Timing of Puberty

Puberty starts and ends at different times for everyone. It can start as early as 9 years of age to as late as 13 1/2. The sequence of development usually ranges from two to five years.

This is sometimes difficult because some of your peers may have entered and completed puberty before you've even started. There's no way to slow or speed up the process, but puberty happens to everyone, so never fear, it will happen to you!

Here is a general timeline for physical changes that occur during puberty for boys:

Genitalia and Pubic Hair

In the early stages of puberty, the scrotum grows larger. You might experience some reddening and notice texture change in the scrotal skin. Pubic hair might start appearing at the base of your penis.

While the scrotum grows, the penis increases in length and has a smaller increase in width. About a year after your penis starts growing, most boys have their first ejaculation. This is at times scary or worrisome to boys, but it's perfectly natural and a part of the puberty process.

At the same time, you might also notice that more pubic hair is growing and that it is becoming darker, coarser and curlier. The penis continues to grow, and the head of the penis develops. The scrotal skin gets darker and the scrotum also continues to grow.

When the penis is fully developed, pubic hair will have grown like an upside-down triangle around your penis and will probably have spread to your thighs as well. There is no healthy or natural way to increase penis size, and it is true: size doesn't matter.

Growing

Puberty can also cause you to go through a growth spurt, which results in an average growth of about 4.1 inches a year. Your head, hands and feet are the first things to grow. Then your arms and legs grow, and finally your torso and shoulders catch up with the rest of your body.

Possible Breast Development

During puberty, some boys experience slight breast growth, but this is usually temporary and disappears after a while. However, if it doesn't disappear after puberty and continues to worry you, you might want to consult your doctor about it.

Voice Change

Your voice deepens, and while the process is gradual, you might experience your voice breaking at times. This is normal and natural, so don’t worry about it.

Body Hair

Facial hair first appears at the corners of your upper lip and then spreads across the upper lip, to the upper parts of the cheek, below the bottom lip, and finally to the sides of your face and your chin. Underarm hair also grows at this time.

Acne

Accompanying underarm hair growth, your sweat- and oil-producing glands also start developing, which eventually results in acne when these glands are clogged. In order to avoid breakouts, wash your face twice daily. If you still regularly break out, you may want to speak with a dermatologist.

Last Reviewed: October 2018