what age to allow leg shaving????

inquisitive one

hey, hoping someone can help on this one. my 10yr old daughter is really self-conscious about her legs, she feels they are really hairy & will not wear a skirt unless she has ankle length leggings on under it, she has just asked me about shaving & I have tried to talk her out of it - for the time being anyway.

She does in fact have very hairy legs - something I haven't admitted to her, but fortunatley the hairs are fair, but that does not change how she feels about them. I think she's too young to start shaving particularly as I don't believe she is at a stage where she would be happy to keep it up when the regroth comes.

Any suggestions or help would be appreciated as I want to do whats best for her.

ger vallely

Hi I O, I've been through the very same with my eldest. She is now 13. She has very coarse dark hair, lots of it unfortunately.This year heading on holidays was the first year that we tackled it. I personally think shaving is not a good idea so we used a cream. Daughter in question had previously talked about removing the hair but I explained that she was quite young and that hormonal changes would affect the growth and could she wait a year or so. I had rung a laser hair removal clinic and talked to a fantastic manageress who agreed to talk to my daughter about the downside of removing hair at too young an age. This really changed my daughters opinion and helped her feel like she had an input into the situation.So now 3 years later she uses cream removers and will continue to do so until if need be in 5 years or so we will consider laser removal for her. It is such a delicate matter, luckily,somehow my daughter got great laughter milage out of the situation, eventually!I just think shaving seems a little rough and leads to more problems. Not sure if this has been of any help, hope it all works out fine for you and your daughter.

SueWho

If there's hair then she should be allowed to shave it. I remember being ten and someone saw my underarm hair and gave me grief over it- I was MORTIFIED. Also I remember a girl in school (we were 12) with very hairy legs- everyone noticed and kinda said behind her back "gross, wouldn't you think she'd shave". I just remember thinking, how could her parents let her off to school and leave her open to being a target of bullying when there was just no need for it!

ger vallely

Well if you do go for it, just consider a cream rather than shaving. I would not like to think of my daughter at 10 attempting shaving her legs by herself, there would definitely be blood!The easiest, safest method would be the best.

inquisitive one

Thanks GV i never even thought about getting a specialist in the field to chat to her.. will definately try to sort something like that out as i don't think shes ready for all this yet. i hadn't considered creams for her, prob as i find them quite harsh for myself, can you recommend any particular brand please as this would be an easier option for her.

i am hoping to put this off for at least the winter but don't think she'll stick it much more than that, also i'm concerned of the effect it will have on her confidence, she is at the age where she is getting into fashion etc & is already limiting her options on account of her legs.

i'm glad you found a solution for your daughter & thanks for sharing your experience, its very much appreciated.

inquisitive one

If there's hair then she should be allowed to shave it. I remember being ten and someone saw my underarm hair and gave me grief over it- I was MORTIFIED. Also I remember a girl in school (we were 12) with very hairy legs- everyone noticed and kinda said behind her back "gross, wouldn't you think she'd shave". I just remember thinking, how could her parents let her off to school and leave her open to being a target of bullying when there was just no need for it!

i totally understand this & have taken it into consideration, kids can be so cruel. she wears trousers to school all the time, she hasn't worn a skirt to school in prob close on 2 years, so the kids don't know any different but the issue is that she feels it. whilst i'd love to offer her a solution i don't know that she is ready for regular grooming as she can be quite easy going about personal hygiene at the best of times & i fear that then the prob will escalade as i imagine her regroth will be darker

Cat Melodeon

Veet sensitive would probably suit her best. It's the best route to go down for now - regrowth isn't stubbly, although it might be a bit darker. Maybe it could be incorporated into a new personal hygiene routine for her - she's fast approaching puberty and girls can be such utter cows to each other over things like body odour and excess hair. It might be a good time to have a practical talk to her about what will start happening in the next year or two so that she's prepared and doesn't feel self-conscious when it all kicks off.

inquisitive one

she's fast approaching puberty and girls can be such utter cows to each other over things like body odour and excess hair. It might be a good time to have a practical talk to her about what will start happening in the next year or two so that she's prepared and doesn't feel self-conscious when it all kicks off.

have had the talk already, so she's well prepared, just a bit lazy on the showering...she needs a kick in the arse to get her going but always feels better for it.

she's growing up so quickly, i was a few years older when i had the talk with my mum & even at that nothing happened for another year or so, they seem to be developing younger or am i just in denial that my baby is growing up?

ger vallely

I'd go with Veet cream, that's what my daughter uses. She too wears trousers alot to school but has decided to bare her legs on Monday(after the cream).As for the laziness well, if she feels strongly enough about the hair maybe it will encourage her to shower more often and without argument!They are definitely growing up so much quicker. My 2 are quite innocent in ways but there are times that they astound me with their maturity. We just have to go with it, enjoy the trip and have lots of laughs along the way. I don't find that the hair is re growing any thicker with the cream, plus I'm suprised at how slowly it is growing back. Good luck!

byhookorbycrook

Personally, I feel any cream that can dissolve hair is not great for your skin. I'd bring her to get it waxed if it really is a serious problem. if she realises how painful waxing is, she mightn't think the hair is so bad.:D:D

Jinxi

I was talking to my sis-in-law about her similar situ with her 13yr old son and his ronnie that he is supporting. She and her husband we not permitting him to shave it off as the reasoned that if he shaved it now it would grow back harder and darker. But isn't it inevitable???
I was a bit surprise about the whole permission/allow thing, because at 13 my mum would have ADVISED me but my body decisions were my decisions. (obviously within reason...no tatoos and still dont:D)

coffee_cake

Why not let her shave? Pretty sure the other girls in my class were at it too when we were that age
No point making her feel self conscious and covering up all the time for something so small!

Jinxi wrote: »

I was a bit surprise about the whole permission/allow thing, because at 13 my mum would have ADVISED me but my body decisions were my decisions. (obviously within reason...no tatoos and still dont:D)

Exactly... we're not talking piercings or tattoos here, just basic hygiene and grooming

I'd say no to hair removal cream.

If a razor goes wrong she'll have a clean and most likely, small cut on her leg.

If the cream goes wrong she'll have rashes or burnt skin. Not pleasant.

Das Kitty

I think you should let her shave, in fact I think you should show her how.

When I was 12 I really wanted to shave my legs, my Mum was dead against it but they really bothered me. I did it anyway with a disposable razor. Looking back I think it would have been really nice for my mum to show me how to do it properly. It would have been a nice memory rather than one where I got in trouble!

And they don't grow back darker or thicker, that's a myth. I have fair hair too and I only have to shave my legs once a week or so.

inquisitive one

I'm taking her to the beauticians next week to discuss all options with her & we will go from there, all I want is what is best for her & hopefully we'll be able to work something out.

I think you should let her shave, in fact I think you should show her how.

When I was 12 I really wanted to shave my legs, my Mum was dead against it but they really bothered me. I did it anyway with a disposable razor. Looking back I think it would have been really nice for my mum to show me how to do it properly. It would have been a nice memory rather than one where I got in trouble!

if we decide that shaving is the best option i will of course show her how,
i'll not be letting her make the mistakes i made when i shaved for the first time using a dry razor....i still have the scars

And they don't grow back darker or thicker, that's a myth. I have fair hair too and I only have to shave my legs once a week or so.

unfortunately this was not the case for me, i was blonde when i was younger & had fair body hair which didn't stay fair for long when i started shaving...that said maybe she'll be lucky like you & get a week out of it, i'm lucky if i get 2 days

I was a bit surprise about the whole permission/allow thing, because at 13 my mum would have ADVISED me but my body decisions were my decisions. (obviously within reason...no tatoos and still dont)

i am lucky that my daughter came to me to discuss this with me, if she convinced me she was ready to start shaving then i would take her to the chemist & buy her all that she needed however at 10 years old & whilst she does have her body issues she is still a child & it is my job to enure she gets to enjoy that for as long as possible, but at the end of the day it will be her decision, i'm just wanting to make sure i guide her properly to help her reach it watever it may be.

m'lady

I totally agree with this poster, a beautician friend of mine told me if she had a daughter the same age as my lil one (she is 9.5 yrs), she would wax rather than shave as its cleaner and also will begins minimising hair growth from the very start, as opposed to shaving which encourages hair growth.
Wish I had known that when I was 10!

byhookorbycrook wrote: »

Personally, I feel any cream that can dissolve hair is not great for your skin. I'd bring her to get it waxed if it really is a serious problem. if she realises how painful waxing is, she mightn't think the hair is so bad.:D:D

jam_mac_jam

let her shave. Its the easiest and cleanist way, creams can be very severe on her at that age. A beautician will not recomend shaving as there is no money in it. As for waxing a child of ten, you are joking right?

byhookorbycrook

jam_mac_jam wrote: »

let her shave. Its the easiest and cleanist way, creams can be very severe on her at that age. A beautician will not recomend shaving as there is no money in it. As for waxing a child of ten, you are joking right?

Don't see why , it's all about hair removal and creams/shaving are two options, waxing the 3rd.

caseyann

m'lady wrote: »

I totally agree with this poster, a beautician friend of mine told me if she had a daughter the same age as my lil one (she is 9.5 yrs), she would wax rather than shave as its cleaner and also will begins minimising hair growth from the very start, as opposed to shaving which encourages hair growth.
Wish I had known that when I was 10!

I agree no one tells you about this :mad:

jam_mac_jam

byhookorbycrook wrote: »

Don't see why , it's all about hair removal and creams/shaving are two options, waxing the 3rd.

I think waxing is too much for somebody of that age, its quite painful. she is very young for waxing. I would more think shaving or creams.

jam_mac_jam

I thought it was an urban myth that it comes back stronger, as you get older then 10 your hair is going to be thicker as you go through puberty. I have been shaving for years and have very fine hair on my legs so I dont think it does.

face1990

jam_mac_jam wrote: »

I thought it was an urban myth that it comes back stronger, as you get older then 10 your hair is going to be thicker as you go through puberty.

I've heard this several times as well. The regrowth will be thicker & darker because the hair is naturally darkening over time. Shaving doesn't accelerate the changes.
The only difference shaving makes is that the hairs grow back coarser, with sharper ends where the hairs have been cut (as opposed to the tapered ends of unshaved hairs), giving the illusion of thicker hairs.

jam_mac_jam

face1990 wrote: »

I've heard this several times as well. The regrowth will be thicker & darker because the hair is naturally darkening over time. Shaving doesn't accelerate the changes.
The only difference shaving makes is that the hairs grow back coarser, with sharper ends where the hairs have been cut (as opposed to the tapered ends of unshaved hairs), giving the illusion of thicker hairs.

yeah that's what I thought as well, it seems thicker because its subble but I dont see how cutting it above the root will make it grow back stronger, it doesnt make sense because it grows back from the root.