Puberty is the transition of your body to adulthood, when your sex organs grow and develop and your body becomes ready and able to reproduce. These changes can make you feel proud and happy, but they can also make you feel confused or embarrassed.
Puberty starts at different ages and lasts for different lengths of time for different people. It can start as early as 7 years old to as late as 13. The sequence of puberty—from breast development to complete physical maturation—may take a year and a half or last as long as six years.
This is sometimes very difficult, because some of your peers may have entered and completed puberty before you have even started. Everyone starts and ends at different times; for you, it’s likely to be similar to your parents, so ask them. You might have heard that girls mature more quickly than guys. That is somewhat true since girls usually enter puberty about two years earlier than boys.
There is no way to slow down or speed up the process, but puberty happens to everyone, so never fear, it will happen to you someday! If you find the changes in your body really disturbing, talk to your parents, doctor or counselor.