Puberty
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LearningTranscript
00:00MMMMMMMM
00:02PEW PEW PEW
00:03PEW
00:04BLEUGH
00:10Dear Tim and Moby,
00:12Why are boys so immature?
00:15From Jules
00:16Hey, all boys aren't immature.
00:20But we do tend to hit puberty later than girls.
00:24Well, simply put, puberty is the name for all the changes
00:28body goes through as it makes the transition from childhood to adulthood.
00:33It might make you feel a little scared or anxious, but keep in mind that it happens
00:37to everyone.
00:39And it can really help to know what to expect.
00:41You might have heard that puberty is related to something called hormones.
00:45These are chemicals your body uses to regulate all kinds of functions.
00:49Like every day after sunset, your body starts releasing a hormone called melatonin.
00:55When enough of it builds up, you start to get sleepy.
00:58Puberty is triggered by hormones from the pituitary gland, a pea-sized structure located
01:03near your brain.
01:05These hormones start a series of changes in the reproductive glands, the organs that allow
01:09us to make babies.
01:11In males, that's the testes, and in females, it's the ovaries.
01:16In females, puberty usually begins between ages 8 and 13.
01:21At that point, the ovaries start producing the hormones estrogen and progesterone.
01:26That causes changes throughout the body.
01:29You grow taller.
01:30The area under the nipples swells, and then breasts start to develop.
01:35Hips widen.
01:36Pubic and underarm hair starts to grow.
01:39And you start getting periods.
01:41That means the menstrual cycle has begun.
01:43About once a month, the ovaries release an egg, and an organ called the uterus builds
01:47up its inner lining.
01:49If this egg gets fertilized, it can grow into a baby.
01:53When the egg doesn't get fertilized, the uterus' extra lining leaves the body through
01:56the vagina.
01:57That's a period.
02:00In males, puberty usually begins between 9 and 14 years old.
02:04Hormones from the pituitary gland tell the testes to let out more of the hormone testosterone
02:09and to start making sperm.
02:11The increased level of testosterone causes changes.
02:15Just like in girls, boys' pubic and underarm hair starts to grow.
02:19Facial and body hair starts growing too.
02:22The genital organs start to enlarge.
02:25Huh.
02:26Muscles become more developed, and shoulders broaden.
02:29The larynx, or voice box, enlarges, making your voice crack, and eventually get deeper.
02:37Like that.
02:38Boys and girls may develop acne, or pimples, as hormones cause your skin to produce more
02:44oil.
02:45Cleansing your face helps, but it generally clears up as you get older.
02:49Hormones also stimulate the sweat glands under your arms, which might leave you a little
02:54stinky.
02:55Make sure you're showering regularly, and try deodorant too.
02:59Hmm, I don't think I've hit my growth spurt yet.
03:04Boys begin their growth spurt later than girls, but we grow for a longer time.
03:08That's one reason why guys generally end up taller than girls.
03:12It can make you feel self-conscious to grow so much so fast, or to have some parts of
03:17your body growing faster than other parts.
03:21Or on the flip side, to feel like you're not growing or changing at all.
03:26That's totally normal, and trust me, things even out eventually.
03:30Right, along with all those physical changes, there are some emotional changes too.
03:36You might have mood swings, or feel really sensitive.
03:40You can start having romantic feelings, which might be exciting.
03:44But it can also be embarrassing, or confusing.
03:47Hey Tim!
03:50Uh, hey Rita.
03:55It's totally normal to have questions about this stuff, so talk to an adult you trust.
04:00It's important to know that these changes don't happen overnight.
04:04Puberty takes years to run its course.
04:08And everyone's different, so we all develop at our own pace.
04:12Most people find parts of puberty to be tough, so know that you're not alone.
04:18When it's over, you'll be an adult.
04:20At least physically, anyway.