Last updated on November 10, 2024
Question:
Hi,
I’m perfectly healthy and twelve and a half years old.
- I measure 164 cm (5’4″) and weigh approximately 44 kg (97 pounds).
- My shoe size is 38 (European) / 7.5 (American).
- My body build is of an ectomorph, so says my doctor (whom I visited 2 years ago, so I’m not quite sure anymore).
- I already have some armpit hair, but it is very fine. I have to put on my glasses to see it in the mirror.
- My pubic hair is peculiar, though, because it doesn’t precisely lie at the base of my penis (there it’s black), but it’s also not exactly on my groin. It just forms a triangle-ish shape, I suppose.
- My Adam’s apple is slightly noticeable, and my voice sometimes cracks. Nevertheless, my peers and relatives say that if your voice can still hit a high C, it doesn’t qualify as a “voice break.” I can hit that note very frequently, leaving me very confused.
- I have fine hair on my upper lip, but it has been there since I started grade school.
- I had ejaculated a week ago.
- My acne is crazy, though; it’s spiraling out of control.
The main issue, though, is that my growth pattern was already bizarre when I was a child. For example, my school’s medical records say that I was 121 cm in Grade 2, 137 cm in Grade 4, 148 cm in Grade 5, 155 cm in Grade 6, and 163 cm in Grade 7. According to your website, it doesn’t seem pre-pubescent (but it is). Also, I’m quite sure I didn’t hit puberty until last year, at the earliest. I have used your website’s quiz and found out that my Tanner stage is 3.2, but I’m still not sure if it applies to me. This issue is quite complicated, so I hope it can be resolved.
My Dad is 155 cm tall, but all his siblings are 165-170 cm tall. He had stunted growth because of malnutrition and a faulty cholera medicine, so I’m not sure if it will be a (dis)continuous thing or not. On the other hand, my mother is quite tall for women of her time in my country, measuring 163 cm. What stage do you think I’m at? Does it count as “early compared to others”? How much growth do you think I have left?
Thank you so much if you can respond to me. I greatly appreciate your help.
Answer:
Your description of armpit hair, pubic hair, and facial hair all match someone in stage 3.
Your voice is changing a bit early, but that sometimes happens. I don’t know which “C” you consider high C. If you are talking about C4, then you are still in the soprano range, though the cracking indicates that your vocal cords are beginning to lengthen, which will drop your pitch.
Ejaculation can start anywhere from stage 2 to stage 4.
Acne usually starts in stage 4, but it isn’t strange for it to begin in stage 3.
Your growth is on the high end of childhood growth. You have been gaining about 8 cm per year, while the average is 7.6 cm per year. You haven’t had a growth spurt yet but will likely experience one in the next six months or so.
Overall, it sounds like you are about a year ahead of the average male. You are not so early as to be precocious. Technically, the first external signs of change probably occurred about two to three years ago, but most boys don’t notice the swelling of their testicles. You probably noticed your pubic hair and erections about a year ago.
I can’t see you to verify anything, but from your description, I would estimate 3.5, which is close to what the Tanner Stage Calculator gave.
Your predicted adult height is 176 to 178 cm. The various ways to predict your height can be found on the page Predicting Your Adult Height.
Question:
Hi Sir,
Sorry for bothering you again; I wanted to clarify a few things.
- The high C is the C6, and my lowest note is B3.
- You’ve said that acne usually starts at stage 4. I did state it poorly. They’re pimples, not acne. I’ve had it ever since I was in (Grade 4, I think). I consume a lot of sugar and fats, and I also have had very oily skin since I was young.
- My testicles haven’t swelled a single millimeter since last December, though.
- Also, my armpit hair is very fine. It’s tough to see them—they’re extremely lightly tinted.
Thank you so very much. I hope you can respond to me, and I hope this didn’t bother you too much.
Answer:
I don’t mind questions or clarifications.
When I (or the calculator) talk about body hair, we refer to terminal hair. These are the darker, thicker hairs that are easy to see (such as the hair on the top of your head). The fine hairs that you are seeing are the fine, vellus hairs that are elongating prior to becoming terminal hair. What you see would count at late stage 2 or early stage 3.
Acne refers to the overall condition of having many pimples. Pimples are the individual bumps that come with infection. It would be unusual to have pimples before puberty, and that usually indicates another problem. Thus, I would like you to start caring for yourself and your skin better. See: What are the best natural ways to get rid of acne? Also, try to eat better. Eat a variety of meat and vegetables and limit the amount of sugary and salty foods you consume. This will do you better in the long run.