Deodrant for 11 year old

[mrsmummy]

have just noticed my just turned 11 year old is starting to get a bit whiffy, just on the days he does PE at school, at what age do kids start using deodrant and which one? I have had a good look round Boots and none are aimed at kids and getting him the same as my dh just seems wrong, and too grown up!!!

[Dexterrocks]

I used to be a teacher and some kids do need to use deodorants surprisingly early. Different things develop at different stages.
I would be inclined to give him an unperfumed mild deodorant like Dove and definitely not an aerosol one. I would go for the stick as they don't even have to wait for the roll on to dry or anything.
Before long he will be begging you for the strongest smelling Lynx deodorant out there and using half a deodorant a day (if the lads I taught were anything to go by) but at a young age he probably wants to draw as little attention to it as possible.
He may also need to shower more often if he is not already showering every day.
Gently and sensitively would be my advice.

[mrsmummy]

thanks for that, i had a chat about it yesterday with him and he says a few of the boys in his class have started to use some type of deodrsnt, one boy uses too much cos thats all you can smell lol, had a look at the dove ones - the some of the ones under the womens section looked ok could be classes as unisex , was going to go with a stick or roll on, an aerosol would probably go everywhere but where it should!, thanks a lot for your help

[AuntAda]

Brainwash him against Lynx by whatever means necessary. His teachers will thank you.

[FranSanDisco]

Ds is 8 yo and a bit of a soap dodger - thinks if he had a shower 3 days ago he has 4 to go. He's really proud of his sweaty pits and laughs when I faint from the smell (as he shoves them in my face)but he asked me to get the chocolate smelling Lynx as his friend wears it .

[sandyballs]

My 9 year old DD has suddenly become obsessed with washing her armpits every morning and putting on my deodorant. I've never smelt BO or anything on her and she says no-one at school has said anything so I can't understand the sudden urgency to wash when she has previously been so soap shy.

I do worry about the chemicals in deodorant on young bodies though. Thought I might pop to a health food shop and try and find a more natural one.

[inthesticks]

You might find it worth talking about how he washes. It's probably a long time since you went in the bathroom with him and applied the flannel. I recently had to do this with DS2 who is going through the whiffy, unwashed stage.
(I've been there before with DS1 who now keeps Lynx in business).
DS2 spends hours in the bath but the soap remains dry, he just squirts deoderant on top of the sweat. Yesterday I hauled him back to the bathroom and talked in detail about how to wash, rinse and dry the essential bits, twice a day.

[Furball]

I use a crystal deodorant on wet skin then let it dry and love it. No nasty chemicals and it works.

Will deffo be urging my ds down that root when the time comes.

[grannieonabike]

I noticed my son (10) was a bit whiffy too, so I took him to the supermarket, and in a sort of coming-of-age ceremony, we bought him his First Deodorant.

Only thing was, I hadn't told him what to do with it. But he knew it was to stop him sweating, so he decided to put it where he thought it was most needed.

When he came down the stairs, he smelt like a flower. However, looking a little closer, I asked him what he had on his face. He had put a line of deodorant just under the hairline to stop the sweat running down his face. He had also put it in rings round his wrists and ankles, as, not unreasonably, he reckoned that he didn't want all his sweat accumulating in his shoes.

Bad mother! Bad bad mother.

[Furball]

OMG - I've just noticed 'root' in my post - that is embarassing I obviously meant route

[MadameSin]

Not sure if been said - not read all posts. ONLY use a roll on, not aerosol ! Something that was recommended to be by a breast surgeon believe it or not and applies to both men and women.

[Dexterrocks]

Definitely a roll on or a stick. Apart from Madamesin's comment children or teenagers and aerosols are never a good combination. Curiosity strikes the most sensible children and inhaling aerosols is lethal, instantly.

[Dexterrocks]

Oh - and my husband uses the same make of Dove stick as I do, although I do insist on separate sticks. You get unperfumed ones but even the scented ones just smell the same as the soap.