Late puberty: Any advice?

Alright, look, my buddy basically dragged me into this to write this thread for him because he’s seriously struggling with this whole thing...

He’s shorter than most guys his age in school—honestly, probably one of the shortest in the grade. His dad is super tall and his mom is just average height, so because of that, he hits some bumps when he's trying to fit in with new groups. Once people actually get to know him though, they love him, but he’s still stuck on this one issue... He can talk to girls just fine, but when it comes to actually dating? He’s terrified to even try because he’s shorter than almost all of them. So, here's the deal: I think he's about 16, and he's maybe 5'2" or 5'3"—which is pretty rough for his age... Basically, he says he's spiraling into a major depression. Since I'm his best friend, I'm not gonna spill any more private details, but I am genuinely worried about him. He's an awesome guy in every other way, but his height is just holding him back from everything.

🙂

Just head straight to the doctor before he "outgrows" it! There’s gotta be some kind of catch if none of his immediate family members have this, but you really have to look at the whole damn extended family tree! You know, I know two brothers who don't look anything like their immediate relatives...

My advice? Go see a pediatric endocrinologist. Growth issues fall right into their wheelhouse, among other things.

Hello everyone. I’m reaching out because I’m quite concerned about my younger brother. He’s currently seventeen and a half years old, but physically, he looks more like an average thirteen-year-old. He stands about 5'5", has almost no body hair, and hasn't experienced any significant changes in his physical build; his shoulders remain very narrow compared to the rest of him, and he isn't developing any muscle mass. To be honest, he still has a very boyish appearance, which is worrying as he’ll be turning eighteen very soon. In terms of his psychological development, everything seems perfectly fine—he’s social, witty, and enjoys hanging out with friends—but I can’t help but feel he might be using that outgoing personality to mask deep-seated insecurities about his appearance. If anyone has experience with this or knows if there is a medical reason for such a delayed physical development, I would truly appreciate your insight. Is this something we should be actively looking into with a doctor?

I went to high school with a few guys who fit that exact description, and honestly, they were totally fine. They didn't skip puberty or anything; they just hit a slower development phase. It’s kind of like how not every girl has wide hips or a certain build—it's basic biology stuff you learn back in middle school.

It's possible there's an underlying medical issue, but it's also entirely possible he's just naturally built "slight." Seriously, look around—he’s definitely not the only guy out there standing 5'5" or rocking skinny arms without much muscle definition.🙂

He should probably get some hormone tests done just to see what actually stalled his growth.

steelgardener7 said:Hello everyone. I’m reaching out because I’m quite concerned about my younger brother. He’s currently seventeen and a half years old, but physically, he looks more like an average thirteen-year-old. He stands about 5'5", has almost no body hair, and hasn't experienced any significant changes in his physical build; his shoulders remain very narrow compared to the rest of him, and he isn't developing any muscle mass. To be honest, he still has a very boyish appearance, which is worrying as he’ll be turning eighteen very soon. In terms of his psychological development, everything seems perfectly fine—he’s social, witty, and enjoys hanging out with friends—but I can’t help but feel he might be using that outgoing personality to mask deep-seated insecurities about his appearance. If anyone has experience with this or knows if there is a medical reason for such a delayed physical development, I would truly appreciate your insight. Is this something we should be actively looking into with a doctor?

If this is weighing on you, go see a pediatric endocrinologist immediately.

I am 23 years old and experiencing an excessive number of "puberty symptoms." Is it possible that something went wrong and this developmental phase simply never concluded?

Everything "down there" functions fine regarding size and performance, with the exception of a minor issue known as http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frenulum_breve

Regarding body hair, the distribution is incredibly uneven. It is very dense in my armpits and pubic region, yet quite sparse on my arms and legs—I know women with more hair on their arms than I do. Beyond being unpleasant, it is a blow to my sense of masculinity. My beard grows decently along the jawline, under my lip, and on my neck, but is nonexistent on my cheeks. In that regard, I look like a typical 13-year-old, which is infuriating. Furthermore, there is nothing on my chest.

My face also retains a teenage quality, specifically regarding oiliness and acne. That was a "trend" back in high school, but now it is merely irritating. My bone structure isn't particularly strong either; I reached a decent 5'11", but my physique consists of "chicken breasts" and weak muscle mass. I cannot lift anything heavy.

While I should be a fully formed man at this age, I still feel like a child. I can't even walk into a store and buy a beer without showing ID. Mentally, I am also incredibly immature for my age.

Aside from what is written on my birth certificate, I possess virtually no traits that prove I am 23. Based on everything, I am a typical 16-year-old.

Perhaps this
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Delayed_puberty
or potentially this
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Klinefelter_syndrome

are the most relevant topics I have found. There aren't many people dealing with these issues because the internet offers very few answers.

🤷

Maybe you should go get your hormone levels checked out?

Is that really it?

Do you honestly believe hormonal fluctuations could be responsible for all of this? It’s exhausting being such a Larry Walker24 at twenty-three.

Amy Edwards4 said:Is that really it?

Do you honestly believe hormonal fluctuations could be responsible for all of this? It’s exhausting being such a Larry Walker24 at twenty-three.

Not a surge, actually—it's the exact opposite. A hormone deficiency.

So, I'm 18 and I still haven't hit puberty. It’s honestly causing a lot of issues for me—like, whenever I'm around girls, I just feel so insecure. I have no idea how they’d react if things ever got more intimate. On top of that, there's the fitness side of things. I've been training consistently since I was 16; hitting the gym, running, watching my diet... my brother is actually a fitness instructor, so he handles my workouts. But I'm seeing zero physical progress. I mean, I *feel* stronger and more fit, but it just doesn't show on the outside. I know I should probably see a doctor, but I'm actually kind of embarrassed to even bring this up to one. Any advice? Has anyone else dealt with something similar?

Matthew Walker13 said:So, I'm 18 and I still haven't hit puberty. It’s honestly causing a lot of issues for me—like, whenever I'm around girls, I just feel so insecure. I have no idea how they’d react if things ever got more intimate. On top of that, there's the fitness side of things. I've been training consistently since I was 16; hitting the gym, running, watching my diet... my brother is actually a fitness instructor, so he handles my workouts. But I'm seeing zero physical progress. I mean, I *feel* stronger and more fit, but it just doesn't show on the outside. I know I should probably see a doctor, but I'm actually kind of embarrassed to even bring this up to one. Any advice? Has anyone else dealt with something similar?

Have you had your first wet dream? Do you have hair under your arms or in your pubic area? Has your voice cracked or deepened? Has your Adam's apple become more prominent?
If even one of those is a "yes," then you are absolutely in the middle of puberty, and judging by your post, mentally speaking, you're already there.😉

Hey there.
I’m 18 and standing about 6'2", so height isn't really the issue—it's more about my face and body. For instance, I still don't have any body hair, not even a hint of a mustache. It’s honestly pretty awkward to admit this here, but I haven't really hit that full physical development stage yet, and it’s absolutely wrecking my confidence. I tried hitting the gym for a solid year thinking I could jumpstart my testosterone levels, but nothing happened. My body just won't change. My weight, measurements, everything stays exactly the same, even though I feel stronger and have actually been gaining some weight week by week. Still, the idea of walking into a doctor's office and laying all this out is super uncomfortable; I barely worked up the nerve to post this, even knowing it's anonymous. Has anyone else dealt with late-onset puberty? Any advice you can toss my way?

DIY fixes won't cut it for a problem like this. Stop overthinking the discomfort and just go see a doctor. That’s what they’re there for—to handle serious issues, and this is serious. Trust me, they see much worse than you can imagine on a daily basis. Just shut off that part of your brain worrying about their judgment; these people aren't your friends. Just get it done.
It's entirely possible you might need testosterone replacement therapy, but that's something that has to be diagnosed and monitored through the proper medical channels.