Teenagers going through puberty will have a lot of changes in their growing bodies. One of the most commonly asked questions among teenage girls is whether they stop growing taller when they have their first period. The good news is girls can still increase their height a few years after their menstruation starts. Read on to find out more about puberty and how your height changes during this special period in your life.
Puberty is a time when you are transforming both emotionally and physically from a child into a teenager and eventually into an adult. As a result, your body goes through many changes during this period. It is also a process that occurs over several years and is not something that takes place overnight.
Girls are typically known to mature faster than boys, but this biological difference is not particularly evident until after the age of 10 when girls hit puberty. Generally, puberty begins and ends earlier for girls than for boys. While it can take some boys into their college years to reach their maximum height potential, girls tend to achieve their permanent height well before high school graduation.
Firstly, you will experience a little swelling under your nipples, which signals the growth of your breasts. To reach your full adult breast size, it will take a few years. Your weight gain throughout puberty is completely healthy and normal and you should not worry too much about this. Besides, your thighs and hips will get wider and your body grows more curves.
You will also start to grow hair on your legs, under your arms, and in your pubic area. Another significant change to your body is a sudden growth in height, also known as the growth spurt. This growth spurt, however, happens really quickly. Girls gain about 3 inches or 8 centimeters in height a year on average during their growth spurt.
Moreover, you will have your first menstrual period approximately two years after your breasts start to form. You will bleed from your vagina during menstruation or your period. Some girls may not get their first period until late in their teens whereas others get it as early as 9 or 10 years old. This makes it clear for those who usually wonder “Is it normal to get your period at age 11?”.
There are other changes you should expect such as acne or more sweat. It is better to take good care of your hygiene in this phase as sweat may cause body odor. If you develop acne or pimples, you should wash your face in the morning and at night with fragrance-free soap and water. Acne creams, lotions, and other special soaps might help as well. In addition, during this time, many people will begin to be sexually and romantically attracted to others.
Throughout infancy and childhood, girls grow at a quick pace; their growth increases drastically again when they reach puberty. Boys might be 9 or 10 years old when they start puberty (this is if they are on the early end) whereas girls can enter pubertal development as early as age 8.
However, the age at which girls stop growing taller relies heavily on the timing of their puberty. This is due to the fact that when a girl starts her first period determines the points she reaches her final adult height. Girls’ height stops increasing two or two and a half years after their first menstrual cycle, and most girls will have reached their permanent height by the age of 15.
A popular misconception that worries many teenage girls is their height stops increasing immediately after the first time they have their periods. However, this is a total myth, and girls do not stop growing taller when menstruation starts.
After girls get their periods regularly, they will continue growing for roughly two years. Despite this, each person has their own growth pattern, and for this reason, some girls will grow taller for a much longer period whereas others will stop gaining height sooner.
Many factors can affect growth and cause a delay in growth, ranging from medications to malnutrition. Some girls may suffer from growth delays because of certain health conditions such as severe arthritis, growth hormone issues, or cancer.
Genetic conditions can also lead to delayed growth. For instance, girls with Marfan’s syndrome may grow taller than their family members while girls with Noonan syndrome, Down syndrome, or Turner syndrome may be shorter than the rest of the family.
Do not hesitate to contact your healthcare provider if you have concerns about your height growth. As discussed above, once a girl hits puberty, growth will stop a couple of years after the first period. A teen who has growth delays has less time to grow before the end of her growth spurt.
Aside from genetics, the thing that sets their growth rate and final height apart is how well girls take care of themselves during puberty by providing their bodies with the right ingredients for growth.
To begin with, your changing body needs a lot of sleep. Most teenage girls need at least 9 hours of sleep every night as puberty takes up a lot of energy. Some teens even need more sleep.
Besides, growth hormone is secreted the most during deep sleep, and your body is in great need of this hormone to grow taller. As a result, the first thing you can do to grow taller and take care of yourself during puberty is to get enough sleep and avoid staying up late as much as possible.
Food and exercise are other important factors that can affect your growth. You will often be hungry as a growing body needs food. If you want to achieve your maximum height, try to eat a balanced and nutritious diet that includes all food groups and be physically active. You had better make physical activity a part of your daily routine.
All in all, girls experience a major growth spurt during puberty and may gain a few inches in height after they start the first menstrual cycle. Getting enough sleep, exercising regularly, and consuming nutritious foods are the best ways to take care of themselves throughout puberty and allow them to grow in a healthy way
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