What is the difference between stage 3 and stage 4 pubic hair?

Last updated on March 25, 2022

Question:

I have always wondered about the difference between stage 3 and stage 4 pubic hair. It seems that there is no major change. Can you please make it a bit clearer?

Also, whenever I speak in front of a mirror, I can spot my Adam’s apple if I pay a lot of attention. It is not that noticeable like some of my classmates in school.

I have another question. I started getting acne when I was 13 years old, I think (definitely not before 13). Does acne start when you enter stage 3 or late stage 2 or does it start near stage 3.5? I only can recall growing 2.5 inches so far from age 13.

Answer:

While we describe the stages with certain characteristics, keep in mind that this is a process with gradual shifts and not distinct steps.

Stage 2

Stage 2 is when pubic hair first develops and it eventually shows as a tuft of hair near the base of the penis. The new hair tends to be fine and a bit straight.

Early Stage 3

In stage 3, the pubic hair spreads to eventually cover much of the groin, though not densely. The hair becomes darker, longer, and more curly.

Late Stage 3

During stage 4, the pubic hair becomes denser and covers all the groin. A strip of hair begins to appear running from the genitals to the navel.

Stage 4

Finally, in stage 5, hair appears on the inner thighs.

Stage 5

How easily your voice box is seen depends a lot on how much body fat you have. It starts developing in stage 3 but usually changes the most in stage 4.

Acne comes from the skin cells producing an abundance of oil and the skin cells shed faster. The combination causes pores to become clogged and sometimes bacteria are trapped under the clog, which causes red swollen areas (acne). This starts to happen in stage 3 as your body size gets bigger but tends to be worse during stage 4.