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Style and beauty

Looking for style advice? Chat all about it here. For the latest discounts on fashion and beauty, sign up for Mumsnet Moneysaver emails.

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Original poster

Best way of hair removal for a 9 year old?

86 replies

KidsAreMean · 04/09/2021 15:15

Bit reluctant to let her loose with my razor, I massacre my own legs enough as it is! Plus she doesn't like that my hair grows back spiky and she knows that's because I shave. If I use the epilator, half grows back under the skin, so reluctant to suggest that also because of the pain (and that it takes hours). Is waxing different to epilating? I've never tried.

Boy in her class has been making fun of her for having hairy legs. She hasn't asked yet to get rid, and shrugged him off, but was a bit bothered when she told me. I think I should prepare myself so I have everything if she decides she wants to. She doesn't have any signs of puberty yet. I have to shave every other day to keep my hair under control, 9 seems very early to have to start worrying about this.

OP posts:

Runrigdan · 04/09/2021 19:33

I used the hair removal cream when I was young, it wasn't amazing but did a good enough job that no one ever commented. It's what I'll probably encourage my daughter to use in a couple of years.

MerylSqueak · 04/09/2021 19:35

Whatever you do, don't start shaving them with a razor yourself. I did that with DD and she still wants me to do it now she's 13. It's not my favourite job.

If you go down the electric shaver, make sure it's quite short first. I didn't do this with DD and it pulled her hair the first time and now she won't even look at it.

ChildrenGrowingUpTooFast · 04/09/2021 19:36

My 10 year old asked me one day after school about hair removal. I bought her a electric razor and she can do it herself. Maybe give it a try?

Fubitch · 04/09/2021 19:40

I'm planning on a ladyshave, should she ask. Very dark, hairy legs.

ChildrenGrowingUpTooFast · 04/09/2021 19:41

This is the one I got my DD10 www.johnlewis.com/philips-brl140-00-satinshave-advanced-wet-and-dry-electric-shaver-white-pink/p2857242

I wouldn’t wax a 9yo as I have been through it myself. I have dark hair and the regrowth is visible before you can wax again. It is also very painful and prone to regrowth trapped under skin. I have a Lumea and it’s great. I will introduce DD to it when she is older. I think maybe 12 or 14? Basically when she can sit through a session on both legs and doing it every 6 weeks or so for a year. Without whining. I don’t think it’s dangerous under supervision as far as I can see because beauty salons will do teens.

ProcrastinationIsMySuperPower · 04/09/2021 19:42

My DD (10) uses a Phillips Ladyshave on her under arms. Hasn't used it on her legs yet. We tried cream but she hated the smell.

SpongeBobJudgeyPants · 04/09/2021 19:50

I don't know if you can still get them, but I had some cardboard 'sanding mit' things you put over the hand, and gently sloughed the hair off. I think I had them from Boots. Maybe easier to start with than creams etc.

agedmother · 04/09/2021 20:08

Of course she's perfect how she is. She shouldn't have to change herself in response to other people's misogynism. Don't do anything that reinforces the idea that her natural self is in some way repellent or unacceptable.

Tryingtryingandtrying · 04/09/2021 20:12

Light can be dangerous. Eg. Sunlight.

MsWalterMitty · 04/09/2021 20:13

@agedmother

This... I’m actually quite shocked at the flippancy of the replies here

BornIn78 · 04/09/2021 20:15

I’ve had my legs waxed since I was 11, a professional wax should be tolerable, will only take 10-15 minutes at most and results should last 4-5 weeks. Regrowth gets finer and slower each time, I go about 8 weeks between appointments now.

Elieza · 04/09/2021 20:26

Epilating is a pain like “ouch ouch ouch ouch” all the time.

Waxing is more a one off “ahhhh ya bastxxx” with each strip you pull off.

The first time you do either method to pull hair out, all the hair gets pulled out. Those that are mid growth and those fully grown. (The hairs about to grow where follicles are resting obviously arent pulled out.)

The next time you do it you rip out the ones that have just grown recently ie a third of all hairs as there are three growth phases. There are no fully grown ones as you got them last time.

Gradually it gets less painful as the roots are weakened too.

However I’d go with an electric lady shaver. Less risk of nics and cuts than a wet blade razor.

Is she a clumsy child with scratches and cuts from tree climbing or whatever? I was like that. One time I put the depilatory cream on not noticing I had a cut. It got into the cut and under the skin. I couldn’t wash it out. I tried. It burned its way through my skin for hours. It was agony. I’d therefore never recommend that method of hair removal. Burns hurt.

agedmother · 04/09/2021 20:28

Whoops - *misogyny.

MojoJojo71 · 04/09/2021 20:28

@agedmother

Not just me then. I can’t believe anyone would even consider waxing a 9 year old because of some boy teasing her! Deal with the bully, don’t encourage her to change herself to placate him.

ButterflyBitch · 04/09/2021 20:30

@agedmother

This too. I started shaving when I was 13 in response to comments on my hairy legs. Please don’t introduce it so young. She’s perfect and you should be focused on stopping the bullying boys (who most likely have hairy legs too ffs) so speak to the school about them.

ranoutofquinoaandprosecco · 04/09/2021 20:35

My daughter has very dark hair on her legs we've used one of the silkymitts from Amazon it takes a while to use but is totally pain free

JadeSeahorse · 04/09/2021 20:37

@KidsAreMean. My DD is an adult now but has SLD with a mental capacity of a 3-4 yr old.

The best thing by far I found for her is the Wilkinson Sword Intuition Razor which has safety blades built into a solid block of shaving lotion. It is virtually impossible to cut yourself with this.

My dd has used one of these happily since she was 10 yrs old and she is 27 now.

Seriously, can't recommend this highly enough!

www.wilkinsonsword.com/en-gb/intuition/

Biscusting · 04/09/2021 20:37

I’d be proud of her for shrugging it off, really sad that a boy can make fun of a girls natural body and the immediate response is to ‘fix’ the hair rather that deal with the little horror.

What message are you sending to dd and the boy here

cheeseismydownfall · 04/09/2021 20:42

I think forcing a 9 year old girl who is being teased into taking a feminist stance on (not removing) leg hair would be utterly awful parenting (and I say that as a feminist).

Of course it is disgusting that women and girls are shamed for their body hair. And yes, absolutely, it should be addressed with the school, and yes, absolutely, there should be an age-appropriate conversation about how the DD shouldn't feel she has to change anything about herself to please anyone other than herself.

But if the DD still wants to remove her leg hair, then denying her the bodily autonomy do make this decision because as a parent you disagree would be unbelievably cruel.

feb2022 · 04/09/2021 20:42

I think the boy in class needs educating about the fact it's totally natural for a girl to have leg hair
Your DD sounds perfect as she is!
9 is so young to be worrying about all that
I was too preoccupied with my pog collection at the age of 9

purplesequins · 04/09/2021 20:50

@feb2022

I think the boy in class needs educating about the fact it's totally natural for a girl to have leg hair Your DD sounds perfect as she is! 9 is so young to be worrying about all that I was too preoccupied with my pog collection at the age of 9

I agree with this. maybe mention this to the class teacher

SprayedWithDettol · 04/09/2021 20:55

I’m concerned that young girls are considering modifying their appearance at the age of 9, because of boys bad behaviour.

Please don’t teach girls that this is the appropriate response to male bullying.

BreadInCaptivity · 04/09/2021 20:57

If you try the cream OP the best one I've found is the shower version.

You put it on before you get in the shower (it comes with a little sponge applicator- easy peasy.

Then you get on with washing your hair etc.

By that time it's ready to come off. And you just the shower head and sponge to wipe it away.

GemmaRuby · 04/09/2021 21:02

Electric lady shaver.

IMO Hair removal cream causes just as much stubble as shaving. Also it is a highly corrosive substance… it literally dissolves human hair… would you let your 9 year old loose with any other chemicals like this? E.g. household cleaners/bleach etc.

GintyMcGinty · 04/09/2021 21:04

@Popitdontstopit

Teaching her how to swear at bullies would be more useful than teaching her how to depilate.

Thank goodness someone else was thinking this.

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