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.

I was about 10/11 and I would let my daughter around the same age.
I wish my mum let me remove my moustache I was bullied for that from about 6 and I’ve vowed since I’ll be waxing my primary child’s moustache at that age if they’d like me to!

Just to add another datapoint. DD ended up using hair removal cream in the shower for the first couple of years. Did the job for her, and she's got quite thick dark hair that she curses my genetics for. Switched to shaving at about 14.

I can't remember what it was called, but I can ask DD if its likely to be helpful.

Let her start when she asks. My mother said I was too young in year 7 and I hated it. It felt like all the other girls had started shaving and I hadn’t, I got comments from boys and girls and hated PE as I had to wear shorts.

Please if she’s asking you she wants to do it. I stole my sisters razor and tried and dug so deep I made a massive scar on my leg.

Teach her how to do it properly when she asks.

I’m definitely going to have a discussion with her about the options, and to see what she would like to do. She is blonde but has quite thick hair on her legs and is probably hairier than the other girls, so I do understand. Thank you all for this

Jesus no! My mum took me to be waxed at that age and it was awful - it bloody hurts!

Don't teach a child of 11 to expect pain in order to confirm to beauty standards.

When my DD became self conscious about this issue I asked her if she wanted to wax or shave. She chose shaving so I bought an electric one which I was more comfortable with than actual razor blades. Also means I only had to buy it once. Did the same for my DS shaver too.

Either you let her do it now, now that she has told you she's uncomfortable, or you drill it into her that hair shouldn't be shamed and that doing it now means she'll be doing it potentially for the rest of her life. But I would let her, and I'd get her an electric razor as I well remember the shaving cuts - I still have some scars now I'm in my 40s!

Waxing or sugaring or shaving - it's all the same in the end, none are "better" they're all removing hair that we only remove because we're conditioned to.

Ask her what's she'd like to do about it.

I started at 11. Initially with a sensitive skin depilatory cream, then razors a few months later.

I also had something like a very fine sand paper pad which I'd rub on my legs in circular patterns. It smoothed off any early regrowth without the need to shave as often. It was from a pharmacy, not B&Q, but have no idea what they're called.

My 11 year old (Y6) started asking the same for her legs and armpits about 4 months ago. We’ve been using hair removing cream as am reluctant to let her loose with a razor just yet!

My niece used hair removal cream, then went onto waxing when she was a bit older. As you shave your legs let her feel a days regrowth so she understands what she will be dealing with. I am not saying this to put her off but to give her the reality. I would start with hair removal cream. It is the same application as applying shaving gel.

If she does go down the shaving route, teach her how to do it, slowly. And apparently not like the adverts, short strokes, not one long stroke.

My DD is 8 and has an obvious moustache - not sure what age we will tackle it but I guess 10 or 11. She hasn't mentioned it and neither have we but I'm sure she will in time.

Whatever age they ask to, as far as I’m concerned! It’s their body

My daughter has dark hair and was using veet at that age. She only needed it once a month and she managed it fine. She had her period shortly after and I think it was a helpful maturity transition. Our poor girls don’t get to stay young for very long.

Can I ask why you're hesitant?
My mum wouldn't let me and I just don't understand why. I have a 9 year old and can't imagine saying no

Same. I also had very dark pubic hair and underarm hair at that age and my mother told me only sluts shaved. So i had to suffer being the object of extreme ridicule for years.

It's hair. It has no moral status. If she has it and wants to shave it then let her shave it.

ETA- I know you are not saying the same things as my mother OP, just your post made me twitch with bad memories!!!!!

If she asks to shave why not get her an electric razor? Much safer and no nicks.

I'm in my sixties, shaved my legs intermittently for decades but only got myself an electric razor a couple of years ago( god knows why it took so long). It's so quick and easy and deals well with months of thick hair after the winter.

I once had my legs waxed but while lying there I asked myself what the fuck was I doing putting myself through pain to confirm to arbitrary beauty standards, so never again.

Got my DD a battery shaver at 9 as she was very self conscious. She’s 12 now and isn’t really fussed about it, sometimes shaves, sometimes doesn’t.

My daughter said she wanted to at 11 because of swimming at school. She was developed. I said okay, I wish you hadn't been made to feel like that about your body but I understand why. I bought lady razors, pink shaving foam and a wet n dry razor and set a time in the diary. She decided not to. So I think supporting their choice makes the choice more free if you get my point. It wasn't a thing she was forbidden until she was older.

The appropriate age I feel is when she wants to. I wasn't allowed until I was 16 and with really dark hair it mattered not one bit that my Mum said "well you shouldn't care, what does it matter", I cared very much and got very badly teased.

Never ever shaved mine and I’m now in my sixth decade. We’re all putting pressure on girls to do this - not just classmates and peers. Not good is it?

I think you might have needed to ask a different question... "Did you regret starting to shave your legs too early?"

It’s nice you can discuss this with her and I think allowing her to shave them is a good idea. I was about her age when I wanted to shave mine but my mum said no. So I used my dad’s razor and cut my legs accidentally and then got a telling off from my mum.
she was a bit old fashioned with it all: told me off for showering during my period (age 11) as an old wives tale said you shouldn’t, didn’t allow me to have a bra when I was developing. I was in crop tops for years and had the piss taken at school.

Non-shaver here (I used to do it until I realised what a ridiculous expectation it is). Why not have a conversation with her? What is she self-conscious about, has someone said something? Does she want to shave or just feel like she should? Personally I think we should be actively moving away from it being the “norm”. It’s not normal, it came from a sexist marketing campaign. What’s normal is leg and body hair.

My mum never shaved her legs and never had any leg hair! So she wasn't really forthcoming with encouraging me to do so. But I would certainly not draw attention to it and only buy her hair removal stuff after discussion about choice and that there's nothing wrong with bodily hair.

I think I was about 14 before I shaved my legs. I did under my arms obsessively, though! I think from about 11. Still the same today! Re what you said about having to keep doing them - for some years now I have barely had any hair on my legs (definitely had more when I was younger.) I don't know if that's a thing as you get older (I'm only 38) but I only do them once a week and don't bother with the knee upwards. And I live in a sunny country!