For girls, the stages of puberty start around the age of 8. This may sound young, but we are seeing physical puberty changes start younger and younger and depending on genetics, you may even start to see puberty changes at the age of 7. When do girls start puberty?

Understanding the Context

Puberty for girls (children with ovaries) usually starts between the ages of 8 and 13. This is typically two years before boys. Black and Hispanic girls tend to start puberty earlier than white girls (age 7 1/2 instead of 8). When do boys start puberty?

Key Insights

It's good to know about the changes that come along with puberty so you know what to expect. When Does Puberty Start? Most females will start puberty when they’re 8 to 13 years old, and most males will start between 9 and 14. But it can also be normal to start earlier or later. How Does Puberty Start?

Final Thoughts

What is puberty? Puberty is the period of growth and development in which children and adolescents develop adult physical features, such as breasts or pubic hair, and become able to reproduce (have babies). For girls, puberty usually begins at age 8½ to 10 years and lasts about 4 years. When puberty starts in a girl depends on the following: On average, the onset of puberty is about 18 months earlier for girls (usually starting around the age of 10 or 11 and lasting until they are 15 to 17) than for boys (who usually begin puberty at about the age of 11 to 12 and complete it by the age of 16 to 17, on average). Girls typically begin puberty between ages 8 and 13, with the first visible sign appearing around age 9 or 10 for most. The process unfolds over several years, not all at once, and the exact timing varies based on genetics, body weight, and racial background.

Puberty in girls usually kicks off between the ages of 8 and 13, although this can vary widely. This stage marks the body’s transition from childhood to adolescence, driven primarily by hormonal changes. The onset of puberty, the time in life when a person becomes sexually mature, typically occurs between ages 8 and 13 for girls and ages 9 and 14 for boys. Precocious puberty is puberty that begins abnormally early, and delayed puberty is puberty that begins abnormally late.