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Original poster

Upper lip hair on 8 yr old

45 replies

Doza · 02/02/2017 21:41

DD has wonderfully thick dark hair, it really is beautiful. However the flipside of this is that her body hair dark as well, this really hasn't been an issue for her up to now, she is quite used to the idea that body hair is normal women/ girls as she has a lazy mother when it comes to grooming Grin
She has just come to me sayimg that some lads in her class are teasing her about having a mustache. I am chatting to her about it but if it really starts to make her unhappy I want to be able to offer her some options.
I dont think she would tolerate waxing or similar, and I don't like the idea of using removal creams, apart from the concern over using them on sensitive skin, once she starts that she will have to keep it up.
Any suggestions? Would bleaching be gentler?

OP posts:
Newtssuitcase · 05/02/2017 21:26

Bleached DS1's moustache this evening. It definitely isn't yellow and it definitely looks better than before. You can't see anything at all now because the hairs are so fine. Previously he looked grey around the sides of his lip which he was very conscious of.

DH was not impressed but until DS1 isn't the only one at school with a moustache, I'm happy to bleach it out for him.

Chinnygirl · 05/02/2017 21:32

Shaving it off doesn't hurt.

fledglingFTB · 05/02/2017 21:38

Don't remove, just bleach it. Jolene is super easy and looks natural.

Removing could cause ingrown or stubble... more bullying fodder.

CoolCarrie · 05/02/2017 21:52

Wax it, definitely don't shave, it will come back as stubble, take it from me, I've been there!
Take her to a salon and get hot wax, very quick & if she takes a antihistamine before hand it should help with the redness. Now I use epiltor everywhere, but waxing would be best at your DD age. I really wouldn't bleach, as the hair will still be there, better to get it off and it might well grow back finer, or possibly not grow back at all.
Electrolysis is another option, or laser when she is older.

CocoLoco87 · 05/02/2017 21:55

Definitely don't shave it! Waxing should do the trick till she's old enough for laser (not sure if there is an age bracket for it). I had 8 laser treatments on top lip around 10 years ago and have never looked back. It was money well spent! Think i was 19/20 when I had it done though.

MollyHuaCha · 05/02/2017 22:45

Poor girl. Big hug here for her Bear. I think the root cause of the prob is the teasing from sch. Really, that's the issue that need to be addressed.

Newtssuitcase · 05/02/2017 22:49

But if she waxes it it will have to grow back to a decent length before it can be waxed again. Fine when its legs or bikini line which can be kept under wraps for a couple of weeks but not on the face of a young girl.

At least try the Jolen bleach first. I promise you it will not go yellow (unless the hair has red tones and you take it off before it's completely done).

NotYoda · 06/02/2017 06:59

Newtsuitcase

I'd get him a little electric shaver myself. Don't put chemicals on unless you have to.

DameDiazepamTheDramaQueen · 06/02/2017 07:02

I would too,I wouldn't put bleach on a child's face.

summerholsdreamin · 06/02/2017 08:13

I feel for your DD OP. My 9yo DD has got thick dark hair and is becoming dark more and more self conscious about the hair on her lower legs.

This thread has got me wondering whether I shouldn't just keep brushing off her concerns and actually think about removal.

Palomb · 06/02/2017 08:21

We use the wax strips on dd 12 and they work well but do make her face red for a day or so.

I have a lumea and it says in the instructions not to use on children but doesn't say how old that is.. 12+ 14+ or 18+ which is helpful!

MarilynWhirlwindRocks · 06/02/2017 10:54

OP,

Update from my friend for you: she says her 11yr old only needs to use the pad twice a week. Because it's very fine, soft hair, she doesn't have to rub hard at all and any temporary redness is minimal. Certainly not painful for her DD, though everyone reacts differently. They immediately apply a soothing aloe vera gel (kept in fridge). She does it before bed, so it calms overnight.

She said definitely supervise closely and don't leave her to do it alone, even when she gets the hang of it...overenthusiastic use can leave it very sore.

Apparently my friend herself tried the body version last summer, but, because her (usually shaved) leg hair was obviously much thicker, had to virtually sand herself down for any results! Ouch. Swore never again.

NotYoda · 06/02/2017 20:48

summerhols

I started to get upset by my legs at around 9. As I say, no-one ever mentioned or bullied me about my hairness - I was very hairy. One day I took to them with my dad's dry razor, no soap or anything. I cut myself and caused a rash but was too embarrassed to tell my mum. I sometimes wonder what I'd do if I had a daughter

When I look back I think I'd have liked to have options explained to me for removal.

I started shaving them at about 13 in the end

I started having salon wax of arms only about 5 years ago. If I'd have started 30 years ago I'd have no hair by now.

Got a Lumea this Christmas - looking promising so far

ginfan · 06/02/2017 20:56

I love that you're asking this. I had the same, but my (otherwise lovely) mum refused to let me do anything about it, leading to years of nasty comments at school.

Nair is excellent, and they do a version for facial hair.

user1486412828 · 06/02/2017 21:06

Buy one of those facial wands, best thing for no pain for that area, van usually pick them up in asda or boots and work off batteries and literally takes 20 seconds. Poor little girl. I'm dreading my daughter growing up and facing the same issues I've gone through x

Zhx3 · 06/02/2017 21:12

Your poor dd. Exactly the same happened to my dd at the same age, except it was the girls making cruel comments. I spoke to her teacher, who had a quiet word to reassure her, then had a very strong word with the whole class at circle time - along the lines of bullying, the effects and the consequences for perpetrators. He asked dd to tell him immediately if anything similar happened again.

My dd is pale with lovely dark hair. I taught her to respond that everyone had upper lip hair, and also that looks weren't important.

Zhx3 · 06/02/2017 21:13

I have asked dd whether she wants me to help her to remove the hair on her body, but she seems to be relatively comfortable with it now :) .

NotYoda · 07/02/2017 05:51

By the way, you are all absolutely right that this should be brought up with the school. It should be dealt with seriously as bullying

MarilynWhirlwindRocks · 07/02/2017 08:17

Yes, totally agree with PPs, the onus to change should always lie with anyone dishing out bullying behaviour (of any type, at any age), not with those on the receiving end.

Official involvement by school, if need be. Timely general class discussion, perhaps, about serious impact such nastiness has, and how low-grade teasing can rapidly escalate into worse.
So many end up suffering in silence over what is, after all, a very personal and sensitive issue to have attention drawn to.

OP, you're doing a wonderful thing by supporting your DD, exploring practical options and boosting her confidence. Hope she can soon concentrate on simply enjoying being 8yrs old again, without classmates foisting this upon her.

mamalovesmojitos · 07/02/2017 08:25

Dd and I use the boots brand hair removal cream for sensitive

skin. Works well.

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