Last updated on August 4, 2020
Question:
What is the latest age to get pubic hair?
Answer:
It is considered normal to reach puberty anywhere from between age 9 and 16. Let us assume you are on the late end of the normal range and you reached puberty at 16. Pubic hairs around the base of your penis generally start to grow about six months later. However, the early hairs are very fine and pale in color, so you might not notice them. Thick, curly pubic hair doesn’t appear until about two years after puberty. Thus, if you are a late bloomer, you might not see pubic hair until you are 17 or 18 years old.
There are several conditions which impact hair growth. For example, if you are not eating well balanced meals, your overall development might be delayed, including pubic hair growth. Certain diseases can also delay or inhibit development, such as problems with your thyroid, pituitary gland, or having cancer. It is because of these potential disease problems that boys who don’t show signs of reaching puberty by age 16 should be checked by a doctor to insure that the delay is not due to a disease.
Finally, a few boys will have inherited an extra X chromosome. This genetic disability is called Klinefelter syndrome. Those with this condition do not develop normally, partly due to a reduction in the amount of androgens (male hormones) produced after puberty. Boys with Klinefelter syndrome have little or no body hair and have difficulties with language and speech. Men with Klinefelter are almost always infertile (unable to produce children).