Quick, need some opinions please...dd1 (10) desperately wants to shave her legs.

[TooTicky]

Much as I hate the fact that society does this to girls, I remember feeling terribly self-conscious about my darkly hairy legs when I was about 11. Her hair is lighter, but she is not happy. 3 girls in her class definitely shave already. She has P.E. tomorrow and is pestering me for a decision...

I think attaching an arbitrary age on something like this is quite difficult, because these days girls can enter puberty so young. If we forget about your dd's calander age for a minute and think about whether or not she may be heading for puberty early, then IMO it is more important to think about the feelings that puberty can create. If you get breasts and your period at the age of ll, noone would blame you for buying a bra and other necessary items. If your dd "dark hairs" on her legs are related to entering puberty, then I would be inclined to do something like take her to have her legs waxed - if it hurts then you will know whether it is important enough to her to do it again, and waxing has the advantage of making hairs more fine over time. Hope you figure out what is right for you and your dd!

NKF - well letting her go to school with dark hairy legs when it has evidently been pointed out at that school is not the way to solve the teasing or meanness either. In fact, IMO, it will just aggravate it.

A friend of mine's daughter is half Greek. When she was aged 8 she took the decision to help her with excessive hair. A moustache on an 8 year old girl is not a great way to make friends and influence people, like it or not. I think she made a very wise decision personally.

Too Ticky - I'm sure waxing is a pretty much all natural product (I think this is your bag, isn't it?). It will reduce the appearance of the hairs, where shaving and creams will not the next day.

Love, dark hairy legged woman

Waxing isn't too bad if someone else who knows what they're doing does it for you. Why not take her for a girly pamper session and hae a bit of mum/daughter time. That way she'll see that you really do understand it's serious for her and maybe it'll encourage her to come to you again with stuff in the future?

agree if she is being bullied about it, and she shaves, they will most likely find something else to pick on

i guess it depends on how dark the hairs are and how many there are really

do you think it's a problem?

Let her. Why not?

what did you decide in the end?

Can't believe no one has mentioned the BABYLISS SIMPLY SMOOTH

Yes, it's a little expensive, but over time it is a whole lot cheaper than forking out for razors, shaving gel, wax, veet, whatever.

It's electric, it gently buffs the hair off the legs, does NOT HURT at all, and the best thing is, it can reduce the amount and thickness of hair that grows over time.

Absolutely fantastic, I wouldn't be without mine!! TooTicky - get one, try it out, then teach your daughter how to use it, I'm sure you won't regret it.

i would let her. cant see the problem.

I have hedged a bit but I think I will let her - don't want it to become an enormous issue. That Babyliss thing looks interesting but I'm hoping it's not too expensive!
(I remember feeling so and at secondary school when girls were requesting - and getting - Ladyshaves as birthday or Christmas presents.)

How does the babyliss thing work? That looks interesting .....

hi, my daughter is also 10, no way on earth would i let her loose with a razor so bought her a bablyliss simply smooth. Big waste of money! I now buy her silkymits (packs of 3 for around 99p in superdrug)works in same way as the simply smooth (rub pad and the hairs smooths away)but much much cheaper and less likely to over use so no painful rash. Good comprosise on the shaving front. I also initially thought 10 was too young, but realised if she is self conscious about it then why say no?

Correct me if I'm wrong but the Babyliss product looks like it "sands" the hair off the legs (same as Silkymit). So in terms of regrowth, it's like shaving. She'll end up with hairier legs in the long run. Why don't you take her for a waxing? It doesn't hurt that much once you get used to it, and the results last for ages.

TooTicky - the Babyliss isn't that expensive any more, just googled it and came up with various prices, so if you were thinking of getting one, then it would pay to shop around.

Blondilocks - it works by gently buffing the hairs off the legs - it has 2 circular discs that counter-rotate. It is in no way like 'sanding'.

Wellikins - It's a shame you thought the Babyliss was a waste of money. It's never caused me to have any sort of rash and I've got extremely sensitive skin. Could the rash have been caused by pressing it onto the skin, as it's supposed to be touched very lightly, almost 'hovering' over the skin. Not heard of silkymitts before, so can't comment on those, may give them a try.

Uberalicelongbottom - I'm sorry, but if you've never used the Simply Smooth before then I don't understand how you can say it's like shaving in terms of regrowth (it isn't at all), or that she'll end up hairier in the long run. This is simply incorrect. When I used to shave, I'd have regrowth appearing within 10 hours or so. With the simply smooth, I have no regrowth for days, and when it does regrow, it is less stubbly than after shaving, and in a few patches no hairs have grown back at all since I began using it last Xmas. I suppose it does look a bit like a sander - but it's not, I mean, sanding is rough isn't it? This is like the name suggests - smooth!

Well, we have bought a simply smooth on ebay. Dd1 is v. excited. I'll try it first though.

Hi TooTicky, I'm sure you and your DD won't be disappointed. But do make sure you read the instructions fully before you use it. It will feel a bit heavy to hold at first, but you soon get used to it. Eventually (and in 7 months I haven't needed to yet) you will need to buy replacement discs, but you can get them from Boots, Argos, etc.

I am going through the same angst at the moment with my 10 year old. she is not being teased (luckily she has very supportive friends) but for a year or so has been asking about shaving or waxing her legs and her moustache (to me a light shadow- to her a dark moustache). I am torn. Something visceral shouts ''no -she's 10'' but it is clearly causing her ongoing anxiety and she is turning form a carefree, unselfconscious girl to a worrier. She is clearly into puberty but it all seems so young.
Is this something to talk to a health professional about. To be honest I think the legs issue is much less of an issue than the 'moustache'. Any thoughts welcome

Oh God, get her lip waxed. Seriously. There is a girl at my d's school with very dark hairs on her upper lip and I feel really sorry for her, I'd love to bring her to a salon and get it whipped off. Whatever about legs/pits, sort the lip out.