Last updated on June 26, 2021
Question:
I’m 20 years old. My experience with puberty hasn’t been the best. I started developing later than most of my peers.
I grew noticeable pubic hair at about the age of 14 or 15 and armpit hair at the age of 17 or 18. I had my first strand of chin hair, which was not easily noticeable, at 17, and I’m not able to grow a beard even now.
I was the shortest among my friends until I caught up at age 16 (measured 178 cm then). The last time I checked, when I was 18 or 19, I was 186 cm. My penis seems to have grown in length but is still lacking in girth. I haven’t noticed any change in years.
My pubic hair has spread across my groin but is still sparse in quantity. For the past two years, I’ve been growing hair on my penis shaft which keeps spreading and getting longer till now(up to half of the shaft). This year, I just started noticing a faint strip of hair growing between my genitals and navel, which is not really noticeable. My chin hairs are getting longer, and few hairs have started appearing under my face, and on the sides.
My major problem is with my penis girth, and I’m wondering if it is still possible for it to grow despite my age? I got a Tanner Stage 4.6 on your site’s calculator. I took prednisolone intermittently between ages 11 and 19, and only recently found out about its effect on growth. I did a hormonal test last month (for the first time ever) and only my prolactin and LH levels were lower than the reference range. I have friends my age who have grown abdominal, thigh, and even chest hairs and have fully developed genitals; and yet, I don’t have these. I wonder if my growth is just slow or if it has been limited? Do you think my penis will still grow especially in girth because its current size really bothers and depresses me?
For additional information, my mum told me she started growing breasts at age 16 and got her period at 17/18 (I don’t know if she remembers correctly). Also, the men in my family are hairy (beards, abdominal, arms, legs, chest, and even back hairs).
I look forward to your reply. Thank you.
Answer:
It appears that you were in stage 2 around age 14 or 15. You hit stage 3 around 16 to 18. Currently, you are in stage 4. This would make you not only a late bloomer but you are also developing slower than the average male since you are spending about three to four years in each stage instead of the typical two years per stage.
Prednisolone is used to treat severe allergies and breathing issues. One of its known side-effects is slowing down growth and development, which clearly you have experienced. Low prolactin levels mean your pituitary gland is not operating at full capacity. Again, this would affect the speed of your development. Low LH levels also indicate that your pituitary gland is running slowly. Thus, the tests point out what you already know — that you are developing slower than normal.
While growth cannot be spread out forever, I don’t see any indication that your growth has reached a stopping point yet. It is during stage 4 that the penis widens and you are in that stage. Facial hair and chest hair often don’t become significant until after you reach stage 5.
Question:
Thank you very much for your fast and helpful reply.
Puberty and growth have been depressing issues for me. I wish I never took prednisolone, and that the doctor who recommended it for me had told me and my parents about the side effects. Well, what has happened has happened. My major fear or worry is that I read online that prednisolone can also limit growth instead of just slowing it. It surprises a lot of people who knew me during my late childhood and mid-teenage years to see how tall I eventually turned out. I’m also scared that my penis won’t grow in girth because of my age and because I haven’t seen growth in years, and I read online that the penis stops growing at age 18 or 19. Though based on your site and the fact that I’m still in the process of growing a happy trail, I’m still in stage 4.
Also, is there anything I can do to bring about or speed up the penis growth(and other areas of growth too)?
As usual, thanks for your anticipated reply.
Answer:
You are correct. You cannot change the past. At the time, you and your doctor where making the best choices for the situation at that time.
The body doesn’t work strictly on a clock. Those who claim growth stops at a certain age are discussing the average or typical male. Your body doesn’t look at the calendar and say, “Oh! I’m eighteen! Time to turn off growth.” There is a limit, but it varies between individuals. Even after growth in height stops, growth continues in other areas for several years.
One thing that happens is that people judge sizes relatively; that is, they determine the size of something by comparing it to something else. Thus, the penis on a small man may look larger than the same size penis on a large man. When someone says that they believe that they are too small, I usually ask for the actual measured size.
However, it is in stage 4 that a man’s penis gains girth, so there is no reason to worry. In addition, your eventual wife’s genitals is able to adapt to a variety of penis sizes. Your concern is more about your pride than what is actually needed.
Response:
Thank you very much for your counsel. I hope to write back to you soon with good news about the growth process. I’ll also write when I have any other issue to discuss with you. Remain blessed