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Original poster

What age did you or your dd start to shave legs?

140 replies

SpringisSpinning · 24/02/2021 17:47

My dd is 13 and is blissfully un bothered by them at present. Just wondering though what age you think they start.. Not that I'm going to suggest anything before she does

OP posts:
Helmetbymidnight · 25/02/2021 09:20

I'd be very casual about it, 'some girls do this as they get older, if ever you fancy it, let me know...'

For my DD it was a one-off, I think she enjoyed the experiment but no way can she bothered with the commitment. 3 years down the line, not mentioned it again and very happy in herself.

Original poster
SpringisSpinning · 25/02/2021 09:23

Good idea Helmet...

OP posts:
BiBabbles · 25/02/2021 09:24

My DD1 asked when she was 13, I think more to have the experience than anything (she's one to have read the 'Taking Care of You' and other puberty-based books over and over). I bought her some kit, asked if she wanted me to show her which ended up with her sitting on the toilet with shaving foam on her lower legs, I did one leg, she did the other, and since then she does it sometimes when she's having a bath. She still hasn't shaved her armpits to my knowledge (and she somehow goes around in sleeveless stuff a lot even with recent temperatures).

I started around 11 or so because my mother wouldn't stop mocking me - calling me cactus legs and worse. Never got any comments otherwise, at least that I heard. I stopped shaving regularly at 15 when I no longer lived with her - just for special occasions involving dresses - and haven't at all since shortly before I turned 18 - which is why I had the buy the kit, neither I or her father have any razors, so had a bit of an odd evening researching razors and products that go with them as I worried about buying her something terrible that would shred her legs.

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Beauty
cafedesreves · 25/02/2021 09:26

I was around 12/13. My mum said I shouldn't so I did it myself, dry with my dad's razor. Had dreadful scars all down my legs for months.

Original poster
SpringisSpinning · 25/02/2021 09:30

yes if she wants to do it I would rather show her and buy her proper stuff I really did take a large chunk out of the front of my leg I think it went to the bone.

OP posts:
Yubaba · 25/02/2021 09:30

DD was 12, she has very dark hair and she asked me one day if she could, I bought her a razor and showed her how to do it properly.
I was probably the same age and used my dads razor and cut my legs to ribbons as my mum said no.
I get mine professionally waxed these days but DD doesn’t fancy that at all.

Original poster
SpringisSpinning · 25/02/2021 09:39

I get my underarms waxed

OP posts:
samandpoppysmummy · 25/02/2021 11:08

I started in my first year of secondary school and so did my DD.

PinkSkyBlue · 25/02/2021 11:16

My DD was 10, it bothered her when a boy at school called her hairy legs Hmm

megletsecond · 25/02/2021 11:25

School PE changing rooms have a lot to answer for here.

DD isn't looking forward to the potential post pandemic return to communal changing. At the moment they go in in PE kit so no one has to see them. She's quite body confident but I think it will really knock her hard when she's forced into that environment and the unkind girls start passing comment on other girls bodies.

MrsAvocet · 25/02/2021 11:35

I can't remember for sure but I think I was probably about 15. I've got very fine, pale hairs on my legs so it wasn't a big deal for me. My DD was probably 12 or 13.
My DS started shaving his legs when he was 13 having pestered me about it for a couple of years - bloody cyclists! 🤣

PopcornPeacock · 25/02/2021 11:38

In the late 6o's when I was 9 I had extremely hairy arms and legs which never bother me until I began piano lessons.
But my piano teacher and his awful, awful creepy son made me extremely aware of them by commenting on them, stroking my arms whenever I had a lesson. So I began to use my dads razor when I had a bath, covered up summer an winter and developed quite a complex.

I didn't know what to do!

The son would come and sit on the sofa whilst I waited to start my lesson. It didn't matter how far I inched away up the sofa, he would inch up too , pressing my leg against his.
I never dared tell my parents as apparently I was 'a liar' and made everything up - I didn't, you couldn't at that age.
By the time I'd got to age 14-15 I began missing the lessons and my parents found out. Didn't dare tell them that the son made me feel sick, so took the 'punishment' from them for 'letting the music teacher down'.

Years later I heard the son was imprisoned for child sex offences. Good, utter bastard that he was.

At the age of around 55 I finally stopped shaving both the arms and legs, and now only do the ,legs if I'm stressed....... funnily enough, that's when I also went NC with both parents.

Sorry that was so long - it really triggered a memory for me.

BurningBenches · 25/02/2021 11:39

I was 11. Very dark hair. My mum wouldn't let me, but like most felt massively self conscious at secondary so did it anyway (90s communal enforced showers 😡) Same with my monobrow and tache.

I don't understand the idea of "letting" or not letting, kids do it, their body, their hair, their choice. I've always said to mine, some people choose to shave their legs, armpits, pluck their eyebrows. I don't bother much but you might want to. And if you do want to I'll show you how/buy you stuff/take you to someone to do a good job (90s eyebrows here)

Dd1 is 20, dd2 is 11 and I've bought her a ladyshave thing. It's there if she wants to use and she doesn't have to ask as she's really uncomfortable about stuff like that. Dd3 will be up for chats and advice.

Emmelina · 25/02/2021 11:40

12 or 13. It didn’t occur to me to ask, I just used a razor I found in the bathroom cabinet!

BashfulClam · 25/02/2021 12:36

I was pressurised by 2 friends. I have very dark body hair. My mum had no clue what it was like as she has next to no body hair. She has only ever shaved her underarms and has never done her legs or touched her eyebrows. She had no idea how much it bothered me and it is still a daily
Maintenance to make sure I’m not really hairy too quickly.

HeartShapedMoon · 25/02/2021 18:42

Can I ask, those women that don't shave their armpits and legs and have a partner or husband. Doesn't your husband comment or do you not care?

I know it's awful that boys will tease girls etc. I know it's wrong and I know girls shouldn't feel pressurised into doing it, but I just can't imagine feeling sexy and going to bed with my husband with that kind of excess body hair. And he would find it a massive turn off too. 🤷🏻‍♀️

However if I ever found myself single I wouldn't give a shit and I'd be as hirsute as can be!

BernadetteRostankowskiWolowitz · 25/02/2021 18:45

Can I ask, those women that don't shave their armpits and legs and have a partner or husband. Doesn't your husband comment or do you not care?

I shave my legs/pits if and when I can be arsed. Sometimes its months between shaves. Sometimes I do it twice a week.

Dh doesn't notice or care. In fact, one particular day I did some intimate grooming and the next day, after a particularly romantic and lengthy session the previous night, I brought it up and he had no clue what I was on about.

He genuinely doesn't give a shit.

40grump7 · 25/02/2021 18:47

11 and I got told off for it! But it was obvious as there were lots of shaving cuts Grin

I learned to do it better and started properly by about 13.

I sort of hope the new generation won’t have be a slave to shaving though!!

BurningBenches · 25/02/2021 19:23

@BernadetteRostankowskiWolowitz totally my husband is the same, really doesn't notice either way.

NoWordForFluffy · 25/02/2021 20:23

I was 9 and took a massive chunk out of my shin.

DD (who'll be 8 in June) has seen me shaving mine and also knows that she has quite noticeable dark hair on her legs.

We chatted about it, and I said that she won't be the only one with dark hair on her legs at school. But that if / when she decides to shave them, she should talk to me and I'll show her how to do it. I told her that I cut myself badly because I did it in secret. I can't see her getting to secondary school without wanting to remove it (hairy genes!).

SweetPetrichor · 25/02/2021 20:37

I was around 10 or 11. Mum’s razor was always beside the bath so I just started using it when I wanted.

BobbitWormNightmares · 25/02/2021 20:39

Think I was about 10 with an electric shaver. But I'm pretty sure I started getting settled conscious at about 8 or 9.

TheTurn0fTheScrew · 25/02/2021 20:45

my now nearly 14yo asked last year to get a shaver. Ages ago I made her promise to talk to me before removing hair, rather than hacking at her shins with a rusty Bic. She was a bit intimidated by the idea of wet shaving, and has fine, blonde hair, so an electric shaver does the job.

Pranct · 25/02/2021 20:46

@HeartShapedMoon

Can I ask, those women that don't shave their armpits and legs and have a partner or husband. Doesn't your husband comment or do you not care?

I know it's awful that boys will tease girls etc. I know it's wrong and I know girls shouldn't feel pressurised into doing it, but I just can't imagine feeling sexy and going to bed with my husband with that kind of excess body hair. And he would find it a massive turn off too. 🤷🏻‍♀️

However if I ever found myself single I wouldn't give a shit and I'd be as hirsute as can be!

I rarely shave mine maybe once or twice each summer. My DH and before him BF never commented. It was magazines that made me feel self conscious, I used to think friends must be very hairy the way they bought products to rid their hair.

DD hates the way friends go on about it now. In her teens I finally brought the subject up and showed her stuff and how easy it was to shave and even did it for her so she could see how easy it is. So far her BF hasn’t said anything, yes I’ve just texted to ask!

Original poster
SpringisSpinning · 25/02/2021 20:47

I've never heard of female electric shavers for legs!!
Can anyone recommend one!

OP posts: