Important: This page is general information, not medical advice. It does not recommend or prescribe any treatment. Always consult your doctor or pharmacist before starting, stopping or changing any medicine.
About Puberty
Puberty is the time in life when a boy or girl becomes sexually mature. It is a process that usually happens between ages 8 and 13 for girls and ages 9 and 14 for boys. It causes physical changes and affects boys and girls differently.
- The first sign of puberty is usually breast development.
- Then hair grows in the pubic area and armpits.
- Menstruation (or a period) usually happens last.
- Puberty usually begins with the testicles and penis getting bigger.
- Then hair grows in the pubic area and armpits.
- Muscles grow, the voice deepens, and facial hair develops as puberty continues.
Both boys and girls may get acne. They also usually have a growth spurt (a rapid increase in height) that lasts for about 2 or 3 years. This brings them closer to their adult height, which they reach after puberty.
It sits within Children and Teenagers and Sexual Health Issues.
The lead U.S. institute for this subject is the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development.
When to speak to someone. Reading about a topic cannot tell you whether it applies to you. Speak to a doctor or pharmacist if symptoms are severe, sudden, getting worse, or simply not going away — and seek emergency care immediately for chest pain, breathing difficulty, sudden weakness or confusion, or a serious allergic reaction.
Research on Puberty
173 studies areregistered for this condition on ClinicalTrials.gov, the U.S. National Library of Medicine's public registry. A selection is below — the links go straight to the registry entry, not to a summary of ours.
What a registered study does and does not mean. Registration means a study exists and has been declared publicly. It says nothing about whether the treatment being tested works, is safe, or is available to you. Many studies find no benefit — that is what research is for. Never seek out an experimental treatment on the strength of a registry entry alone.
Research currently under way
- A Natural History of Genetic and Environmental Predictors of Pubertal Timing Among Youth With ObesityNational Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS)
- A Study of Leuprorelin 1-Month (4-Week) Formulation in Children With Central Precocious PubertyLG Chem
- Data Collection Study of Pediatric and Adolescent Gynecology ConditionsEunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD)
- A Longitudinal Investigation of the Endocrine and Neurobiologic Events Accompanying PubertyNational Institute of Mental Health (NIMH)
- Inherited Reproductive DisordersNational Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS)
- Natural History Study of Patients With Excess AndrogenEunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD)
Research already completed
- Efficacy, Safety, and Pharmacokinetics of Leuprolide Mesylate in Subjects With Central Precocious PubertyForesee Pharmaceuticals Co., Ltd.
- The Molecular Basis of Inherited Reproductive DisordersStephanie B. Seminara, MD
- Hormonal Regulation of Puberty and FertilityNational Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS)
Study data from ClinicalTrials.gov, a service of the U.S. National Library of Medicine. Retrieved 2026-07-30. Registry entries are supplied by study sponsors and investigators; ClinicalTrials.gov does not verify their scientific validity. PocketsInfo is not affiliated with, and not endorsed by, the NLM or the NIH.
Where to read more
Rather than paraphrase, we point you to the primary sources. Every link below is to a government health agency, a national institute or a recognised medical body — grouped by what you are trying to find out.
Start Here
- For Parents: What to Expect When Your Child Goes through PubertyAmerican Academy of Family Physicians
- Physical Development: What's Normal? What's Not?American Academy of Pediatrics
- Understanding Puberty (For Parents)Nemours Foundation
- What Are Normal Puberty, Precocious Puberty, and Delayed Puberty?Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development
Symptoms
- What Are the Symptoms of Puberty, Precocious Puberty, and Delayed Puberty?Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development
Diagnosis and Tests
- Blood Test: TestosteroneNemours Foundation
- Estradiol Blood TestNemours Foundation
- Estrogen Levels TestNational Library of Medicine
- How Do Healthcare Providers Diagnose Precocious Puberty and Delayed Puberty?Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development
Treatments and Therapies
- What Are Common Treatments for Problems of Puberty?Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development
Genetics
- Central precocious puberty: MedlinePlus GeneticsNational Library of Medicine
- Familial male-limited precocious puberty: MedlinePlus GeneticsNational Library of Medicine
Clinical Trials
- ClinicalTrials.gov: PubertyNational Institutes of Health
Medical subject headings
Clinicians and researchers index this subject under Puberty. These are the terms to use when searching medical literature.
This page is built from the MedlinePlus health topic record for Puberty, a service of the U.S. National Library of Medicine (NLM), National Institutes of Health. Information is from MedlinePlus.gov. PocketsInfo is not affiliated with, and is not endorsed by, the NLM or the NIH. Retrieved 30 July 2026.