Hair Growth During Puberty

Stages of Male Hair Growth
Stages of Female Hair Growth
Factors Affecting Hair Growth
Early Hair Growth
Delayed Hair Growth

Written by Christa Miller

18 December, 2018

Puberty marks the time when hair starts to thicken or grow in areas where no hair grew before. While girls can expect hair to thicken on the legs and grow in the armpits and genital area, boys can expect thickened hair on the arms and legs, and hair growth on the face, armpits, genital area--and sometimes the chest, back and buttocks. The hair doesn’t grow and thicken all at once but in stages that vary from person to person 1.

Stages of Male Hair Growth

Boys can expect puberty to begin between ages 9 and 15, when a small amount of pubic hair starts growing at the base of the penis. Between ages 11 and 16, boys can expect to see that hair gets darker, coarser and extends to the area between the legs and torso. Between ages 11 and 17, hair grows under the arms, on the chin and upper lip, and potentially on the anus. Between ages 14 and 18, pubic hair appears more as an adult man’s hair. Facial hair begins to grow more, and into the early 20s, more body hair begins to grow in areas such as the chest and back.

Boys can expect puberty to begin between ages 9 and 15, when a small amount of pubic hair starts growing at the base of the penis.
Between ages 11 and 17, hair grows under the arms, on the chin and upper lip, and potentially on the anus.

Stages of Female Hair Growth

Underarm Hair in Girls

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Girls typically begin to see the first stage of pubic and underarm hair growth between ages 8 and 14 1. Between ages 9 and 15, pubic hair begins to darken and become coarser. Between ages 10 and 16, pubic hair likely begins to take on a more triangular shape. Pubic hair should fill in between ages 12 and 19.

Girls typically begin to see the first stage of pubic and underarm hair growth between ages 8 and 14 1.
Between ages 10 and 16, pubic hair likely begins to take on a more triangular shape.

Factors Affecting Hair Growth

Luteinizing hormone (LH), secreted by the pituitary gland, stimulates puberty and the eventual onset of hair growth in boys and girls. LH stimulates secretion of testosterone in boys and estrogen in girls. Other hormones that initiate body changes are adrenal androgens in both sexes and progesterone in girls 1.