Age Years
These
will vary.
|
Features
|
What
Happens
|
|
11
- 14
|
Growth
of hair and pubic hair
|
Hair usually begins to grow on various parts of
the body when a boy is between ages 11 and 14 years.
Hair can continue to spread to other parts of the
body until a young man reaches about age 20.
Sparse
growth of slightly pigmented pubic hair at base
of penis around age 12.4 -- Adult-type hair with
spread to the inside of thighs but not up the abdomen
(15.3 years).
Hair
is typically seen on a young man's face, underarm
area, pubic area, abdomen, chest, arms, legs, and
buttocks. The amount and distribution of hair can
vary considerably from one man to the next -- this
is entirely normal and may have genetic tendencies.
|
|
11
- 15
|
Voice
Changes
|
As
a result of increased testosterone, vocal cords become
longer and thicker and the voice becomes lower. While
these changes are occurring it is not unusual for
the voice to change pitch abruptly or 'crack' at times.
(This can often be very embarrassing). Average age
around 13.5 years, with voice 'changing' around age
14.5
|
|
13
- 16
|
External
Genital Development
|
Increased
growth of the penis and scrotum often starts at
about age 13 and continues until adult size is reached
about 2 years later. Keep in mind, there is a fair
degree of variation in the age for genital development
from one boy to the next. See 'Penis
Size' for more on this.
Thinning
and reddening of scrotum occurs around age 12 years.
|
|
11
- 20
|
Oil
Glands Become Active or Overactive
|
Oil
glands in the skin become more active - This can cause
acne. Many
people will have problems with acne into adulthood.
|
|
10
- 17
|
Growth
Spurt and the appearance of a more muscular and
angular shape.
|
While
both girls and boys will begin a rapid growth spurt
sometime between the ages of 10 and 15, the growth
spurt in boys usually occurs about two years after
the growth spurt takes place in girls of the same
age.
The
body takes on a new more muscular and angular shape
in boys under the influence of testosterone. This
generally begins around age 12.5 when testosterone
causes muscle mass to increase. The greatest effect
can usually be seen in the upper chest and shoulder
muscles. Testosterone also causes bones to lengthen,
giving young men a heavier bone structure and longer
arms and legs.
|
|
(Start
in infancy), Related to puberty:
12
- 18
|
Penile
Erections
|
Males
have spontaneous penis erections throughout their
lives (even when they are infants). During puberty
boys tend to get erections more frequently. Erections
can occur with or without any physical or sexual stimulation.
While this can be very embarrassing for teenage guys,
especially when it happens in public, like school,
its important to understand that it is entirely
normal for this to happen.
|