Puberty & the Skin

Written by: Zobiana Dillsworth

Image Source: Youngisthan

What is Puberty?

Puberty is the transition from childhood to adulthood; it is the stage in which teenagers change to become adults. Boys usually begin puberty anywhere from 9-14 years of age while girls do so from 8-13; of course, there are situations in which a child goes through puberty earlier or later than this range. (1)

What happens inside the body during Puberty?

The body has a specialized chemical system that works with the brain's hypothalamus. When puberty begins, a signal is sent to the brain to produce the gonadotropin-releasing hormone, which signals to the pituitary gland. The pituitary gland then releases the luteinizing and follicle-stimulating hormones, which travel to the sexual organs to release estrogen (for females) and testosterone (for males). (1)

What are Tanner's Stages?

Tanner stages are the 5 phases of puberty, divided between females and males. (1)

	Males	Females
Stage 1	no changes	no changes
Stage 2	testicles and scrotum grow hair begins to grow around the penis and in the armpits increase in height	areolas enlarge breasts begin to form pubic hair appears slight increase in height
Stage 3	the penis continues to grow wet dreams darkening, coarsening pubic hair more sweating vocal changes increase in height increase in muscle mass	breasts continue to grow armpit hair appears pubic hair becomes coarse and curly growth spurt acne
Stage 4	the penis continues to grow scrotum and testicles darken in color rugae develop on testicles body hair growth peak growth spurt acne develops voice cracks	nipples start to protrude from the breast increase in height acne continues
Stage 5	physical development finishes facial hair develops line of hair up to the belly button grows	girls reach physical adulthood

What skin conditions can puberty cause?

• Psoriasis: a skin condition that causes red, scaly plaques (3)

• Atopic eczema: inflammatory skin disease that causes dryness and itchy rashes (4)

• Lupus erythematosus: a group of autoimmune connective tissue disorders (5)

• Male-pattern baldness

• Hirsutism: disorder in which women experience the growth of male’s secondary hair (6)

• Hyperhidrosis: excessive and uncontrollable sweating (2)

• Bromhidrosis: abnormal and unpleasant body odor (2)

• Congenital melanocytic naevi: brown birthmarks (2)

• Becker naevus: late onset of large, brown birthmark (7)

• Sebaceous naevi: type of birthmark, usually found on the head (8)

• Seborrhoeic dermatitis: a relapsing form of eczema that mainly affects the scalp, face, and torso (9)

• Pityriasis Versicolor: yeast infection of the skin that causes flaky discolored patches (10)

• Hidradenitis suppurative: a skin condition that causes boils and nodules (11)

• Fox-Fordyce disease: a rare skin disorder that causes sweat to be trapped with inflammation (12)

• Polymorphic light eruption: a seasonal, idiopathic photodermatitis (13)

• Dermatitis artefacta: an individual inflicts lesions on their own skin (14)

• Acne: causes expansion and blockage of follicles and leads to inflammation (15)

Image Source: Youngisthan

References:

1. “Puberty: Stages for Boys & Girls.” Cleveland Clinic, https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/articles/22192-puberty. 

2. Wong, Daniel, and Amanda Oakley. “Skin changes at puberty.” DermNet, https://dermnetnz.org/topics/skin-changes-at-puberty. 

3. “Psoriasis: Symptoms, Treatment, Images and More.” DermNet, https://dermnetnz.org/topics/psoriasis. 

4. “Atopic dermatitis (Atopic Eczema): Symptoms and Causes — DermNet.” DermNet, https://dermnetnz.org/topics/atopic-dermatitis. 

5. Oakley, Amanda. “Cutaneous lupus erythematosus.” DermNet, https://dermnetnz.org/topics/cutaneous-lupus-erythematosus. 

6. Oakley, Amanda. “Hirsutism. Excessive hair in females.” DermNet, https://dermnetnz.org/topics/hirsutism. 

7. Dwivedi, Nikhil, and Gus Mitchell. “Becker naevus — DermNet.” DermNet, https://dermnetnz.org/topics/becker-naevus.

8. “Nevus Sebaceous (Sebaceous naevus) — DermNet.” DermNet, https://dermnetnz.org/topics/sebaceous-naevus. 

9. “Seborrheic dermatitis: Causes and treatment — DermNet.” DermNet, https://dermnetnz.org/topics/seborrhoeic-dermatitis. 

10. Oakley, Amanda. “Pityriasis versicolor. Tinea versicolor.” DermNet, https://dermnetnz.org/topics/pityriasis-versicolor. 

11. “Hidradenitis Suppurativa (Acne Inversa): A Complete Picture.” DermNet, https://dermnetnz.org/topics/hidradenitis-suppurativa.

12. Ngan, Vanessa. “Fox-fordyce disease.” DermNet, https://dermnetnz.org/topics/fox-fordyce-disease.

13. Gramp, Prudence, and Gus Mitchell. “Polymorphic light eruption (PMLE) — DermNet.” DermNet, https://dermnetnz.org/topics/polymorphic-light-eruption.

14. Ngan, Vanessa. “Dermatitis artefacta.” DermNet, https://dermnetnz.org/topics/dermatitis-artefacta. 

15. Oakley, Amanda. “Acne.” DermNet, https://dermnetnz.org/topics/acne.

Disclaimer: This organization's content is not intended to provide diagnosis, treatment, or medical advice. Content provided on this website is for informational and educational purposes only. Please consult with a physician or other healthcare professional regarding any medical or health-related diagnosis or treatment options. Information on this website should not be considered as a substitute for advice from a healthcare professional.