DD6 hairy legs & Body Odour

[ITSJUSTBRIDGET]

My DD6 has had hairy legs and back since she was very young - maybe from 2 years old

about 6 months old I took her to the GP as she had really bad body odour. That with the hairy legs left me a bit worried there was something going on

the GP looked at me like I’d got 2 heads 🙄

her leg hair has got much more prominent in the last few weeks. I’ve tried to attach a picture.

can you (kindly) let me know whether you think this is unusual for a 6 year old. She does have dark brown hair

My youngest daughter has had hairy legs from a young age too. She started getting sweaty around the age of 8. Now at nearly 10 she needs to use deodorant and her legs are super super hairy.

Thank you that’s reassuring xx

My DSD has always had hairy legs, started shaving with an electric razor at 8 in the summer No medical problem, she’s just hairy but on the plus side she has lovely thick dark hair on her head, eyebrows and eyelashes.
the hair on my 10 year old dds legs is invisible but she’s got thin blond hair and invisible eyebrows.

kids are also really sweaty and smelly. I’m a dance teacher and find it strange that parents don’t start giving deodorant to their kids often untill they reach secondary, many need it from 6+

Thank you so much that’s so reassuring. I’ve got twins girls, one with luscious thick dark hair and one white blonde - whose hair is practically invisible.

I have an 8 year old and her legs are the same but my mum said mine were like that also.

My dd was born with a hairy back, legs, bum etc.
She also suffers from excessive BO.
Now she’s 20 she has underarm Botox which totally eradicates it, and she uses Jolene bleach for the dark hair.
A long time in the future for your dd, but just wanted to let you know it’s not uncommon xx

Totally normal looking to me! I come from a very dark haired family of women who start puberty early - i was 8 when I got my first period. My legs (and all my cousins) were like this at that age and none of us have any hormonal issues x

Me too, very dark hair. Perfectly normal for us brunettes.

The legs totally normal to me.

The body odour is not so normal. Has your DD got any foreign heritage? Puberty varies among ethnic groups .

Is your child mixed race at all? My daughter had bad BO at 6, she is a mix of white and Arabic and the doctor said she had larger pores so would sweat more and nothing to do with hormones x

My daughter is 8 pale skinned but dark brunette hair. She has quite visible leg hair.
I would never mention it to her. Nobody would think twice if they were boys.
please don’t let her shave at her age!!

I was that girl.
Used to be super self conscious as no one else in my class seemed to have any body hair, less of all any of the onion-like smell I suffered with. Not even the boys. My dad took me to doctors and would force me into the shower (clothes and all) as punishment for being smelly. As if it was my fault. I ended up developing an aversion to all sports or anything that would make me sweat. Really traumatised me as a child. Do not do this to her please. When I grew up I erased him from my life.
Somehow i turned out a very successful adult (even if with zero inclination to do any sport still), and all my life have enjoyed having beautiful dark, luscious hair, even now in my 50s.
Would trade it all in a heart beat for a bit of love and acceptance from him before he died.

Edit to add: I had my first period at 13 so the hair and BO really didn't have any to do with developing early. Not in my case anyway. Also, were it not for religiously using deodorant, I still would have bad BO (I know, because when i run out or forget, it is noticeable). So, not hormonal. Not in my case.

Legs don't look unusual to me at all. I would check the BO with GP though.

How often does she have a bath? Is it daily?

Thank you everyone

no mixed heritage whatsoever, however my husband is very hairy and very sweaty

I would never ever mention it to her in a negative way. She does lots of sports, dancing, gymnastics & swimming. As far as I’m aware no other child has mentioned it to her.

I do have a little bit of health anxiety, 5 rounds of IVF, premature, NICU for weeks and other health issues have left me anxious about anything that I’m not sure about

this thread though has made me realise that it is perfectly normal

and yes usually she does have a bath every day

Much love @ITSJUSTBRIDGET@ITSJUSTBRIDGET.
You sound like a great mum.

Witch hazel dabbed under the armpits after a bath/shower is an excellent natural (and mild) deodorant

A friend of DD's started using deo at a similar age because she wae getting BO, took her to the doctor but was told it wasn't anything to worry about
there is precocious puberty but she didn't fit the criteria so don't think your DD will either.
My DD had hairy legs from a young age too, and underarms and pubic hair. DH & I are both hairy unfortunately so she had no chance not being!

Thank you @ITSJUSTBRIDGET for this post, and all the other comments: my just turned six old year DD has just started to have a little body odour in the past few days, and wasn’t sure if it was a new school nylon uniform making it worse and worried myself going down the precocious puberty internet rabbit hole.

your comment @gotellsomeone is reassuring - my DD is pretty active with gymnastic, football and ballet, so good to know it all normal