teen magazine.

Don’t go on a diet to try to lose this weight. “It’s not bad fat,” says Melisa Holmes, MD, who co-wrote the Girlology book series. “Women just have to have a certain amount of body fat for reproduction and the health of our menstrual cycles.”

http://eplanetnews.com/puberty-stage-for-females-and-males
http://eplanetnews.com/puberty-stage-for-females-and-males


When does puberty occur?
The onset of puberty varies among individuals. Puberty usually occurs in girls between the ages of 10 and 14, while in boys it generally occurs later, between the ages of 12 and 16. In some African-American girls, puberty begins earlier, at about age 9, meaning that puberty occurs from ages 9 to 14.

Adolescent girls reach puberty today at earlier ages than were ever recorded previously. Nutritional and other environmental influences may be responsible for this change. For example, the average age of the onset of menstrual periods in girls was 15 in 1900. By the 1990s, this average had dropped to 12 and a half years of age.


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http://eplanetnews.com/puberty-stage-for-females-and-males

Timing of Puberty
Puberty starts at different times and lasts for different periods of time for everyone. It can start as early as 8 years of age to as late as 13 years of age. The sequence of puberty – from breast development to complete physical maturation – may take a year and a half or last as long as 6 years.

This is sometimes very difficult for girls as some of their peers may have entered and completed puberty before they have even started. However, there is no way to slow or speed up the process, but puberty happens to everyone, so never fear, it will happen to you!

You may have heard that girls mature more quickly than guys, and that is somewhat true, since girls usually enter puberty about 2 years earlier than boys.

Below is a general time line for physical changes that occur during puberty (for girls):

Puberty Event Age at which it happens
Growth of breasts 8-13
Growth of pubic hair 8-14
Body Growth 9 1/2-14 1/2
First Period 10-16 1/2
Underarm Hair 2 years after pubic hair shows up
Acne Around the same time as underarm hair
Remember, puberty is not the same for everyone, so some girls will grow pubic hair before they develop breasts, and that is absolutely normal.

http://eplanetnews.com/puberty-stage-for-females-and-males
http://eplanetnews.com/puberty-stage-for-females-and-males
http://eplanetnews.com/puberty-stage-for-females-and-males



What determines when puberty begins?
The timing of the onset of puberty is not completely understood and is likely determined by a number of factors. One theory proposes that reaching a critical weight or body composition may play a role in the onset of puberty. It has been proposed that the increase in childhood obesity may be related to the overall earlier onset of puberty in the general population in recent years.

Leptin, a hormone produced by fat cells (adipocytes) in the body, has been suggested as one possible mediator of the timing of puberty. In research studies, animals deficient in leptin did not undergo puberty, but puberty began when leptin was administered to the animals. Further, girls with higher concentrations of the hormone leptin are known to have an increased percentage of body fat and an earlier onset of puberty than girls with lower levels of leptin. The concentration of leptin in the blood is known to increase just before puberty in both boys and girls.

Leptin, however, is likely only one of multiple influences on the hypothalamus, an area of the brain that releases a hormone known as gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH), which in turn signals the pituitary gland to release luteinizing hormone (LH) and follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH). LH and FSH secretion by the pituitary is responsible for sexual development.

Genetic factors are likely involved in the timing of puberty, and the timing of puberty has often been described to “run in families.” Additionally, a gene has been identified that appears to be critical for the normal development of puberty. The gene, known as GPR54, encodes a protein that appears to have an effect on the secretion of GnRH by the hypothalamus. Individuals who do not have a functioning copy of this gene are not able to enter puberty normally.





What are the physical stages of puberty in girls and boys?
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The changes that happen during the process of puberty have a typical pattern in both boys and girls, with a generally predictable sequence of events. In most girls, the first sign of puberty is the beginning of breast development (breast buds), which occurs at an average age of approximately 11 years. In girls, the growth of pubic hair typically begins next, followed by the growth of hair in the armpits. A minority of girls, however, begin to develop pubic hair prior to breast development. The onset of menstruation (having periods) usually happens later than the other physical changes and usually occurs around two and a half years after the onset of puberty.

A regular pattern of ovulation, corresponding to achievement of fertility, usually develops rapidly once a girl begins having menstrual periods. However, girls who have a later onset of menstruation (after age 13) tend to have lower rates of regular ovulation in the years following the onset of menstruation. Studies have shown that one-half of adolescent girls who first begin to menstruate after age 13 will not ovulate regularly over the next four and a half years.

In boys, an increase in the size of the testicles is the first change observed at the onset of puberty. Enlargement of the testicles begins at an approximate average age of 11 and a half years in boys and lasts for about six months. After enlargement of the testicles, the penis also increases in size. Enlargement of the testicles and penis almost always occurs before the development of pubic hair. The next stage is the growth of pubic hair and hair in the armpits. Next, the voice becomes deeper and muscles increase in size. The last step is usually the development of facial hair.

Fertility is achieved in males near the onset of puberty, when a surge in testosterone triggers the production of sperm.

The sequence of changes in puberty has been characterized by physicians and is referred to as sexual maturity rating (SMR) or Tanner stages, named after a physician who published a description of the sequence of physical changes in puberty in 1969. Tanner stages are determined by the development of the secondary sex characteristics and encompass changes in the size and appearance of the external Instruments, the development of pubic hair, and breast development in girls. Tanner stages allow doctors to classify the extent of development of sex characteristics into five distinct steps ranging from stage 1 (prepubertal) to stage 5 (mature adult type).





What other changes in the body occur during puberty in boys and girls?
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The “growth spurt”
A rapid increase in height, referred to as a growth spurt, usually accompanies puberty. This rapid increase in height typically lasts for two to three years. About 17%-18% of adult height is attained during puberty. Although the increase in height affects both the trunk and the limbs, growth in the limbs usually happens first. The growth spurt characteristically occurs earlier in girls than in boys, with girls having the growth spurt approximately two years prior to boys, on average. In girls, the growth spurt typically precedes the onset of menstruation by about six months.

Bone growth and mineralization
Puberty is accompanied by growth of bones and increases in bone density in both boys and girls. In girls, bone mineralization peaks around the time of the onset of menstrual periods, after the time of peak height velocity (growth spurt). Studies have shown that bone width increases first, followed by bone mineral content, and lastly by bone density. Because of the lag between bone growth and achievement of full bone density, adolescents may be at increased risk for fractures during this time.

Weight changes
Changes in weight and body composition occur in both boys and girls. Adolescent girls develop a greater proportion of body fat than boys, with redistribution of the fat toward the upper and lower portions of the body, leading to a curvier appearance. While boys also have an increase in the growth of body fat, their muscle growth is faster. By the end of puberty, boys have a muscle mass about one and a half times greater than that of comparably sized girls.

Other changes
Maturation of the cardiovascular systems and lungs results in an increased working capacity of these organs, associated with an overall increase in endurance and strength. These changes are more pronounced in boys than in girls.

What emotional changes occur in puberty in boys and girls?
Both boys and girls can experience emotional changes that accompany the myriad physical changes of puberty. These changes are not the same for all adolescents. Changes can occur in the way a teen responds to family or friends and views him- or herself. Many adolescents experience mood swings, anxiety, confusion, and sensitivity. On the other hand, not all emotional changes of puberty are related to negative thoughts or feeling upset. Puberty is also a time in which the young person learns about his or her own interests and goals and learns to relate to others in a more mature way. While some emotional changes are a normal part of puberty, it is important to seek medical help if these emotional changes are unusually severe, affect day-to-day functioning, or result in thoughts of harming oneself or others.





Stages of puberty for females
1. Breast development (Thelarche)

This is the first noticeable sign of puberty in females. The internal structures of the breast begin to develop under the influence of hormones including oestrogen and progesterone. Growth hormone and glucocorticoids then complete the development of the network of ducts within the breast, while fatty and fibrous tissue enlarge the breast. Breast development is generally completed at around the age of 20. However, minor changes occur with each menstrual cycle and the breasts change dramatically during pregnancy.

2. Growth of pubic and underarm hair (Pubarche)

Hair begins to grow and proliferate around the pubic

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