Last updated on October 22, 2022
Question:
Hi,
I’m still a little confused about the whole process of my puberty. I wanted to know if my face will continue to change and if I will get any taller.
I started puberty very late. All my classmates towered over me in middle school and into the first half of high school. When I was 14 I was about 5 feet tall. I entered high school resembling someone in middle school or even elementary school. I began growing right around when I was 14 or 15 but never saw a huge increase in height, I only grew steadily. When I was 16, I was about 5’6.5” and stopped growing. However, when I was almost 19, I gained another 2 inches to become about 5’8.75”. I am 19 now and I got a 4.4 on the tanner calculator. I find this strange as I recall taking the test a couple years ago when I was 16 or 17 and getting around 4.2 on the calculator.
Another thing I want to point out is that my jaw is pretty small although my parent both have large well structured faces. My sister, who is younger than me, also has a strong jaw. Additionally, I look much younger than my roommates who are all around my age (19). I would say I look 15-17 years old.
I want to know, based on my pubertal history, your opinion on whether my facial structure will get stronger and whether my height will increase even more.
Thank you for your time.
Answer:
Between 14 and 16 you grew 6.5 inches, so on average, you grew at a rate of over 3 inches per year. It is not a dramatic growth spurt, but it still was one. The average age for entering stage 3 is 13.5 years. The normal range is between 10 and 17, so at 14 you were about a year later than the average — a bit later, but not very late. Between 16 and 19 you grew another 2.25 inches, which would be expected for someone in stage 4. Boys typically grow an additional 1 to 3 inches during stage 4.
My guess is that you are unintentionally skewing your answers on the calculator downward because you can’t believe you’ve reached your adult size.
Compare a childhood picture to your current picture and I suspect you will find that your jawline has enlarged. Perhaps it is not as squared off as other people in your family, but everyone in a family doesn’t always look similar.
How you look is a relative idea. Facial hair develops the most in stage 5, so since you are probably more smooth-skinned, you see yourself as younger. As you move through your 20s, you will look older.