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.

[Moonshinemisses]

My daughter became very conscious of body hair around that age. I took her to the salon with me to get a wax, she also had a mono brow so would get that cleaned up at the same time. Worked well for us.

[jessstan2]

Woofer18 Sat 04-Jul-20 23:31:17
Isn't it sad that girls think that they have to get rid of hair
......
They don't all think it and they don't have to, nobody does; there's no law against hairy armpits and legs. However most girls like being smooth, I certainly did and it's no hardship to run the razor over armpits and legs every day when showering or bathing.

[rattusrattus20]

the discrepancy in quality between male and female (apologies if this offends any trans posters) is the best possible example of the ongoing insidious power of the patriarchy - the men's products are vastly superior. use those, and hope she lives to see the day when female body hair again becomes socially acceptable.

[Notcontent]

I would also discourage you from using hair removal creams!!

I used them in my late teens (although they are horrible to use) and at first they worked ok for me, but then I gradually developed an allergy to the chemicals and had to stop using them. They are incredibly harsh - they have to be, as they basically dissolve your hair until it is soft enough to scrape it off your skin. Not nice.

My dd started shaving at 13. I was a bit worried as she is a bit clumsy but she mastered it very quickly after I gave her some tips.

[justtmee]

My mum used to wax for me and then I moved onto using an epilator. I know to some this might sound odd but I'm very grateful, it stopped me from developing dark stubbly hair and now my hair growth is slow and patchy.
When my DDs are old enough I will be offering other hair removal methods over a razor, probably the lumea.

[Woofer18]

@jessstan2 but we don't shave because we like it. We shave because we have been brainwashed into thinking that body hair on a woman is disgusting.

It is an advertising campaign that first told us that body hair on a woman is bad. It is not true. They told us that to sell their products!

#freethehair

[gamerchick]

Speak for yourself personally I'm glad of shaving. I bloody hate hairy underarms and legs. They're lush when they're smooth.

I don't give a toss what other women do.

[RiverCrossing]

@Woofer18 Maybe that’s what your opinion is but it is not mine. I couldn’t care less what other women do with their body hair - I prefer mine gone because I like the smooth feeling, how it looks and I feel cleaner. Nothing to do with being brainwashed.

OP, I also think have a look at friction free shaving. They’re a lovely company and she might like picking handles and engraving

[YoTeQuieroInfinito]

Maybe that’s what your opinion is but it is not mine. I couldn’t care less what other women do with their body hair - I prefer mine gone because I like the smooth feeling, how it looks and I feel cleaner. Nothing to do with being brainwashed

That's the thing about being brainwashed, you don't know you are!

Not that I'd use the word brainwashed. Socialised, maybe.

[Cornetto69]

@rosiejaune

Teach her not to hate her body? Perhaps leading by example if you don't already.

Not an issue of body hate. It is a basic hygiene issue. Thick armpit hair traps sweat and causes BO. Also itchy hot and uncomfortable in summer.

[Cornetto69]

@YoTeQuieroInfinito

Maybe that’s what your opinion is but it is not mine. I couldn’t care less what other women do with their body hair - I prefer mine gone because I like the smooth feeling, how it looks and I feel cleaner. Nothing to do with being brainwashed

That's the thing about being brainwashed, you don't know you are!

Not that I'd use the word brainwashed. Socialised, maybe.

and what si wrong with that? maybe we are happy being socialised. Removing underarm hair is a very harmless thing. No one dies from it.

[Cornetto69]

[quote Woofer18]@jessstan2 but we don't shave because we like it. We shave because we have been brainwashed into thinking that body hair on a woman is disgusting.

It is an advertising campaign that first told us that body hair on a woman is bad. It is not true. They told us that to sell their products!

#freethehair[/quote]
Not true. Women have been shaving since ancient times. They used to use pumice stones instead of razors, is all. I don't care if other women shave or not. I reserve my right to shave though.

[Paddyclova]

I don’t want to wear a skirt or shorts and have hairy legs sticking out. I don’t care about the feminist argument either. Seriously people bang on about men telling women what to do, then proceed themselves to tell other women what they should be doing. If feminism isn’t about letting women have the right to do as she chooses with her own body without judgement, then count me out. And OP just a razor and lather with shower gel first I’d say

[Ohtherewearethen]

@Woofer18 - please don't tell other women why they choose to shave their body hair. I shave because I like it. If I didn't, I wouldn't do it. I can't stand the feel of hairy legs or armpits and I hate the look of it on myself. I would never judge anybody who chose not to and I certainly wouldn't imply that they were brainwashed or stupid as the non-shaving posters on here have.

I assume you've had your hair cut at least once in your life into a style you like. That's no different from hairdressing other body parts. We have the right to choose and just because you choose to be hairy it doesn't mean everybody wants that.

[whattodo2019]

Give her a razor!

[midnightstar66]

This is similar to conspiracy theorists in my mind. Only the brainwashed believe so strongly that anyone that thinks differently to them must be brainwashed!

[StarlightLady]

@Ohtherewearethen - . I totally agree.

[MissBaskinIfYoureNasty]

Funny all these women who think they're so liberated by not shaving, meanwhile they shut down other women's freedom of choice by insisting they don't know their own minds and they must hate themselves because they choose to shave. Interesting to observe.

[bluebluezoo]

Not an issue of body hate. It is a basic hygiene issue. Thick armpit hair traps sweat and causes BO. Also itchy hot and uncomfortable in summer

Bollocks.

Funny how men manage to be perfectly hygienic, generally BO free, and not uncomfortable in summer despite not shaving armpit hair.

Odd how it only affects women.

I don’t shave and am very hygienic, and not uncomfortable at all, thanks.

Stop with the bullshit about body hair = unhygienic.

[Skyliner001]

@bluebluezoo

Not an issue of body hate. It is a basic hygiene issue. Thick armpit hair traps sweat and causes BO. Also itchy hot and uncomfortable in summer

Bollocks.

Funny how men manage to be perfectly hygienic, generally BO free, and not uncomfortable in summer despite not shaving armpit hair.

Odd how it only affects women.

I don’t shave and am very hygienic, and not uncomfortable at all, thanks.

Stop with the bullshit about body hair = unhygienic.

Well said!! This myth must be perpetrated to make women believe they have to do this.

[Designerenvy]

My 12 year old has started shaving her legs and under arms. I showed her one and now she works away herself.

[Skyliner001]

[quote Ohtherewearethen]@Woofer18 - please don't tell other women why they choose to shave their body hair. I shave because I like it. If I didn't, I wouldn't do it. I can't stand the feel of hairy legs or armpits and I hate the look of it on myself. I would never judge anybody who chose not to and I certainly wouldn't imply that they were brainwashed or stupid as the non-shaving posters on here have.

I assume you've had your hair cut at least once in your life into a style you like. That's no different from hairdressing other body parts. We have the right to choose and just because you choose to be hairy it doesn't mean everybody wants that.[/quote]
Also this! Although it's not a hygiene thing I prefer to shave armpits and legs.

[bluefoxmug]

It is a basic hygiene issue. Thick armpit hair traps sweat and causes BO.

my eyes just rolled back really hard on this

it's not a hygiene issue.
washing is what helps against body odour. anti perspirant if washing alone doesn't do the trick.

boys are not encouraged from very young to remove body hair. why is that.
boys certainly carry a stronger smell.

sexistish double standards...

[pictish]

I don’t think body hair is ‘unhygienic’ not at all...but fact is, I could get away with not having a shower for longer without the armpit hair.

I think it’s a personal choice thing. I don’t think anyone is obliged in any way to shave...have already said it’s daft that women are expected to be smooth and hairless...but yeah, I smell less without the armpit hair. As a trail runner who often gets really sweaty and might not have access to a shower straight away, I shave it off.

[Designerenvy]

@Skyliner001, I agree too. Body hair actually exists to absorb sweat, so we are actually more sweaty when we remove it .

I do shave but often wonder why men don't and when did removing leg and underarm hair become a thing for women and why ?