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Original poster

To be worried about 10 year old growing hair in armpit

62 replies

Jonsa · 28/07/2024 14:34

I am a bloke. I think I was 13 when I started growing hair - I don’t remember it was over 30 years ago.
DS is just 10 yrs and 5 months and has started growing hair under his armpits. Wife assures me this is normal but I am unsure. Surely he is too young? I worry because he is a gentle boy and people assume he is a couple of years older than he is, and this won’t help.
should I take him to he doctor? Please be kind.

OP posts:
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DatingDinosaur · 30/07/2024 12:54

What are you hoping/thinking the GP could do OP?

I'd be very surprised if a GP would meddle with the puberty cycle unless there was some critical medical reason to do so.

Your boy's growing up. As they all do. As you did once. It's normal, don't worry.

RareLemur · 30/07/2024 12:21

Don't worry OP, it's not an unusual age for the onset of puberty.

BobbyBiscuits · 30/07/2024 12:17

Of course it's normal.

TellTaleHeart14 · 30/07/2024 12:15

My daughter is 10 and in full blown puberty, she is also very tall so people do assume she is older than she is. I understand your concerns as my daughter was picked on by girls who were 12-13. Whether they assumed she was their age or just nasty kids but it does worry me.

mondaytosunday · 30/07/2024 11:02

My son started growing hair at 9! Totally normal.

Miyagi99 · 30/07/2024 09:32

VividQuoter · 28/07/2024 14:41

Surely this is his own biology, what do you mean getting to the GP? Surely you are not of these men who wants to raise a girl

What an odd comment, you seem unaware that girls grow armpit hair, and usually before boys.

Bobbotgegrinch · 28/07/2024 23:55

Hi OP,

I'm also male. I started growing armpit hair at 11, and DD started her periods at 10.

Puberty starting at this age isn't anything unusual. You're worrying about nothing.

whatthedickens5 · 28/07/2024 23:10

Sounds normal to me. I'm on the other end of the spectrum with mine needing injections the past 18 months as at nearly 17 things are progressing at a snails pace. Very worrying :(

IncessantNameChanger · 28/07/2024 22:46

My boys started puberty at 11. For two of them it was a total non event. My eldest was a hormonal mess. Ten is better really as secondary and puberty is a lot at once

KreedKafer · 28/07/2024 22:38

It’s totally normal. Everyone’s body develops at a different rate.

Bit strange that you’re so worried about it, to be honest.

Noseybookworm · 28/07/2024 22:37

It's at the early end of the normal age range for onset of puberty so I wouldn't worry. Might be worth getting him some books about puberty so he's well prepared for all the changes to come! And having a chat about hygiene and showering more often/using deodorant now that his body is starting to change?

JaceLancs · 28/07/2024 22:35

I started my periods at 10 and have not grown height wise since then either so it must run in the family

JaceLancs · 28/07/2024 22:34

I took my DS to GP when he was 4-5 and started with bodily hair - he was also quite tall (but was long at birth despite being low weight as was 7 weeks early)
After lots of tests they concluded he was ok but was just going to be a tall and hirsute adult - which turned out to be the case!!

StMarieforme · 28/07/2024 22:28

VividQuoter · 28/07/2024 14:41

Surely this is his own biology, what do you mean getting to the GP? Surely you are not of these men who wants to raise a girl

Stupid and unnecessary reply. He said nothing of the sort.

3CustardCreams · 28/07/2024 22:20

Wow 7 or 8 is so young. I really do wonder what’s causing it. It must be something in our environment/food

IndigoIsMyFavouriteColour · 28/07/2024 22:16

my boys both had armpit hair at 10. Now 14 and 11 and very hairy everywhere

TTCNumber3uk · 28/07/2024 22:08

My daughter had started at age 5! She’s currently having blood tests to rule out puberty

ClassicBBQ · 28/07/2024 21:46

Quite normal at that age, although it is a shock when it happens! Children definitely seem to be hitting puberty earlier than when I was a child. I work in a school and we've had girls start periods aged 7 or 8.

3CustardCreams · 28/07/2024 21:09

I worry that children are entering puberty earlier due to the environment and foods including things like processed soy or microplastics. Needs to be more research into it

ditalini · 28/07/2024 21:08

Hair growth (and needing to use deodorant, acne) can be a sign of adrenarche which usually happens before puberty. It doesn't necessarily mean that puberty is imminent.

All children have their own pace of development, but hair on its own at this age is well within normal range (as is not having hair).

Poor ds1 got his first electric razor age 12 but didn't go through puberty until much later.

patient.info/childrens-health/adrenarche

Anothernamechane · 28/07/2024 20:57

marmaladeandpeanutbutter · 28/07/2024 16:16

Puberty is triggered by weight to a certain extent.

Certainly not the case for my DD. She’s tall but skinny - 4ft 11 and 6 stone. She started getting body hair and pimples at 8/9 and her period at 10. She wasn’t the first in her class either.

Miyagi99 · 28/07/2024 17:09

Normal.

Spirallingdownwards · 28/07/2024 16:47

Other things to watch out for OP kids that used to get up really early suddenly wabtknv to lie in until lunch time.

turbonerd · 28/07/2024 16:45

It is perfectly normal.
Some boys will be 10-12 yrs and others will be 15-16 yrs when they hit puberty. (Or younger, on occasion).
Same for girls
Nothing to worry about.

OhcantthInkofaname · 28/07/2024 16:40

Just make sure he has access to deodorant and understands why it's necessary.

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