Puberty is the few years when your body changes from a child's into an adult's. It does not happen overnight, and it does not happen to everyone at the same time.
The usual order
- Breast buds — a small, sometimes tender lump under one or both nipples. One side often starts before the other. This is not a lump to worry about.
- Body hair — under the arms and between the legs.
- A growth spurt — you may grow several centimetres in a year, and your feet often grow first.
- Discharge — a clear or white stain in your underwear.
- Your first period, usually last.
Timing is not a competition
A girl who starts at 9 and a girl who starts at 14 are both normal, and they usually end up around the same place. Starting earlier does not mean you will be shorter, and starting later does not mean something is wrong.
Skin and sweat
Oil glands wake up, so pimples are common — washing your face twice a day with plain water and a mild soap is enough. Scrubbing hard makes it worse. You will also sweat more and notice body odour for the first time; a daily bath and clean clothes handle it.
Feelings change too
Mood swings during puberty are caused by hormones, not by you being difficult. Feeling suddenly irritated, tearful, or self-conscious about your body is extremely common. It helps to tell someone you trust rather than sit with it.
Questions worth asking an adult
There is no embarrassing question here. If you cannot ask at home, a school teacher, a school nurse, or an older cousin or sister is a good place to start.