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Teenagers

Parenting teenagers has its ups and downs. Get advice from Mumsnetters here.

Original poster

should my 10yr old daughter shave/wax

25 replies

parsonjax · 03/02/2011 16:21

Hi,my pale skinned, dark haired 10yr old daughter has quite a lot of pubic hair and is getting very self conscious of this especially since she was teased in a school swimming lesson.

She is also very conscious of the dark hair on her arms and legs and has recently admitted to trimming off her arm hair (much to my horror.)

My dilemma is this - should I let her start shaving under her arms (and also her legs in the summer) and what about waxing? A friend of a friend started waxing her daughter's leg hair from the start so that by the time she was a teenager the hair was almost non existent. is this a good idea?

I'd really appreciate any advice especially from anyone who has been in a similar position.

Thanks

OP posts:
Sarsaparilllla · 03/02/2011 16:22

She might be better using a hair removal cream? I think if she's getting very self conscious of it then it's fair to let her try a way of making it look better

magnolia74 · 03/02/2011 16:23

I have 11 year old twins and one of them is fair with blonde hair but darker hair on her legs etc...
I'm not comfortable with shaving or waxing at that age so we have agreed she can use hair removal cream until she's a bit older Smile

muggglewump · 03/02/2011 16:25

I have a 9yr old with no hair issues so far, in fact she winces at me epilating, but she can start removing her body hair whenever she feels she wants to.

INeedALieIn · 03/02/2011 16:26

I have been waxes since age 11.

I only wish I'd been allowed to have my top lip done too as There is nothing worse than being called Tasha as a (spotty) teen :(

INeedALieIn · 03/02/2011 16:26

I have been waxes since age 11.

I only wish I'd been allowed to have my top lip done too as There is nothing worse than being called Tasha as a (spotty) teen :(

Original poster
parsonjax · 03/02/2011 16:26

thanks for replying, i thought about cream but she's got quite sensitive skin and
suffers from exzcema so i'm a bit wary about using it

OP posts:
Remotew · 03/02/2011 16:27

Shave underarms at this age. Lower legs will be better waxed than shaved because that seems to make the regrowth thicker. I would tell her to leave arms alone but reassess the situtation.

A girl I knew who was very dark wouldn't wear short sleeves so she gets her arms waxed and has done from an early age.

MoaningMedalllist · 03/02/2011 17:33

removal cream?

I developed young my mum didnt let me shave and it really affected my life,

its crueller to let her go around being SC I know you mean well :)

veryberry21 · 03/02/2011 19:30

were not in the 1920's here, let your dd do what she wants, by not letting her shave your not being kind and almost cruel, she's getting teased and as long as you show her how to do it and not cut herself. how is 10 too young to shave, it's not losing her virginity, better to get i over with young than wait until she's older and go into school with scratched legs not knowing how to shave because no one ever told her how.

Ooopsadaisy · 03/02/2011 19:35

Have just bought my dd (age 11) a ladyshave.

Tufts of dark hair growing under her arms and feels self-conscious about it.

She was nervous to start with but fine now.

I've advised her to leave her legs alone as the hair there is very pale and fine. I've told her she may need to do it in a few years but it's best to leave it for now.

Littlefish · 03/02/2011 19:38

I would go down the waxing route.

I've been waxing my lower legs and underarms since I was 17, and only wish I'd known about it sooner.

I will be supporting my dd with waxing once she reaches an appropriate age/stage (which will depend on hair growth).

ghosteditor · 03/02/2011 19:42

if she has sensitive skin she needs to be careful shaving - I had awful eczema on my legs in my late teens which completely disappeared when I stopped shaving and started epilating.

+1 vote for epilating here - is cheaper in the long run!

Deaddei · 03/02/2011 20:16

Dd is 14and we started waxing last year-she now epilates.

Mumbybumby · 03/02/2011 20:23

I have pale skin, dark hair and remember being about your DD's age when I got teased about having pubic hair.

My mum wouldn't let me shave it so I used to pinch my dad's razors, which resulted in me having terribly shredded legs and my dad having a shredded face!
Definitely better to let her remove it IMO as at least you can get her doing it properly.
Why don't you let her try the wax on her legs and arms and if she doesn't like it, she could always shave her legs instead.

maryz · 03/02/2011 21:25

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

C0FFEE · 03/02/2011 22:55

Am I still on mums net?

MoldyWarp · 03/02/2011 23:00

no that would be to you coffee and the op

Stricnine · 04/02/2011 10:10

DD has been shaving or using cream since about 11/12 (now 14) .. her choice as she was verys elf concious about it as she was one of the first to be 'hairy'... she's not as paranoid now as more of her friends are similar.. but would never have dreamt of preventing her removing hair - self confidence is so easily knocked at this age...

she now finds shave pits, cream on legs (and occaisionally arms if she wants to be particularly smooth)..

Original poster
parsonjax · 04/02/2011 10:23

Thanks for all your replies, really appreciate it.
I bought some sensitive lady blades last night and am planning a girly bathroom time this weekend when I will show her how to shave her armpits.

Will probably leave the legs till nearer the summer and might try waxing those.

I'm hoping with these thing happening , she will compromise about her arm hair which isn't that prominent and not trim it off when it grows back!

OP posts:
Original poster
parsonjax · 04/02/2011 10:57

Just been reading some posts from a hairy dd post from last year and lots of people mention epilators. Never used one of these, do they pull the hair out? are they effective? Venus blades get lots of mentions too, would you recommend?

Might have to review my choice of asda brand blade!

OP posts:
maryz · 04/02/2011 11:01

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

SundayToast · 04/02/2011 11:19

All you ladies who say that waxing means that eventually there is less growth - could you expand on that? Is that salon waxing, or home? Hot wax/strips? Longer time to regrow or fewer hairs entirely? My DD has pale skin and lots of dark hair - I am trying to plan ahead Smile
Ta!

maryz · 04/02/2011 11:24

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

lazymumofteenagesons · 04/02/2011 12:10

I would let her shave underarms, wax lower legs and not touch the arms. If arm hair is dark but fine you can try bleaching it.

Littlefish · 04/02/2011 18:09

SundayToast - I go 6 weeks between waxings (salon), as the hair on my legs is now very fine and whispy. I don't have much of it either. My underarms grow a bit quicker than my legs, but I just ignore dh when he complains put up with it .

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