To ask about tweens/teen girls and leg hair

[Bimmy76]

My DD has been asking about shaving her legs. It seems v young to me- I wondered what other people’s experience was? When did your DD do this? What’s the earliest you would feel ok with?

I also wondered whether I should talk to her about other methods of hair removal- I wish I’d started off waxing rather than shaving. But 11 seems far too young for waxing and I don’t want her to think that I think she needs to remove hair.

My dd started shaving her legs about aged ten. I was about the same age. We are both very dark haired.

My 11yo DD uses hair removal cream (did a sensitivity test first) and her friend (also 11yo) waxes. If my dd's pain threshold wasn't ridiculously low I'd wax. I don't think it's young persona;lly although I do know others might.

My DD was 10 too, dark hair, quite heavy growth. She did 10 ballet & modern classes a week so legs often on show.

There are lady shavers in our bathroom so she just started using them.
It's not something she need to ask me to do, we really didn't even discuss it.

She's 18 now and we will often compare leg hair for a laugh to see who has managed to shave or not.

It's no big deal to me.

Many men remove body hair too.

I started when I was 11. It was nice to be smooth and silky, I did it in the bath at night.

My DD is 11 yo and uses sensitive skin hair removal cream occasionally.

We had a big conversation about it first though.

A useful thread as I’ve been wondering the same re DD. And it’s very nice to see that it hasn’t been highjacked by the “you shouldn’t be encouraging her to be ashamed of her body hair” brigade which these threads often descend into.

Think I started around 11/12 as did most girls at school I'd say so I wouldn't say it was crazy young if she wants to. Make sure she gets a decent razor and uses plenty of foam/soap though, I used to use the cheapest disposable ones and I always had irritated skin from it.

I was 10 and did it without my mums input the first time, ended up taking a chunk out of my knee! If she's shaving show her how lol

I had the same worries. My DD at 11 became very self conscious about her leg hair. She was not wearing shorts and skirts. She has thick dark hair on her legs. So we removed it. Cream first. Now she shaves. She is much happier.

My 9 yo DD was being picked on for having a 'monobrow'. (Hardly - a few very fair errant eyebrow hairs) and I waxed it for her. Decided I will let her do the same with legs come the time.

I don't want her going at her eyebrows/legs with razors or scissors and I couldn't let her cry over her eyebrows like that.

They say that girl's self esteem peaks at 9 and then it's all downhill from there.

I don't think age is relevant. If she has noticed hair, is uncomfortable or being teased then I would let her remove it.

I was 10. My mum said no so I did it myself, but dry as I didn’t really know how. I remember how unhappy and self conscious I felt, so will help any of my children remove hair if they feel the same way

It’s up to her just make sure she knows how to not cut herself. My dd is 12 and just asked how to do armpits but isn’t bothered about her legs (pretty hair free anyway)

I wish someone had stopped me plucking my eyebrows though They're so rubbish now from the years of overplucking.

I was very dark haired as a child and begged to be able to shave and wasn’t allowed. If she’s asking then let her.

My DD is 8 and has for as long as I can remember had really, really hairy legs. It's only recently she's become so self conscience about it that she cried one morning during the summer because she didn't want to wear a school dress with her legs out. I went straight out that day and bought her a lady shaver. I wasn't happy with waxing as it's painful. Also wasn't happy with her using a normal razor because of cuts etc a lady shaver was the perfect solution and she's been so much happier since!

I bought my DD a battery ladyshave.
Very safe and easy to use, no chance of taking chunks of skin off.

DD is 8 and recently asked to do hers because she was getting teased.

I help her shave them; we tried Veet but it burned the back of her leg a little bit.

I couldn't care less about age; if she wants it done I'll help, but also let her know that nobody who loves her has, or will, ask her to be any different than she is.

Not had the experience as a parent, but as a child I was picked on for having dark hair on my legs. I was mortified. My mother was utterly in denial, felt I was too young. In the end I began using a craft knife to shave my legs because that’s what I had to hand. Please discuss options, buy products because she will find a way even if you don’r want her to. Oh and this all happened in primary school.

I started shaving my legs age 10. I'm very dark haired and so was self conscious swimming.

I was 9 and my mum said I wasn't allowed to shave so I got a pair of scissors and decided to trim them down. Mum was horrified and gave into showing me how to shave lol

Dd did before she went to secondary school.She shaves as she has light hair.
At 15 I am proud to say that she is a bit less fussy,she gets to wear leggings for pe so although she does her under arms her legs go more au naturel in winter and she is not above just shaving just her ankles in summer is she's wearing trousers.
I think she trims her pubes but that's her issue.

I remember using a silky mitt when I was a young teenager - I don't know if Boots still sell them though!

Forgot to say I shaved her at first until we were both sure she was safe.

My dd was about 11yo when she first shaved her legs, it was fine, I supervised the first few times and now she does her own.

She is 12yo now and has started asking about her eyebrows 😕 I didn't do anything with my eyebrows until my 20s! !