How to Tell if You have started puberty

Puberty is a time of life that every single person must endure. It is something to celebrate, as well as something to deplore; after all, growing up is rarely easy, but some perks do come your way as you get older. Sometimes, puberty brings physical and emotional changes that can be confusing. Knowing about them in advance helps them to be less scary and weird. The changes in boys look different from the changes in girls, so try to talk to someone you trust about your questions if anything comes up while you review this article.

Instructions

Difficulty: Easy

1. First of all, identify how old you are. Puberty can start for some kids at age 11, and it can come later for others. If you are approaching middle school or are there already, and you think you might be experiencing some of the changes described below, it's possible you've started puberty.
2. Look for hair growing in places that you didn't have hair before. That is something that happens to both boys and girls during puberty. It's totally normal for hair to come in thinly at first and then get thicker and coarser later on.
3. Look for changes in your face, or the occurrence of acne. Puberty starts when certain kind of hormones are released in your body. These hormones can lead to oily skin which can cause pimples. Are you getting red bumps on your face? Does your face feel greasy? Do any of the bumps stay around for a while and feel hard when you touch them? All of these questions relate to acne, or pimples.
4. Monitor your height and size. Have you grown a lot taller recently? Growth spurts often mean puberty has started. If suddenly it seems your pants are too short or your sleeves come up past your wrists, you may be hitting a growth spurt. Sometimes, kids feel really hungry all the time, and they don't ever feel full, even after a large meal. This might be because your growing body requires more fuel than it used to, and it can sometimes mean you have hit puberty.
5. Check for body odor. Body odor is one of puberty's most aggravating changes. If you have noticed that you now smell differently than before, it's possible that the hormonal changes have begun and are causing body odor. Strong smells can be avoided by using deodorant and bathing regularly, so now's the time to start paying close attention to your own hygiene.
6. Pay careful attention to your emotions. In general, do you just feel different than you did before? Like you don't want to be around your parents or that you really want to be around certain kids more than others because you have special feelings for them?\ If you seem more sensitive or more easily embarrassed or emotional in general, puberty may have begun.
7. Remember that everyone goes through puberty. No matter what changes you are dealing with, puberty is perfectly natural and normal. Adolescence may not be fun sometimes, but you're on your way to a better place. Hang in there!