Pediatrics

What happens in puberty?

introduction

Puberty is a formative period in the development from child to adult. It includes a physical, social and psychological development and maturation phase that extends over a period of three to four years.
In addition to gender-specific physical changes, the main pillars of puberty are, above all, the development of sexual interest, as well as the separation from the family and the strong orientation towards peers.

What happens to girls

In girls, puberty begins on average between the ages of 8 and 14. It begins with the first appearance of the secondary sexual characteristics and ends with the completion of sexual maturity.

The development of secondary sexual characteristics in girls includes the growth of the breast and pubic hair. This happens under the influence of the female sex hormone estrogen and is associated with both breast tissue growth and the development of the mammary glands and the enlargement of the nipples. In addition, under the influence of the male sex hormone testosterone, armpit and pubic hair develop. In addition, there is a redistribution of the subcutaneous fat and a widening of the pelvis, so that the female curves become visible.

The most defining change in a girl's sex development is the onset of her first menstrual bleeding. The time varies from person to person, but is announced months in advance by a whitish discharge from the vagina. It is only when the bleeding that follows that one speaks of menstruation that completes sexual maturity. A regular cycle only sets in after several months.
This last phase of puberty is often associated with moodiness, irritability, and severe mood swings.

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What happens to boys

The stages of puberty in boys differ in several ways from those in girls. Puberty generally begins later in boys than in girls, i.e. between the ages of 10 and 16.

The boyish body begins to gradually build more muscles and appear more masculine and distinctive. The facial features become angular and more precise and the action of the male sex hormones leads to hair growth in the armpits and pubic area, as well as beard and testicular growth. The beard growth announces itself initially as a soft down over the upper lip and increases strongly in the course of puberty.

Another sign of puberty in boys is the first ejaculation. What triggers it is not clear, but the hormonal effects stimulate the production of seminal fluid so that ejaculation is possible at all.
In addition, the rapid growth of the larynx causes the voice to break. The vocal cords expand and become thicker so that the voice appears deeper and has a stronger and darker sound.

During puberty, boys are also much more likely to get into conflict or illegal situations than girls. They tend to duel with their peers and long for attention and recognition. They want to take on the image of a strong, fearless man, but also have to learn to cope with disappointments and rejection and to find their own place as independent individuals in society.

Developmental steps during puberty

Bodily development

Many physical changes slowly set in during puberty. The child's body grows up to sexual maturity. The physical development of peers during puberty does not always take place at the same time and can vary greatly in duration. It is controlled by hormones. In girls, the female sex hormone estrogen predominates, in boys the male sex hormone testosterone.

The first signs of physical development during puberty in both boys and girls are the development of secondary sexual characteristics, such as the growth of armpit and pubic hair. The girls also show breast growth. Due to the testosterone formation, there is a significant increase in sebum production. This creates blemished skin with pimples and the hair appears flat, sticky and greasy. Since boys are more impaired by testosterone production than girls, they suffer significantly more often from skin problems and increased activity of the sweat and scent glands often results in a strong body odor.

There is also an increased release of a growth hormone called somatotropin, which promotes bone growth. This hormonal change has the effect that the previously child-like, petite body changes shape and structure and is prepared for new tasks. Many children experience an enormous growth spurt, which can also bring some problems. If the growth occurs too quickly, the children often suffer from pain and complain above all of joint problems.

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In addition to the externally visible physical changes, there are also far-reaching changes inside the body. In girls, the vagina grows and the shape of the uterus changes. In boys, the penis grows and the sex glands, such as the prostate and vesicle, mature and become fully functional.

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Change in skin

The layer of fat that protects the skin is regulated by the sex hormones. Due to an increased production of sex hormones during physical development, the sebum glands become more active during puberty. As a result, there is increased sebum formation. The sebum settles in the skin pores and clogs them.

Bacteria from the normal skin flora can penetrate the skin through small cracks in the skin. Due to the increased sebum, they find enough nutrients in the pores, multiply there and lead to inflammatory changes. As a result, pimples and the appearance of an unclean skin surface appear. These skin changes mainly occur in the facial area, but can also manifest themselves in other parts of the body.

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Change in hair

Increased activity of the sebum glands also leads to changes in the hair. The sebum produced by the sebum glands is deposited on the scalp and absorbed by the hair. If there is a lot of sebum, more is absorbed by the hair than is normally necessary. This makes the hair look very greasy and greasy.

Not all adolescents struggle with greasy hair during puberty. With hair with a thin structure, the natural fats of the scalp cannot be absorbed sufficiently, so that the hair looks sticky and is flat and heavy on the scalp. Frequent washing makes the condition worse in most cases.

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Spiritual development

During puberty, in addition to pronounced physical changes, mental development can also be observed. These mental processes present many young people with a great challenge with many hurdles that they have to overcome in the course of their development. There is an improvement in memory and thinking skills during puberty.

In addition, during the transition from child to adult, an idea of morality, social values and one's own identity develops. Identity formation in particular causes problems for some young people, as they have to learn to follow the right path and to face conflicts with parents, friends or even the school.

Most young people have to try and fail to find out where they belong and who they really are and they have a great desire to feel validated and recognized. This also includes the solution from the sheltered environment of the parents. This process often leads to young people becoming very irritable and suffering from severe mood swings. These changes in the way of thinking, morals and self-presentation enable the young person to become an independent person and to consolidate their own character and identity.

Depending on the environment the teenager is in, the risk of bullying, eating disorders, or depression during puberty may increase. However, increased exposure to one's own body and mood swings are normal side effects of puberty.

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Mental development

During the puberty phase, mental changes also occur in boys and girls. During this time, many young people cannot classify exactly who they are, what they want and what goals they want to achieve. This mental maturation strongly influences the further path of the young person and often leads to great potential for conflict. Puberty is the time of self-discovery and individualization.

The previously existing interpersonal relationships are assessed differently, as the young people now deal with morals and values and begin to reflect on their behavior. However, this newfound self-reflection can also bring many problems with it, as the young people often feel judged in all life situations and they develop the feeling that they are not good enough in the opinion of their fellow human beings.

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