Puberty is the initial stage of adolescence.
Puberty is the initial stage of adolescence , a period in which transformations occur that mark the end of childhood and the beginning of adult development. The term has its etymological origin from the Latin word pubertas .
The process of physical modifications of puberty turns the infant into an adult already capable of sexually reproducing . Furthermore, the physical differences between the male and female gender are enhanced: before entering puberty, both boys and girls are differentiated only by their genitals, but after puberty differences in shapes, dimensions, composition and functional development of various body structures. For each gender the consequences of puberty are different.
Puberty in women
In women, hormones such as estradiol , an estrogen that stimulates the growth of the breasts and uterus, become relevant. The main female physical transformations have to do with the appearance of pubic hair; alterations of the vagina, uterus and ovaries; the beginning of menstruation and fertile conditions; modifications in the pelvic structure; fixation of fat and changes in body composition; the increase in height; and the appearance of body odor , in addition to suffering dermal transformations and acne .
The first menstrual period is called menarche , which occurs in those young women who enter puberty and is the main sign to identify this period. But before a girl has menarche, she may notice other changes in her body , such as increased height, whitish discharge from the vagina, and hair growth all over her body. After the first menstruation, it is normal for some time to pass without the girl having new periods , until they become monthly and regular.
In women, the stage of puberty usually ends around age 17. After this period, it is unusual for girls to not have a normal cycle or continue to increase in height .
Acne is common during puberty.
Changes in men
In boys, the clearest sign is the enlargement of the testicles and subsequently a sudden growth in height and an increase in hair all over the body, including the face. They will also have what is called nocturnal emissions (ejaculations during the night) and will notice a significant change in their voice. Another consequence is the process of adrenarche , which is characterized by sweating , acne, body odor and an increase in pubic hair .
There is no exact age at which a child enters puberty but this depends on many factors, such as genetic , nutritional and external (lived experiences that accelerate or delay development ), however it is considered that this period ranges from from 13 to 17 years old.
Puberty and emotions
The changes during this stage occur because the endocrine glands make more hormones; In the case of women, the ovaries increase their production of estrogen and other important female hormones and in men, it is the testicles that increase the production of testosterone , the consequence of all this is an absolute change in the physiognomy of those people who leave their child body to have an adult one.
In any case, the changes in puberty are not only physical, but are linked to an extremely important psychological and emotional maturation process.
Physical changes cause deep emotional affection in young people, in many cases because they have not even been prepared for it, because parents have not spoken to them directly or because they have been overprotected to the point of not giving them the space to get to know themselves and take care of themselves. themselves.
All of this will make the young person feel disoriented and manifest this through great irritability , instability and high sensitivity that will lead them to respond immediately to whatever bothers or hurts them. This period should be taken less lightly: many times all these changes cause children to feel very alone and in many cases become depressed. The lack of companionship and understanding can greatly affect the child's damaged feelings, causing them to fall into a pit from which they may not return.
It should be noted that precocious puberty exists, a phenomenon characterized by abnormally early development. This can be generated by the presence of estrogens in the environment (due to the intake of medications or foods that have been exposed to estrogens), a sedentary lifestyle or obesity .