Exact Answer: 4 Years
Puberty is the process of sexually maturing a girl or boy. This process takes place between the age of 10 to 14 years for girls and 12 to 16 years for boys. The process of puberty can take a minimum of 4 years. During puberty, the boy and the girls start experiencing changes in their appearance physically, mentally, and internally. These changes are a part of nature and are further necessary for sexual behavior.
In girls, the breast starts developing and this gets followed by hair growth in the pubic area and the armpits. Other changes in appearance and body hair follow this period of puberty. These changes can affect the body and mind. The last change of puberty is menstruation. In boys, the changes occurring in puberty begin with testicles and the penis getting bigger. This is followed by facial and pubic area hair growth. Some other changes like muscle growth, deepened voice can also be seen in boys.
How Long Does Puberty Last?
| Body Type | Duration |
| Normal Body Type | 4 Years |
| Special Changes | 5-6 Years |
The duration for which puberty can last depends on the body type of a person. For many people, puberty can last up to 4 years but depending on different body types puberty can even last for 3-5 years. Puberty comes before in girls than boys. The abnormal height growth or extreme facial hai are all a part of the process of puberty.
The brain starts sending signal to the body to prepare itself for the next few changes in life. The hypothalamus in bran starts secreting gonadotropin releasing hormones that travels to the pituary gland and hence controls the other glands of the body. The pitiuatary gland also starts making two new hormones called luteinizing hormone and follicle stimulating hormone. These hormones causes changes in the body.
During the first stage of puberty, the body produces signals that are not really noticeable. But then in the second stage physical development starts to take place when the released signals are sent to different parts of the body. In girls, the breasts and nipples start developing starting from tendering and expanding. The uterus also starts growing larger over time ad small pubic hair starts growing.
In boys, the size of the testicles and penis starts increasing with an addition of pubic hair. Stage 3 of the whole cycle is when these changes start to be more witnessable. The heights of the individuals also start to grow. The sexual dreams and activation all occur in this stage.
Why Does Puberty Last This Long?
The average time for which puberty lasts can vary from person to person. The changes in the body occur in different stages and might not be the same for everyone. After the physical changes start becoming more witnessable stage 4 comes when puberty is in full swing and all the changes are fully noticeable in the body.
During this time, girls may start getting their first period. The hair growth gets thicker and the height growth slows down during this process. In boys, the testicles, penis, and scrotum get bigger and darker. The voice gets deeper and acne may start. This is the time when the physical changes put an impact on the mental health as well.
The last stage that is the stage 5, is when puberty starts approaching the end stages. In boys, the pubic hair growth intensifies and the facial hair become more prominent. The muscle growth is still experienced. By 18, the full growth is completed. In girls, periods become regular after six months to two years. Reproductive organs and genitals become fully developed.
Conclusion
In most boys and girls, puberty lasts for a period of four years. However, this time can vary from person to person. During puberty, the body starts to experience changes and physical changes become more prominent. Besides this, change like sexual changes also starts becoming more prominent. The reproductive organs start developing and sexual activation takes place.
Other changes like facial and body hair growth also become prominent. The height starts to grow out. All these changes don’t occur all at once. Many may experience different changes than others. All this is the process of puberty that takes place in five major stages.
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