13 year old with underarm hair

[scunner]

What do mums advise for a 13 year old girl with quite a lot of underarm hair. Not fine and fair, but dark and wiry. Should I find a cream to remove it? She is very self conscious. Any suggestions would be most welcome.

[Poppyfields21]

DrWAnker I will concede that knees are certainly a learned skill!

[Minniem2020]

My DD(14) is unfortunately like me & quite hairy, has been for some years now. She's usually shaved her underarms but was getting fed up if having to do it every day. Said could she try some removal cream which I got her & the poor thing has been left with painful burns so I'm in agreement with pps who said to avoid

[Natasha9511]

@Llamazoom that’s such a nice thing to do and I’ll be doing something similar when my little boy is showing signs of having to shave, wear deodorant etc! Can you be my mum?

[Doodar]

If she starts on her legs show her how to do it, I still have a scar on my ankle from chopping a large piece of skin off.

[JoleneExotic]

I was 8/9 when I started shaving my under arms and bikini line - I stole a brand new one of my dads and cracked on with it. I developed earlier than my peers and it was embarrassing.

I wish my mum had picked me an ergonomic razor and showed me how to do it, that would have saved many cuts!

[scunner]

Once again, it’s most reassuring to read the responses. Thank you.
I don’t have any issues with body hair whatsoever. But I am aware of how self conscious my daughter is.
It has nothing to do with body shaming or any other issues.

[BrummyMum1]

Why not show her the different options and let her choose for herself.

[Igotthemheavyboobs]

Take her to a salon when they open and get it waxed off. I love having my hair waxed, I like to leave it for months and then really feel the difference with material on bare skin. I also love the feeling of hair being removed with wax. It's a bit like what I imagine people who get loads of tattoos feel.

[Regularsizedrudy]

Do you not have armpits and under arm hair op? How do you get rid of yours? I’m baffled as why you would need to ask this...

[midnightstar66]

If she wants rid of it get her a gentle razor, maybe one with the soap around it. I even use cream on bikini line but only ever tried under arm once - after the burns I did not repeat!

[jessstan2]

Most thirteen year olds have axillary hair. I'm surprised she hasn't already been shaving it when she's lathered up in the bath or shower. I remember doing that, and my legs, when I was younger than her, it was just what we did.

You could buy her a nice razor or a packet of good disposables which will probably do the trick.

[SeasickPenguin]

Do not let her take it off with cream in the days before going swimming.

The worst pain of my teenage life came from using what used to be called Immac before going to the local swimming baths. Bright red and eminating heat like a radiator. Spent over a week in a vest with arms propped up and out on pillows.

Come to think of it, a wet shave with a razor was not much better.

[Woofer18]

We are meant to have armpit hair. I haven't shaved my leg or armpit hair for years, and It feels so much more comfortable. If men don't have yo shave it off why should we, it is natural to have it.

If it is her personal choice to get rid of it, shaving is really the easiest way

[pictish]

That Immac stuff (think it’s called Nair now) is evil. I used it on my tache once and just ended up with a red scabby one instead. Lovely.

[Woofer18]

We only shave our armpits and legs because advertising campaigns from shaving companies in the 1920's told us that we had to, to look clean.

I don't know why more women don't stop and think "hey, maybe the shaving companies had a vested interest"

[lilgreen]

It is a weird op. What did you do)

[Immigrantsong]

Philips Lumea. It is brilliant and she will be hair free soon.

[gamerchick]

I don't have sparse light hair. And my mum (and other teenagers) made me ashamed of having body hair when I was a teenager, by removing hers, and implying it was normal to remove it, so I did. Then I realised how stupid I was being, since adult women have hair, so I stopped

I have a mint picture in my head of someone with lemon lips nailing their mother to the chair every Christmas about the lie that is santa and how betrayed they feel.

[louisethedisease]

My dd10 has underarm hair and we just razor it off every now and then in the shower.

[ShastaBeast]

Would a salon wax someone so young and is the lumea safe for younger teens?

My ten year old is going to want this in a year or two, she’s hairier than me thanks to DH and I was pretty bad. I promised I’d do anything to help my DD’s, way before having them, after going through it and my mum not being very helpful. I have a lumea anyway.

[Thurmanmurman]

@rosiejaune what a stupid, unhelpful comment.

[Woofer18]

Isn't it sad that girls think that they have to get rid of hair

[Mnhealth202020]

I don’t think she’s “too young” to get body hair. I’m in my early 20s so remember being her age well - at that age most of the girls in my year would remove leg/arm/underarm hair, especially for PE.

Don’t use the creams, they’re actually quite potent and can cause a chemical burn in sensitive areas like underarm skin.

I wouldn’t go for a razor either. Waxing is the way forward imo

[Judystilldreamsofhorses]

I am super dark and hairy. My mum bought me hair remover cream - I was a lot younger than 13 - but I moved onto razors quite quickly.

As an experiment I stopped shaving my underarms in lockdown. I was fascinated by how quickly it grew, and how it went from stubbly to soft. (I can shave at 7am and be stubbly by about 3pm). I only lasted about three weeks though.

[Iminaglasscaseofemotion]

Isn't it sad that girls think that they have to get rid of hair

One of the things I prefer about being a woman is that it's so much more acceptable to shave. I find under arm and leg hair pretty irritating and uncomfortable. Unfortunately I can't shave very often because I have really sensitive skin.