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.