facial hair in the form of the first gentle fluff above the upper lip first appears at 13-14 years old. At 15-16, some teenagers can show off quite obvious and expressive moustaches. The appearance of a full-fledged beard should be expected by the age of 17-18.

Such a characteristic phenomenon for the pubertal period of boys as "voice breaking" which mutates due to the fact that the thyroid cartilage in the larynx develops into the "Adam's apple" appears at the age of 13-14. As a rule, the Adam's apple becomes fully formed by the age of 17. At this age, the young man already acquires his own voice with a characteristic male timbre.

The production of male germ cells – the processes of spermatogenesis – starts at the age of 14-15, which is accompanied by cases of involuntary ejaculation – pollution.

The stages of puberty in boys come to their end in the age period from 16 to 20 years. However, the onset of puberty does not automatically mean that the young man can definitely be considered fully mature psychologically. Psychological maturity and the formation of personality occurs and occurs somewhat later.

Signs of Puberty in Boys

Signs of puberty in boys are manifested in a number of specific changes that occur during puberty and are reflected both in their external manifestations and affecting the functioning of various organs and systems of the body.

The boy's body grows intensively during puberty, the child becomes taller, the overall muscle mass increases. The width of the shoulder girdle increases, the figure begins to acquire proportions characteristic of the male body. The genitals - the penis and testicles increase in size.

Gradually, hair begins to form on the body, starting from the groin, scrotum, armpits, and then all over the body. Then hair appears on the face. At first, several hairs can break through in the corners of the upper lip and on the cheeks in their upper part. Within a year after this, the youthful fluff will also appear above the upper lip in the middle.

During puberty, boys may experience skin problems. Due to the surging hormones in the body, the functioning of the sweat and sebaceous glands changes in an unfavorable way, which causes increased oiliness of the skin. And this in turn can provoke the appearance of pimples and acne on the body and face.

The vocal cords increase in size and the throat muscles develop, and in addition to this, the Adam's apple is formed, which causes the voice to break and become coarser. This process begins at the age of about 13 years and after two years leads to the final formation of the voice.

In addition to the above changes that the boy's body undergoes during puberty, it is also necessary to cite the characteristic features that are inherent in the psycho-emotional state during this difficult period of the child's life. The central nervous system is in an extremely excitable state, behavioral reactions can often be unpredictable and extremely contradictory.

These signs of puberty in boys are caused by the rapid pace of both the ongoing restructuring of the entire body and the change in the entire sense of self and a new assessment of oneself in light of many factors associated with the process of reaching puberty. It can be very difficult for a boy who finds himself on the path of turning from a child into a man to adapt to them, and therefore understanding and support from parents and loved ones is very important.

Early puberty in boys

It is possible to say that early puberty in boys occurs mainly based on the fact that the first signs of puberty are observed in a child before he reaches the age of 9.

Just like delayed sexual development, premature puberty is a strong argument in favor of consulting a doctor without delay. Suspicion in this context should be aroused by the fact that there are enlarged testicles, abnormally rapid body growth exceeding the average age norm, the appearance of acne on the skin, pubic and armpit hair, facial hair growth, as well as a child's voice that is too low and rough, breaking.

The early onset of puberty in boys can be caused by abnormal development of the genitals, thyroid dysfunction, tumors in the brain, consequences of head injuries, complications from infectious diseases such as encephalitis and meningitis, and other structural disorders of the brain.

This is mainly due to the fact that it is the pituitary gland and hypothalamus that participate in the regulation of hormonal secretion by the peripheral sex glands. In addition, some hereditary factors can lead to early puberty in boys. The probability of premature puberty is high when the child has excessive body weight.

The main negative consequence of early puberty in boys is that the child stops growing. This happens because sex hormones have such a negative effect on the bones that the growth zones are closed - those areas that provide an increase in length. Because of this, boys who become sexually mature too early are significantly shorter than their peers.

Early puberty in boys can be successfully treated with modern medical means. The only necessary condition is to timely identify the signs of such a process and select the appropriate methods. Medical intervention is directed, depending on the established causes, against the underlying disease, or special drugs can be prescribed that inhibit the secretion of sex hormones until the growth processes are completed.

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Delayed puberty in boys

Delayed puberty in boys is generally diagnosed if, after reaching the age of 14, the child shows no signs indicating the onset of puberty.

This fact, however, does not mean at all that it should arouse suspicion that it is provoked by the presence of any anomalies in development. And perhaps it is caused by some genetic features, hereditary predisposition of all or most representatives of the male sex of a certain family to a late onset of development of their ability to bear children. Such a phenomenon is quite common and is known as constitutional delay of physical and sexual maturation. In such cases, sexual maturation of boys is preceded by a period with an absolutely normal growth rate, the intensification of which and the appearance of features characteristic of puberty can begin only by the age of 15.

The presence of diseases that cause significant hormonal imbalances can delay puberty in boys. This can occur due to a tumor affecting the pituitary gland and hypothalamus - the appendages of the brain responsible for the processes of puberty. Insufficient amounts or complete cessation of the production of hormones important for the growth of the genitals - gonadotropins - can hinder sexual development. In a number of chronic kidney diseases, diabetes, etc., the puberty period is also often delayed.

In boys with delayed sexual development, with relatively long upper and lower limbs, a frail physique, a high waistline, and in body proportions, the width of the hips exceeds the width of the shoulders. Underdevelopment of the genitals is observed, the penis is very small, the scrotum does not hang down, there is no pubic or armpit hair, and no pollutions occur.

If there is a delay in puberty in boys, it should be borne in mind that it is fraught with at least an aggravation of the psycho-emotional state of the teenager with this problem, and in the future threatens infertility. At the same time, treatment does not present any particular difficulties if the causes are identified in a timely manner and the necessary medical measures are prescribed. In adolescence, it can be dealt with within 2-3 months.

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Late puberty in boys

Late puberty in boys in some cases may not be directly related to any developmental abnormalities, but may be the norm within some individual families, in which males, as a rule, begin puberty later than the age that is the general average norm. This is a general tendency for such a family, and puberty in boys, starting somewhat later, then proceeds with a completely normal rate of growth and development.

There are a number of characteristic signs, based on which it becomes possible to state the late onset of puberty in boys. The most obvious and obvious difference of such children is hypostatura - that is, they are generally shorter than their peers. The next symptom is that by the time the boy reaches 15 years of age, his testicles have not enlarged. It is also possible to talk about late puberty in boys based on the fact that by these years there is no growth of pubic hair.

Late puberty in boys can be caused by the presence of certain chromosomal abnormalities in the child, in particular Klinefelter syndrome. In this genetic disease, the female sex chromosome Y is added to the male chromosome set XY in a single amount or several at once. As a result, all sorts of disorders of the endocrine system appear, one of the manifestations of which is a decrease in the production of male sex hormones in the testicles. Tumor damage to the pituitary gland or hypothalamus - an area in the brain associated with the processes of puberty - provokes a decrease in the amount of gonadotropins, under the influence of which the active growth of the genitals occurs.

Thus, late puberty in boys occurs due to heredity, as well as against the background of a number of diseases with hormonal imbalance in the body, which is reflected in the slowdown in body growth and development of the genitals of boys. When the onset of puberty occurs at a slightly later time than at what is considered normal, and subsequently proceeds at a normal rate, this often may not require special correction. Medical measures in the case of an abnormal delay in the child's entry into puberty are mainly reduced to treating the underlying disease that caused it.