Last updated on September 2, 2020
Question:
Hey,
So I’m 18, and I think I’m delayed in puberty. I don’t know why. I’ve been doing research, and I found that it could be low testosterone. I have no armpit hair, no facial hair, I have hairs down there, and little leg and arm hairs. It’s weird because my 14-year-old brother has armpit hair and very little mustache hairs. Oh, and my penis and testicles haven’t grown from what I see. Can you help? I was on your Tanner Stage Calculator web site.
Answer:
There would not be much that I could do other than confirm that you have a problem, and I can’t even do that since I don’t know you and can’t see you. You didn’t mention what score you got on the Tanner Stage Calculator, but from your description, it sounds as if you should see a doctor. Your general practitioner will likely send you to an endocrinologist (a doctor who specializes in hormones). While low testosterone may be one of your symptoms, it might not be the actual cause. There is a long series of hormones that cause you to grow from a child to an adult. An interruption in any one of those can cause problems through the whole chain. Until it can be determined where the problem lies, it would be futile to discuss what can be done to correct the problem.