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Your changing body 13+
By the age of 13 it is likely that you have experienced some changes in yourself both physically (your body) and the way you feel about things (emotions).
This is your body’s response to the hormones which are being produced inside you and is a normal part of teenage development called puberty. Puberty usually takes place between the ages of 9 to 14 and can last up to 4 years. If you have worries or concerns about puberty or these changes you can speak to a school nurse about this by texting into our messaging service for a confidential (in private) conversation.
It is normal at this age for you to think more about sex and relationships. The age of consent (the age which you are legally allowed to agree to sexual intercourse) in the UK is 16, however, from the age of 13 onwards you can access services for sexual health advice to discuss relationships and contraception. You can find more information about this on our relationships and sexual health page and the links below.
Some things you might experience
- Periods (menstruation) and learning how to manage them.
- Sexual arousal, wet dreams and masturbation (becoming sexually excited and self-touching).
- Wanting more time on your own and private space.
- Wanting to spend more time with your friends and seeking their advice on problems.
- Developing romantic relationships or wanting to have romantic relationships with others (this could be with the same or different gender to yourself).
- Questioning or wanting to explore your sexuality or gender identity.
- Seeking more information about sex and accessing sexual images such as pornography or taking part in sexting (accidentally or on purpose). Read our information about keeping safe.
What you can do to help
Who can help?
For more advice about your changing body speak to one of our team.
You can Call Us on 0300 029 50 50 or Text Us on 07520 649887 to start a conversation.
Open Monday to Friday 9am to 5pm (excluding bank holidays).