When Do Men Stop Growing?

If you followed a group of middle school students through their high school years, you’d likely see a common pattern. Most of the girls start out taller. But once they reach high school, the boys catch up.

And long after the girls have reached adult height, some boys keep growing and growing … and growing. “Males can keep growing as long as their growth plates haven’t closed, which usually happens by age 18,” explains pediatrician Joshua Coleman, MD. “But in rare cases, guys can grow a little more into their early 20s.”

When do boys reach adult height?

Boys hit their adult height once they’ve finished puberty, usually between the ages of 16 and 18.

But these numbers are averages, not hard-and-fast rules.

“Puberty begins at a slightly different time for everyone,” clarifies Dr. Coleman. “Some boys shoot up rapidly as soon as puberty begins, while others have a slow and steady pace. And of course, some girls are naturally taller than boys. This is all normal.”

It’s also common for some boys to have constitutional delayed puberty, which just means they’re “late bloomers.” If this happens to you or your child, don’t panic.

“This type of delayed puberty isn’t a health issue — it’s just how their body is designed,” he notes. “As long as boys are showing other signs of puberty by age 14, they will likely still reach their full adult height. They just might reach it at 18, rather than 16 or 17.”

This is why visits to your pediatrician are important.

“At your well-checks, we can make sure your child’s growth is on target,” he adds. “We also screen for health issues that may interfere with their growth and development.”

Can men grow in their 20s?

Some men continue to grow past age 18, but this is rare. If they do experience this late growth, it’s usually an inch or fewer. “A growth spurt is very unlikely to happen past age 18,” Dr. Coleman notes.

A man stops growing when his growth plates have fused, or closed.

“Your growth plates are areas of cartilage near the ends of bones,” he explains. “These areas of cartilage provide a sort of scaffolding that later gets filled in with bone tissue to make the bones longer. As the years pass, your growth plates gradually harden into bone until there’s no cartilage left.”

When is continued growth a concern?

If you do keep growing past age 18, check in with your provider. “Growing at age 19 or 20 isn’t necessarily a sign of a health problem, but ask your provider about it,” advises Dr. Coleman. “It’s likely a case of a late bloomer whose growth plates haven’t completely fused yet. But in rare cases, continued growth can be due to acromegaly, which is a condition that causes too much growth hormone.”

And don’t believe the hype that men continue to grow past age 25. There’s no evidence to show that this is possible. “Even very late bloomers complete puberty before age 25,” he states.

Do different parts of your body continue to grow as you age?

The bones in your feet stop growing in length usually around the same time you’ve met your full height potential. In fact, studies haven’t found that foot size correlates directly with a person’s height at all.

“A boy who’s 5 feet 9 inches could have the same size feet as a boy who’s over 6 feet tall,” shares Dr. Coleman. “Some people just genetically have bigger or smaller feet.”

That said, your feet (as well as other parts of your body) may change in shape and size over time. Cartilage also continues to grow as you age, so you may notice minimal size differences in your nose or ears as you grow older.

Bottom line?

At the end of the day, people come in all heights and sizes. Oftentimes, boys feel pressure to be tall. But that isn’t something you can really control, and health is far more important than height.

“Proper nutrition, good quality sleep and regular well-checks will help you grow to your full potential,” emphasizes Dr. Coleman. “Above all, be proud of the height you’ve been given — it’s part of what makes you the unique person you are.”