Hair removal cream for 9 year old

[Laszlomydarling]

Hi, could I have your recommendations for the best hair removal creams for my daughter. I was hoping to stick with creams rather than shaving for now. Used the superdrug own brand one for the maximum time and it's very patchy. What does everyone else use. She's 9 if that makes a difference. Thanks

I was picked on at school for having hairy legs and forearms about aged 10. By girls and boys. I'm very pale with almost black hair. Wish my parents had supported me on dealing with it. My daughter is only 2, and is not so dark as me, but if she asks for this kind of help as a tween, I'll be supporting her too.

Op - Would avoid the chemicals in creams. If she doesn't have sensitive skin, they do those exfoliation type pads (not epilating) that you use to buff the hairs off. I forget the name. No blades, no chemicals, no pain. They were awful for my eczema skin, but they must work for some people as they're obviously being bought!

The average age to start periods is 12.5 so 9 is prepubescent for many girls. I have an 8 year old!

Honestly I don't know how I would handle it, I have 2 daughters so I'll find out one day, but I don't like the idea that we just go along with the concept of females being shaved and hairless. It's never little boys asking to shave their legs or underarms, it's girls. I think that's worth questioning!

I get pp want to support their daughters but 9 is so young to be thinking about these things and bowing to social pressure.

The whole point of feminism is allowing females a choice. My niece is 10 and her mum doesn’t let her remove her leg hair and it devastates her during PE etc. You’re being a great mum

Yes, young girls shouldn’t feel societal pressure to remove body hair but they do, nobody should be making their daughters feel uncomfortable and shit about themselves to prove a point…

luckily it feels like things are starting to change, I see a lot more girls/women being proud of their body hair now than I ever did growing up.

It's a really complex issue. Yes, patriarchy is an issue , but it's not the job of a 9 or 10 yo girl who is uncomfortable in her own body , to carry the burden of it.

I get what you mean theoretically, but in practice leaving a 9 yo who is having periods , dark hairy legs, possibly armpits and pubic hair to struggle and feel different (because she developed early or simply her heritage) is not the solution either. She has enough shit to deal with,especially the many ways in which her body is changing.

DD loved her peach fuzz for years and thought it was the cutest thing ever... until she didn't.

When we have these type of threads about hair removal, we never have anyone come on to say 'I was a really hairy 10 year old whose parents didn't allow her to remove the hair and I was really empowered by that.' Ever.

apologies OP as I didn’t answer your question.

I have always used nair cream, as shaving irritates me, they do loads of different kinds, I get the tough one for my leg hair and the sensitive one for everywhere else, but I just put it on, wait for 10 mins and then use one of those puffy things to remove it 😊

100% this.

I was one of the many whose parents didn't let me shave my legs. I cut them to bits with a blunt bic razor like loads of others.

Not everyone. I've never shaved my legs. Never needed to.

Yes, patriarchy is an issue , but it's not the job of a 9 or 10 yo girl who is uncomfortable in her own body , to carry the burden of it.

Spot on. Of course body hair is a feminist issue but why expect a 9 year old to fight that battle? If a woman in her 30s wants to go and challenge female grooming norms and wear a knee length skirt with bare, unshaven legs that’s a conscious choice and she’s capable of dealing with any negative reactions. If a child is very aware of and self conscious of her body hair and you force her to keep it until she hits some arbitrary age where you find it acceptable for her to remove it, you’re damaging her self esteem over nothing.

Completely agree it’s not for the child to carry the burden of acceptable hirsuteness for a female.

I had blonde body hair as a child. I wanted to shave as it made me feel a bit more grown up. My mum who only started shaving her body hair later in life said I didn’t need to and she wished she hadn’t bothered as she thought it grew back darker. She didn’t try and stop me though, just advice.

luckily I had a pretty good school education in that respect and they went through puberty and body hair issues, explaining shaving doesn’t change colour or thickness (it’s like cutting the hair on your head).

I shaved my legs and armpits, had teachers with full underarm hair and didn’t think much of it.

Today I sometimes shave, sometimes don’t. I epilate sometimes, but not really that bothered either way. I’ve noticed more people choose not to shave/wax/etc., or are just happy to display hairs between waxes.

People saying ‘I didn’t need to’ is a bit odd out of context, is it that they are not bothered by body hair in general, or they only think people should be bothered by body hair if it’s dark?

@Blisterly , my legs just aren't hairy. I don't particularly think anyone should be bothered about body hair or facial hair but people are, and if they wish to remove it then that's up to them.

I might feel differently if I was hairy.

Maybe we need to be teaching our children not to comment on other children’s hair on their body.

Don’t think I even knew shaving legs was a thing when I was 9

@Laszlomydarling definitely go with an electric shaver, will be easier for her to use and minimum chance of her cutting herself with it.

Hopefully her leg hair won't grow back quickly at her age but make sure she moisturises and exfoliates so minimises irritated skin (strawberry skin) and ingrown hairs.

I was about 9 when I asked and had also started my periods
My mum said yes, I used hair removal cream. Did it a few times before I decided not to again then started shaving my legs age about 13

Now I don't bother for months or I go through a phase of shaving. It's not like they remove hair once and are stuck with it for the rest of their life, it's the same as experimenting with makeup etc
She might carry on liking hair free legs or decide to grow her armpit hair and dye it blue when she's 18, who knows. Great to have the choice

No it's not for 9 year old girls to carry the burden of feminism, but it is for me, as a grown woman, to question and challenge patriarchal norms on their behalf.

I'm trying to make the whole world better and more accepting of women as they are. PPs are trying to support their daughters in being comfortable and body confident. Neither are wrong but they are at odds in this situation.

Btw I shave my legs, wear makeup etc so I'm not saying don't do these things. I'm just shocked at how young these messages reach the inner thoughts of our female children.

Well done op.
Giving your daughter options and encouraging her to resolve things in a safe way.
My daughter uses Veet sensitive, has done since she was 9.
Leave for max time and rinse off in shower.
She is happy and empowered in her own decision and feels confident In her own skin

Of course no one should be commenting on other people's bodies, unfortunately children have always done it and it's still happening now so that's a bit late for the OP's daughter. Body hair is more acceptable, my children do sport and there are a number of teenage girls who don't shave their armpits so it's slowly changing.

The OP's daughter does know about leg shaving. You not knowing about it at 9 doesn't make you or your upbringing better, it's just different.

Girls should be able to choose about their body hair.

Lots of 9 year olds have periods these days.

There are so many more issues our kids have to deal with growing up and this one is easily solved - she's not getting a tattoo.

@SofiaAmes Bloody marvelous! I wish I could have had laser removal at 12. It would have made me so happy.

It is shocking if it's something you're not familiar with.

I work in a school in a very diverse area so I encountered many different children in different circumstances. We've had several girls start their periods in y3. So while not common, it's not that unusual or shocking to me either. As well as girls at various levels of development at various ages. Girls needing deodorant even in y2 . Girls with very thick ,dark hair on legs or armpits mid ks2. In y6 the numbers increase massively , despite still being under the average age you quoted. That's why "too young for this" doesn't really work when it comes to things like this and tbh just perpetuates the idea that they're different/there's something wrong with them. I find it a lot more dangerous (I've had many sad chats with some of these girls) than simply accepting it and supporting them to find their way.

For your 9-year-old daughter, it's important to use hair removal creams designed for sensitive skin. Consider options like Veet Sensitive Skin Hair Removal Cream, which contains aloe vera and vitamin E to soothe the skin, or Nair Hair Removal Cream for Sensitive Skin, which includes natural ingredients like sweet almond oil. Another option is Sally Hansen Hair Remover Kit for Sensitive Skin. Always perform a patch test first to check for any adverse reactions and follow the instructions carefully. If you're unsure, consulting a dermatologist can provide personalized guidance.

So you are not even role modeling the behavior that you want the OP to force on her 9 year old DD? If you think it's your "job as a grown woman to question and challenge patriarchal norms on their behalf," why don't you start your journey to improve the world by not playing into it yourself and not wearing makeup or shaving your legs instead of forcing a 9 year old to bear the consequences of the patriarchal society norms that you are very decidedly perpetuating?

I'm not telling the OP to force anything on her daughter. As a parent I think 9 is too young for hair removal for my own children, but as a woman I am distressed by the fact it's only little girls who are asking for this, and it's making me think and question.

I am not saying I have it right or I am a perfect role model, but I am perplexed by the notion that it's empowering for children (or adults) to be doing this when you dive down to the reasons behind it. I think it's a discussion worth having.