Puberty (3 page)

Hanging out with friends is part of gaining independence away from the family.

Skin and hair become more oily and the sweat glands become more active and begin to produce a different kind of sweat (see page
24
). Body hair begins to grow on the face, underarms, legs, chest, belly, and around the pubic area. Some boys go on growing more body hair into their twenties, and they may want to start shaving facial hair and shaving or waxing unwanted body hair.

As sex hormones start to work, the
penis
and testes increase in size. The penis is the fastest-growing part of a boy’s body during puberty. It gets longer and thicker and also becomes highly sensitive to touch. The
testicles
also grow up to seven times their original size, often one slightly faster than the other.

Voice breaking

Another sign of puberty is that your voice begins to “break,” becoming deeper. This typically happens between the ages of around 11 and 14, after the main “growth spurt.”

WHY DO BOYS’ VOICES BREAK?

Before puberty, your larynx is fairly small, and your vocal cords are small and thin. That’s why your voice is higher than an adult’s. During puberty, the larynx gets bigger, and the vocal cords lengthen and thicken, making your voice deeper. Part of the larynx can become visible as the “Adam’s apple” in your throat. As the body adjusts to this change, your voice may “crack” or “break.” This process should last for only a few months.

WHAT CAUSES “MAN BOOBS”?

Experts believe a temporary imbalance in androgens and estrogens—the hormones that kick in during puberty—can cause a temporary growth in breast tissue (gynecomastia). It affects about 50 percent of boys, and in most cases only lasts a few months.

Is it normal?

Boys develop at different rates during puberty, and this means they may worry that they are not normal when they compare themselves with classmates.

Penis size

Boys often worry that although the testes are growing, their penis is not growing big or fast enough. Normal adult penis size covers a wide range and varies more when soft or flaccid, around 2 to 4 inches (5–10 cm), than when erect at around 5 to 6 inches (13–16 cm). It can take until you are around 19 or 20 for your penis to reach its full size. You may also worry about changes in the
scrotum
, but the skin naturally becomes darker during puberty and also becomes rougher in texture before body hair grows.

HEALTH WARNING

Alcohol and some drugs can stimulate male breast growth. These drugs include bodybuilding steroids, amphetamines, marijuana, and heroin. These drugs also have other very serious side effects and should be avoided wherever possible.

Am I normal?

If you look at pictures in magazines and on the Internet, you may find yourself comparing your own body to these, worrying that you don’t match up. You may worry that your erection (see page
18
) is abnormal, for example, because it has a bend or curve when erect. There are many variations in how erections look, and all are normal, but if you have any concerns, you can always ask your doctor, who will be able to reassure you.

Comparing yourself to others, for example, friends or celebrities, is natural during puberty.

Body checks

Some doctors recommend that boys should check their testes for any changes or lumps from the age of around 15 years. Getting to know the normal feel of their scrotum and testes will help boys be aware of any changes that could indicate problems including testicular cancer. Some teenage boys may develop a twisted testicle which can cause pain, redness, and swelling, and this should always be checked out by a doctor immediately.

Boys (and men) can sometimes find it harder to talk about problems than females do.

Am I turning into a girl?

Dear Agony Aunt,
I am really worried because I think I am growing breasts. My friends started teasing me at the pool last week, and now I don’t want to go swimming any more. What’s happening? I am worried something is wrong with me, and I am turning into a girl. I’m quite thin, so I know it can’t be related to weight gain.
Chris, 14
Dear Chris
,
Don’t worry. You are not changing into a girl. In puberty, normal changes in hormone levels can make a boy’s breasts begin to swell under the nipples. It can happen on one or both sides, and they may feel a bit tender, too. Usually, they will flatten out in a few months or at most a year or two. They are not related to body weight
.

Erections

Erections are when a boy’s penis fills with blood so that it becomes larger and stiffer, standing up against the body. During an erection, a penis grows up to five times its normal size. Boys can have erections when they are babies or children, but during puberty, it starts to happen more often.

WHAT CAUSES AN ERECTION?

The penis is made of spongy tissue filled with tiny blood vessels. Normally blood flows in and out of the penis at the same rate, but during an erection, blood vessels at the base of the penis tighten and blood flow increases dramatically into the penis, making it get bigger and harder.

Arousal or reflex

If you are a boy, you can have an erection when you are turned on by sexual thoughts or looking at someone you find attractive and sexy. Erections can make you feel embarrassed, and during puberty, they can often happen spontaneously. Teenage boys can have up to 20 “reflex” erections a day. They can sometimes feel embarrassed when it happens like this, but mostly no one else will notice, and thinking about something nonsexual can help make it go down.

IT HAPPENED TO ME

I got my first wet dream when I was at a friend’s sleepover. I was really embarrassed because, when I woke up, my boxers and the sleeping bag were damp, and I thought I had wet the bed. Luckily I managed to hide it from my friend.

Darren, 15

Wet dreams

Most teenage boys have about four erections during the night while they are sleeping. Some can result in a wet dream, which is when you
ejaculate semen
in your sleep. Wet dreams are normal and natural; they are nothing to feel embarrassed about.

Ejaculation

When a boy reaches
orgasm
—whether through
masturbation
(see page
28
), sex, or wet dreams—the penis releases a spurt of semen, the fluid that carries sperm. Each ejaculation can carry up to 100 million sperm. Sperm can fertilize a female egg during sex to produce a baby.

Wet dreams are most common during adolescence and early young adult years. However, they may happen any time during or after puberty.

4 Skin and hair

The hormones that bring about body changes in puberty also affect the skin and hair. The skin contains thousands of microscopic
sebaceous
glands that produce sebum (an oily substance) to stop skin and hair drying out. But in puberty, too much sebum can build up, making the skin and hair look and feel oily. This oil can lead to blackheads and pimples.

As we reach puberty, the male sex hormones, androgens, cause the sebaceous glands to enlarge and produce more sebum. Both boys and girls have some male and some female sex hormones, but boys have around ten times more testosterone than girls, and girls have around ten times more estrogen than boys.

WORSE FOR BOYS?

As boys have more androgens than girls do, they can suffer more with greasy skin and hair. In girls, estrogen keeps the production of sebum down, but girls do have small amounts of testosterone. If this is not countered by enough estrogen (for example, estrogen levels drop just before girls’ periods) their skin can become more greasy and prone to pimples.

Keep it clean!

Acne is not caused by dirty skin. Too much sebum can block skin
pores
, leading to pimples and acne (see page
22
). Sebum can also build up around the hair follicles, making the hair look greasy and lank soon after washing. You can help by keeping your skin and hair clean with gentle washing—but washing your face more than twice a day can stimulate more oil to be produced. Use noncomedogenic skin products (this means they won’t block the pores). There are lots of products designed especially for oily skin and hair, and it is worth experimenting to see which work best for you. Pimples nearly always disappear after puberty.

Acne is worse premenstrually—many girls notice their pimples are worse during the week before a period.

Can I prevent pimples?

Dear Agony Aunt,
My skin feels really greasy, and I get pimples especially around my period. They make me really self-conscious, and I seem to get them much more than anyone else. Is there anything I can do to prevent them?
Beatriz, 15

Dear Beatriz
,
Pimples are generally a result of excessively oily skin. Find a face wash designed for oily skin, as this will help to control the amount of oils that are being secreted on to the surface of the skin. You can also buy facial strips that have been designed to help get rid of blackheads. For the best results, you should use these when your skin is clean and soft
—
perhaps after a bath or shower. Remember that what works for someone else may not work for you, so you may need to experiment in finding a product that is suitable for your skin
.