Puberty Stage: Where am I in the process of becoming an adult?
Question
I’m 12 years old and I’m very concerned about my penis size. It's very small. Am I just a late bloomer. I don’t even know if I have reached puberty. How do I know? Darrel
Dr. Greene:
Puberty can be very confusing. For boys and girls, bodies develop in response to an ocean of surging hormones. There is a wide range of normal ages for puberty, which can make it even more confusing — especially when you’re the one going through the process. Doctors have a way of charting where, in the process of moving from a child’s body to that of an adult, each individual is by assessing several factors. This is called Tanner Staging (named after James Tanner, the doctor who invented the scale) or Sexual Maturity Rating in Adolescents. It is what doctors use to determine the pubertal stage of a patient. There are five stages in total, and each patient will move through the stages at slightly different rates.
Darrel, take a look at these charts to see where you are in the process. As you can see, there is a wide range of ages in which each stage occurs. When you start puberty, and how fast you move through it, is dependent on many factors. The greatest factor is your genetics. Talk to your mom and dad about their experiences and timing of puberty. And, of course, if you have questions or concerns, please talk to your pediatrician. We are always willing to explain these stages. They can be confusing!
Tanner Staging for Boys
From: ANNEX H, SEXUAL MATURITY RATING (TANNER STAGING) IN ADOLESCENTS
|
Stage |
Age range (years) |
Testes growth
|
Penis growth |
Pubic hair growth |
Other changes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
I | 0–15 | Pre-adolescent testes (≤2.5 cm) | Pre-adolescent | None | Pre-adolescent |
|
II | 10–15 | Enlargement of testes; pigmentation of scrotal sac | Minimal or no enlargement | Long downy hair, often appearing several months after testicular growth; variable pattern noted with pubarche | Not applicable |
|
III | 11.5–16.5 | Further enlargement | Significant enlargement, especially in diameter | Increase in amount; curling | Not applicable |
|
IV | Variable: 12–17 | Further enlargement | Further enlargement, especially in diameter | Adult in type but not in distribution | Development of axillary hair and some facial hair |
|
V | 13–18 | Adult in size | Adult in size | Adult in distribution (medial aspects of thighs; linea alba) | Body hair continues to grow and muscles continue to increase in size for several months to years; 20% of boys reach peak growth velocity during this period |
Tanner Staging for Girls
|
Stage |
Age range (years) |
Breast growth |
Pubic hair growth |
Other Changes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
I | >0–15 | Pre-adolescent | None | Pre-adolescent |
|
II | 8–15 | Breast budding (thelarche); areolar hyperplasia with small amount of breast tissue | Long downy pubic hair near the labia, often appearing with breast budding or several weeks or months later | Peak growth velocity often occurs soon after stage II |
|
III | 10–15 | Further enlargement of breast tissue and areola, with no separation of their contours | Increase in amount and pigmentation of hair | Menarche occurs in 2% of girls late in stage III |
|
IV | 10–17 | Separation of contours; areola and nipple form secondary mound above breasts tissue | Adult in type but not in distribution | Menarche occurs in most girls in stage IV, 1–3 years after thelarche |
|
V | 12.5–18 | Large breast with single contour | Adult in distribution | Menarche occurs in 10% of girls in stage V. |
Alan Greene MD
Our goal is to improve children's health by inspiring parents to become knowledgable partners who can work with their children's physicians in new and rich ways.
Dear Dr. Greene , we just found that our house maids son donot haves testis . They took him to urologist and in MRI , they did not find it . How I can help the child. Please let us know if can do anything for child.
Swati,
What tough news for this family. Certainly, this child’s life will be changed forever, but there are medical options. Likely the family will find the most help at academic or teaching hospitals.
It is wise to seek treatment as soon as our current COVID situation allows. The younger a child is when choices are considered and treatment is started, the better the outcome.
I hope that helps.
Best, @MsGreene
Note: I am the co-founder of DrGreene.com, but I am not Dr. Greene and I am not a doctor. Please keep that in mind when reading my comments and replies.
I’ve tried to comment and email but haven’t gotten a response
My comments/questions aren’t posting and no one responds to my emails…
Hi Geo,
Sometimes our software tags comments and emails as spam. This typically happens if there are URLs embedded in the comment or email, if they appear to be selling a product, if they use potentially offensive language or perceived hate speech. Of course,software can make mistakes — especially regarding intent.
Care to resend keeping the above general rules in mind?
Best, @MsGreene
Note: I am the co-founder of DrGreene.com, but I am not Dr. Greene and I am not a doctor. Please keep that in mind when reading my comments and replies.
Hello, i am 11 years old. My stretched penis length is [redacted], i have a little amount of pubic hair and i am southeast asian. What is the global average penile length for my age and is it normal?
Hello Anonymous,
There aren’t good global averages for penis length — during puberty or afterward. Additionally, penis length is directly correlated to age. Puberty can begin early, at an average age, or late. There is a standard set of criteria that doctors use to determine the stage of puberty. Dr. Greene has written about it here –> Puberty Stage: Where am I in the process of becoming an adult? It includes chart that you may find helpful
Likely no matter what age growth starts, the end result will be similar.
I hope that helps.
Best, @MsGreene
Note: I am the co-founder of DrGreene.com, but I am not Dr. Greene and I am not a doctor. Please keep that in mind when reading my comments and replies.
what is redacted?
Hi Nathan,
Thanks for your question. “Redacted” is a term used in journalism to indicate that the text has been edited and some has been removed. It is our policy that we don’t reveal personal details that are shared in comments. We use the [redacted] to indicate that there was additional text in the original comment that has been removed.
If you have further questions, please reply.
Best, @MsGreene
Note: I am the co-founder of DrGreene.com, but I am not Dr. Greene and I am not a doctor. Please keep that in mind when reading my comments and replies.
Hi I’m 17, currently 3 months from 18. Around the time I was 11 years old my voice changed, and maybe a year before that I had started to grow pubic hair and before I was 13/12-ish I had grown under arm hair and I have been fairly tall compared too other guys for a long time my age because I had growth spurts and I started shaving when I was 14. I even have fairly broad shoulders that I’ve received comments about before. However when I measure my my penis like you said it’s around 4 inches. Why is it that this is so far behind the rest of my body in terms of maturation? I understand that our bodies all grow at different rates, but can it really be that drastic of a difference?