What age is appropriate for girls to start shaving legs?

[StarlightRobot]

Hi,

My 11 year old daughter has started feeling self conscious about having hairy legs. I feel for her but am reluctant to encourage shaving at such a young age. What would you consider to be an appropriate age for a girl to start shaving her legs? I think I was around 12 when I started. Any advice would be really appreciated.

Surely what's one year on the grand scheme of things? Let her feel comfortable and not go through a year of self-consciousness until some arbitrary age when you started shaving!

It was the beggining of secondary school, so 11 I think.

My mum wouldn’t let me shave my legs at that age, I have very dark hair so they were very obviously hairy! I was very badly made fun of by my peers for my hairy legs, so I’d say let her do it

DD started doing it at around that age. I thought it was too young too but deferred to DP (because I'm a bloke and so accepted I probably didn't get it. ) Besides, I started shaving my face at that age, why is it different when it's a different body part.

DD started wearing shorts again, I got DPs point.

At the end of the day, it's her body, it's not like she's getting a tattoo or something that can't be changed. Let her shave her legs.

I am minded to agree with all of this. It’s not about imposing an arbitrary age (first poster you have not understood me correctly) but more that once she starts then it’s something she will do indefinitely, and dealing with maintenance, stubbly legs and all of that, and I wasn’t sure if she would regret making the change now.

My daughter is 13 and hasn’t mentioned it yet, I’m not sure it’s on her radar. I think I was 11/12. I think I’d go with when they start feeling self conscious and avoid getting their legs out.

Not necessarily. Lots of girls may do it for a while and then not bother at all, or only do it for summer etc. Lots of young women of uni age I know don’t shave, some of them did when they were younger but have now found feminism. Let her do what she is comfortable with,

I think the main thing is her comfort and if she wants to start make sure she has a really, really good quality razor.
I ripped my legs to bits with cheap ones aged 12.
The smell of 1980’s Immac - vile.
I think it’s fine to make it part of a routine and add something like E45 lotion for after so the skin is moisturised without being overloaded with perfume which can irritate.
It is only natural as summer approaches and yes it is a job once it begins but it’s her body.
It is great you can discuss these things.

Buy her decent razors, let her know they’re there and surely it’s up to her once she’s of top end primary/ secondary age?

Please take her to get her legs waxed , it’s quick, no nicks, a hot wax is best imo, maybe she could take an antihistamine before hand to help with any redness, and the hair will get weaker as time goes on.

Whenever they want to start and are able to do so without hurting themselves

I agree that she might well do it only now and again, but it's important to let her do it.

Why would you think she'd have to carry on with it once she'd started? If it's issues like ingrown hairs etc., it might be worth buying her some nice gentle scrubs or talking her though the obvious 'no nos' (don't clog pores with moisturiser just after shaving; don't think you can get away with quickly running a dry razor over dry legs!).

Shouldn't it be her decision at this point in her life? She can stop any time, it's just a few mm of hair, there's no regret to consider.

Offer to show her how, make sure she's well supplied with razors/whatever methods she wants to try. It can get expensive. If someone had informed me about safety razors and electric razors (as opposed to 2 blade disposables), I wouldn't have found it so annoying and expensive.

When she expresses that she wants to. It's her body. I got my DD and electric shaver age 10 and she progressed onto razors a year after. Just show her what to do, but her decent ones and make sure she knows it's her choice and she can shave or not shave.

How can you be “too young” to shave? She’s self conscious don’t make her feel worse just teach her how to do it

I had hairy legs when young, dark hair and waxing was the best way to deal with them.

Now, if she’s asking, and show her how to do it safely and properly. I wasn’t allowed and was very hairy, really got me down and ended up dry shaving with a crappy razor I secretly bought, that became an in grown hair fest.

its also not guaranteed she will continue doing it forever, she may do it once and think its not worth the hassle, she may stop later in life etc

Just to add context, she hasn’t asked about shaving her legs. She has just told me she is feeling self conscious about her legs. So I am considering whether it is the right thing to suggest ahe shaves her legs or to wait. I am minded to suggest she start shaving and help her with this, and your responses are all helpful. I am not policing her body or anything like that.

To the poster who suggested a hot wax, I have always shaved my legs and so that’s not a solution I would have naturally considered. Isn’t it painful? Why do you think it would be better? Would a beauty therapist do this for an 11 year old?

It is infuriating when posters come on to threads like this and try and make out you’re oppressing your child rather than just asking advice on the best way to go about things!

Sugaring is cleaner, gentler, and better than waxing.

ETA I went to have my legs waxed at 13 because it lasts longer, and hair grows back less, without a stubbly look. My mother suggested it.

Depends how hairy they are and if they mind. What about hair removal cream ?

I think OP is one of those fastidious people for who shaving is permanent and year-round? Plenty of us do it seasonally, occasionally, or change their minds every few years.

Free the hairy leg!

I mostly shave my legs when I'm visiting my mother (infrequently), as she is very judgemental of leg hair on women/me. Aim to be a better mother than that.

@TheWineoftheChicken

Isn’t it just!

@Agapornis

this is true! I have always maintained it and so shaving them regularly is my ‘normal’. It’s helpful to have other perspectives

I started with hair removal cream and I think I’ll introduce that for my 11 year old fairly soon. Superdrug have a watermelon one that I use on my arms and it’s not as unpleasant as veet/immac!