When Do Girls Stop Growing?

Few questions come up more frequently among parents, young girls, and teenagers than: when do girls stop growing? Whether you are a parent tracking your daughter’s height on the doorframe, a teenager wondering if you are done, or simply curious about human development, the answer involves more than a single age. It depends on when puberty began, genetics, nutrition, and what is happening at the level of the growth plates.

The short answer is that most girls reach their final adult height between the ages of 14 and 16, typically two to three years after their first menstrual period begins. But there is significant individual variation, and understanding the full picture helps you make sense of why some girls grow later or taller than others.

Q: Can a girl still grow taller after her period starts? A: Yes — but not by much, and not for long. Most girls grow an average of 2–3 inches (5–7.5 cm) after their first period, with growth slowing significantly within the first two years and stopping almost entirely by years three or four post-menarche. The onset of menstruation signals that oestrogen levels are rising rapidly, which accelerates the closure of the growth plates. Growth is not over the day a period starts, but the window is short.

1. The Average Age Girls Stop Growing in Height

Most girls stop growing in height somewhere between 14 and 16 years old, though the range can extend from 13 to 17 depending on when puberty started. The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) and most paediatric endocrinologists use this window as the typical range for the cessation of linear (height) growth in females.

The key milestone is not a specific calendar age but rather the closure of the epiphyseal growth plates — the cartilaginous zones near the ends of long bones where new bone tissue is deposited during childhood and adolescence. Once those plates close and ossify, the bones can no longer lengthen and height is fixed.

Girls who begin puberty early (precocious puberty, sometimes starting as young as 8) may stop growing earlier — sometimes by 13 or even 12. Girls who start puberty late may continue growing into their later teens. The timeline is anchored to the puberty process, not the calendar.

2. What Triggers the End of Growth: The Role of Growth Plates

Growth plates (formally called epiphyseal plates) are regions of hyaline cartilage found near the ends of the long bones — the femur, tibia, humerus, and others. During childhood and adolescence, specialised cells in these plates called chondrocytes divide and deposit new cartilage, which is then replaced by bone through a process called endochondral ossification. This is what makes bones longer and bodies taller.

The closure of growth plates is driven primarily by oestrogen — which is why girls, who experience a sharp rise in oestrogen during puberty, tend to stop growing earlier than boys. Oestrogen initially stimulates a growth spurt (the rapid height gain of early puberty) but then accelerates the fusion of the growth plates, bringing linear growth to an end.

Boys experience the same mechanism but via testosterone, which converts to oestrogen in the bones — and because boys enter puberty later and the process is more drawn out, their plates close later, typically between 16 and 18.

Doctors can assess whether a girl has finished growing by ordering a bone age X-ray — most commonly of the left hand and wrist — which shows whether the growth plates have fused. This is the most reliable clinical way to determine whether linear growth is complete.

3. The Five Stages of Puberty in Girls and When Growth Occurs

The Tanner Stages, developed by British paediatrician James Tanner in the 1960s based on longitudinal studies of child development, remain the standard clinical framework for assessing pubertal progression. Understanding where height growth fits within these stages helps clarify the timeline:

• Tanner Stage 1 (pre-puberty, typically before age 8–9): No visible pubertal development. Height grows at a steady childhood rate of about 2–2.5 inches per year.
• Tanner Stage 2 (typically ages 8–11): The first physical signs of puberty appear — breast budding, initial pubic hair. The pubertal growth spurt typically begins here, adding 2.5–4.5 inches per year.
• Tanner Stage 3 (typically ages 10–12): Accelerated growth continues; breast and pubic hair development progress. This is often the peak growth phase.
• Tanner Stage 4 (typically ages 11–14): Growth begins to slow. Menarche (first period) usually occurs during this stage. From menarche, most girls have 2–3 inches of growth remaining.
• Tanner Stage 5 (typically ages 12–16): Adult body composition is reached. Growth plates begin to fuse. Most girls have reached or are very close to their final adult height by the end of this stage.

The pubertal growth spurt in girls is front-loaded — the most dramatic height gain happens in Stages 2 and 3, often before menarche occurs. This is the opposite of what many people assume: by the time a girl gets her first period, the majority of her height growth is already complete.

4. How to Tell If a Girl Has Stopped Growing

There are several practical indicators that a girl has reached or is near her final height:

Rate of growth has slowed to less than 1 cm per year. A growth rate below 1 centimetre (about 0.4 inches) annually is a clinical indicator that growth is nearing its end. Tracking height every 6 months with accurate measurement is useful here.

Menstruation began 2–3 years ago. If a girl had her first period two to three years prior and has been growing less than a centimetre per year since, it is likely that she is close to or at her final height.

Bone age X-ray shows fused growth plates. This is the definitive test. A paediatric endocrinologist or radiologist can read a bone age X-ray and confirm whether the plates have closed.

Shoe size has stabilised. Foot growth often precedes height growth and also typically stops when height does. If shoe size has not changed for 12–18 months, it is a reasonable (though not definitive) sign that overall skeletal growth is complete.

5. Factors That Influence How Tall a Girl Will Be

Genetics is the strongest single predictor of height — approximately 60–80% of height variation between individuals is attributable to genetic factors. A rough mid-parental height formula for girls is: (father’s height − 13 cm + mother’s height) ÷ 2. The result gives an estimate with a range of roughly plus or minus 8.5 cm.

Nutrition plays a major role, particularly protein, calcium, vitamin D, and zinc during the growth years. Chronic undernutrition during childhood and adolescence is one of the most significant preventable causes of reduced final height worldwide. Adequate caloric intake is equally important — girls in caloric deficit (including those with eating disorders) often experience disrupted puberty and reduced growth.

Hormonal health matters significantly. Hypothyroidism (low thyroid function), growth hormone deficiency, and conditions affecting oestrogen production can all impair or alter growth patterns. These are assessed when a girl is growing significantly below the expected trajectory on a growth chart.

Sleep is directly connected to growth — the majority of growth hormone is secreted during slow-wave (deep) sleep. Chronic sleep deprivation during the growth years can reduce the total amount of growth hormone released, with potential effects on final height. The recommended sleep duration for adolescents is 8–10 hours per night.

Chronic illness and medications can also affect growth. Corticosteroids used long-term for conditions such as asthma or inflammatory bowel disease are among the most well-documented pharmaceutical contributors to reduced growth velocity.

6. Late Bloomers: When Girls Grow Later Than Expected

Constitutional delay of growth and puberty (CDGP) is the medical term for what is commonly called being a “late bloomer.” It is a normal variant — not a disease — in which puberty and the pubertal growth spurt are delayed by two or more years relative to the average. Girls with CDGP begin puberty later and continue growing later, but typically reach a normal adult height.

CDGP tends to run in families. If a girl’s mother or father was a late developer, the likelihood of CDGP is considerably higher. A paediatrician will typically take a detailed family history when evaluating a girl who is short and growing slowly, to distinguish CDGP from conditions that require treatment.

It is important not to confuse late puberty with short stature due to pathological causes — such as Turner syndrome, growth hormone deficiency, or coeliac disease affecting nutrient absorption. If a girl is significantly below the third percentile on growth charts, growing less than the expected rate for her age, or if puberty has not begun by age 13, a medical evaluation is appropriate.

7. Can Girls Grow After 18?

For the vast majority of girls, the answer is no. By 18, the growth plates have almost universally fused, and linear growth is complete. The rare exceptions involve girls with very late-onset puberty who may still have open growth plates in their mid-to-late teens, but this is uncommon.

It is a common belief that some people continue growing into their early twenties, but this largely reflects growth in boys with late puberty rather than in girls. For females, 18 is a firm upper boundary in almost all cases, and most have been at their final height for two to four years by that point.

What can change after 18 is posture, core strength, and the appearance of height. Spinal compression and disc hydration affect how tall a person appears to stand throughout the day. Strength training, improved posture, and flexibility work can make a real difference in how confidently and fully a person occupies their height — even if the bones themselves are no longer growing.

8. When to See a Doctor About Growth Concerns

Most variation in the timing and pace of growth falls within the normal range and requires no medical intervention. However, a consultation with a paediatrician or paediatric endocrinologist is warranted in the following situations:

• A girl is significantly below the third percentile for height and has been tracking below expected percentiles consistently
• Height growth rate has dropped sharply below 5 cm per year before puberty is complete
• Puberty has not started by age 13 (no breast development)
• There are symptoms of an underlying condition: fatigue, weight changes, abdominal symptoms, or menstrual irregularities
• A girl is growing significantly faster or slower than siblings or parents at the same age

Early assessment is always better than waiting. Conditions like growth hormone deficiency, thyroid dysfunction, and nutritional deficiencies are far more treatable when identified during the active growth window.

Understanding when girls stop growing gives parents, young people, and clinicians a clearer framework for what is normal, what warrants monitoring, and when to seek support. Growth is one of the most visible markers of development — but it is closely connected to sleep, nutrition, and overall wellbeing. For parents tracking broader developmental milestones, understanding when babies start teething gives useful context for the earlier stages of the growth journey. And since chronic stress can disrupt hormonal balance and affect growth velocity, managing stress during the adolescent years is a genuine factor in supporting healthy development — not just an emotional concern.