Girls Shaving Their Legs - Mount Pleasant,PA

The right age is when she feels bad about the leg hair and wants to shave. I had hairy legs (pale skin, dark hair) for a while before my mom would let me shave for whatever reasons she had. I was SO MISERABLE! I suddenly hated gymnastics-which I was very good at-just because I didn't want to have hairy legs for all the world to see. I think she finally caved in and let me when I was about 11 and was playing sick to get out of anything that showed my legs-even in the hot hot summer...I didn't want to go to the pool...

I will never make my girls shave their legs or even suggest it, but the MINUTE they want to do it, they'll be able to.

I was 9, self-conscious of the light, but visible hair on my legs. I asked my mom if I could start shaving and she flat-out refused me. Ignored the fact that I was upset enough by it to broach the uncomfortable subject with her and denied me simply because she thought I was too young, without so much as a conversation about it.

So...I did it behind her back. I used her razor secretly while in the shower. I had no guidance, so I shaved my ENTIRE leg. I hid any small nicks in panic of being caught. I felt better about myself physically, avoided being teased, but the constant sneaking around took it's toll emotionally. This went on for 2 years until I sneezed in the middle of shaving the back of my ankle. I had to call her for help when I saw the 3 inch long, half-inch wide gash on my leg. And my secret was out.

My point is if she's uncomfortable enough to ask you to start shaving AND it's getting noticed/mentioned at school, teach her how to shave. Her age has nothing to do with this decision, in my opinion. Need and desire do.

If the girl is feeling self conscious about the hair on her legs it is time to start shaving. Otherwise you just end up with a girl who feels uncomfortable wearing gym clothes and bathing suits, and no longer wants to participate in activities.

I don't think there should be an age limit. If the hair is bothering your daughter or she is self conscious about it then let her shave. Tell her how to do it properly and then that's the end of it.

As soon as it bothers her or people are pointing it out, it's time to shave. Also, girls with dark hair probably do earlier because it's so much more obvious. Make sure she is careful and eliminate something that might make her self conscious.

It makes no difference when you did it. It bothers her at a time when kids can be cruel. If she's ready, it's time.

It is time now Mama. As soon as she notices or so done says something, the time has come.

If & when they want to, assuming they are old enough to safely use a razor.

It's a very personal decision. I don't think that it should be prevented when a girl wants to do it, nor suggested/pressured when she does not.

Because your daughter asked due to peer pressure and not because of her own inclination, I think you need to have a talk about how much we choose to let the comments of others influence our decisions.

Also make sure to debunk the common myths:

#1 - Shaving does not make hair grow back thicker or darker. Hair may thicken/darken as puberty progresses but shaving has no impact. Also, the longer hair is exposed to sunlight the more it fades, which is why 'baby hair' being shaved off the first time looks so much lighter than the regrowing hair.
#2 - She doesn't have to keep shaving routinely just because she does it once. She can change her mind and stop at any time.
#3 - You can shave your entire leg, ankle to hip, with no detriment. (At her age she may not need to deal with thigh hair yet.)
#4 - Leg hair is not unhygienic. Shaving it is a purely cosmetic issue.

I was 10/11 when I asked my mom if I was allowed to, I had very hairy legs and had underarm hair and she flat out said no because I was too young I started doing it behind her back. I was a cheerleader and was not going 6 walk around with hair every day and be made fun of. If she is asking take her to the store and let her pic out a razor like shock quatro it's n easy razor to use

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I was 10/11 when I asked my mom if I was allowed to, I had very hairy legs and had underarm hair and she flat out said no because I was too young I started doing it behind her back. I was a cheerleader and was not going 6 walk around with hair every day and be made fun of. If she is asking take her to the store and let her pic out a razor like shock quatro it's n easy razor to use

As a society why are we even telling our little girls they "have" to shave? Ever.

What could possibly be "unhygienic" about leg hair!? Men have it..

I HATE worrying about body hair. Period. And I'm only 27.

My advice: Talk to your daughter about HER reasons for wanting to shave. Make sure she understands that it will be a DAILY issue once she starts.

When she's concerned about needing to shave, start teaching her how.

You know your answer. As soon as SHE notices it and becomes self conscious about it.

There's no "age" because it's different for everyone.

Support her, show her how to do it mom.... She's growing up!

If you do no not communicate, support her and be on her side.... She'll find alternative ways to go around your rules if you have strict ones in place and manage it on her own.

Your choice!

Whenever she starts to feel uncomfortable about the hair on her legs I would let her start shaving.

i think it was around age 12 or 13 at my all-girls school when girls started to make fun of other girls for having hairy legs.
geez, girls are mean!
i think that if your 11 year old is expressing interest, it's time.
khairete
S.

My daughter started recently and she just turned 12 in May (she started a month or so before then). She first asked about it last fall, but we didn't start her on it until spring hit and she was showing more skin (her choice to wait until then). She definitely doesn't have the need to do it every day yet, but she is very happy that she does shave - she was getting very self-conscious of her leg hair, and honestly when I saw her pit hair I told her it was time. Most of her friends started this year.

My daughter had dark blonde hair, so the hair on her legs was blonde. But she had hair. One day she was in the shower, saw my razor and tried it in a small section of her legs. She shaved about 3inches when she noticed a big difference. She never mentioned shaving to me so we never talked about it. When she came out of the shower, she was embarrassed and maybe a bit concerned on how I would react. When she showed me the little part she shaved I told her, "well, now we have to do the whole thing on both legs so it looks even". She was surprised and excited. We started with Nair first and it didn't grow back right away. She was very pleased with herself. I think if they start to notice it and want it off, then let them shave. I did mention to her that now she had to keep it up, that the down side is that she has to shave often so it looks neat. Some are worth waiting for the right time, like makeup, high heels, Movie drop off, drop off parties, and dating.
In all, you know your daughter best, what she is mature enough to do and the right reasons for doing them. One day she is playing with her dolls and pink is her favorite color and the next shaving and lip gloss is all that matters. Enjoy the ride, its going to get interesting real fast!

I was in 6th grade. I think I was 11 actually.

So some kid at school told her she has hair on her legs.
Well, all kids do. Not only your, daughter.

So the thing is:
1) DOES she REALLY have legs full of unruly leg hairs that is unhygienic looking and icky looking and is obvious???
If so, then she needs to shave.
It does not depend on age.

2) But, IF she does not have hairy leg hairs that is even noticeable, then no, she does not have to shave because there is nothing to shave. And that kid making that comment, was just, not even worth listening to. And then your daughter needs to learn that just because another kid said something and just because all the other kids are doing something...that does not mean SHE has to do it, and she can make her own decisions. Don't be a copy cat.

3) And if it is valid that she needs to shave and you talk about it with her, and she does need to, then teach her that is HER decision. Not just because others said to. So she feels confident in her own choice.
And teach her how to shave, have fun, go to the store and show her all the different things out there to shave with. Regular razors or electric shavers etc.

Yup, 11. Thick dark hair...to this day I hate my body hair and would look into laser removal if I didn't think they would ask me to second mortgage my home to work on me. I rarely shave now, you should see my husband pout, but for me it's an exercise in futility. It takes me at least 3 DAYS to get both legs done, but only one day before what I've just shaved is like sand paper! You do the math.

I keep my lady parts trimmed and neat and my underarms bare, that's all.

Show her how, sit with her on the edge of the tub in her swimsuit, shave one leg for her, then let her do the other with you there.

I agree, it's about when SHE'S ready. That can be determined by peer pressure, maturation, hair color & texture, or all of these.

The main things are to teach safety (pulling the razor straight, changing the blades), how to do it without occupying the shower for 15 minutes using up all the hot water, and to make sure it's not part of an overall horrible body image issue. Teach her to go slowly at first, keep the razor straight, and so on. I'm not wild about the chemicals in something like Veet (breathing them, for example), but starting with a razor-shaped tool that has no blade has some value.

Shaving can be part of overall hygiene lessons about showering and caring for the body, so if it's done right, it's a positive thing. It also sets up a good mother-daughter relationship that's helpful for "the talk" (hopefully there will be many of these!) about periods and sex and her body having value. I wouldn't worry too much about her being too young.

as soon as she asks i would do it. one of my 9 year olds (soon to be 10) told me she is bothered by her unibrow. i told her we will take care of it this summer. and we will.
when my girls ask for shaving, i will take them to have their legs waxed. i was/am a hairy child, and it was awful. my mom didn't let me shave and i suffered for it. i won't do that to my girls.

I agree. There is no right age. I think when the girl is ready and is bothered by body hair (if she ever is) then it is time for HER.

We need to encourage girls to know their bodies are their bodies.
We guide them by listening to their reasons. And then sharing options and consequences maybe even compromise so that they know we take them seriously.

But in the end I would say really consider their feelings and ideas.

Just saying the words. "I understand how you feel. Here are my concerns", is way better than no. You need to be --years old to shave your legs.

I was in middle school. I had always had black hair. But I was now going to be a cheerleader and the uniform was obviously short. I could no longer just wear pants, longer skirts and knee socks.

Funny thing, my mom told me I could "not shave my thighs??? " So strange. So I didn't at first, but I looked so ridiculous, I finally did. I did not mention it to her.

To this day I still wonder, why didn't women shave their thighs? What was the "secret code" to smooth hairless thighs?

The right age to start shaving is when her body hair bothers her. If it's bothering her at 11, then 11 is the right age. If it never bothers her, then she need never shave it.

When my daughter became bothered by the hair on her legs, I bought her a razor. I think she was 10. She was an early bloomer (she's not quite 12, and seems to have stopped growing already). As with most things, each child develops differently, so I don't think there's one right age. I think it depends upon what the child wants - I've always figured that my kids are in charge of their own bodies, so when they want to shave their legs (or stop shaving their legs, for all I care), it's fine with me.

SD was 10 and I was 11. My DD has kind of hairy legs and I will allow her to shave when it bothers her, probably in that age range. I think that it is not worth making her self-conscious for an arbitrary age, as long as she's old enough to handle it herself. Same with bras, IMO. By the time they change for gym, they're old enough for a bra, if nothing else to not look infantile in the locker room.

I would sit down with her and talk to her about how she feels and then go buy supplies and walk her through it once or twice.

I believe it was the summer before 5th grade that I started shaving - so 10.

Girls should start shaving when the hair on their legs bothers them.

My nearly 15 yr. old started at about 12. My just turned 11 yr. old started about 10 yrs. old (she also started her cycles at ten). Basically, if peers are mentioning her hairy legs or if she feels like she needs to, teach her how to do it properly.

I think it also depends on how dark the hair is and if it's really noticeable. Good luck!

My oldest had a friend shaving at nine, I didn't trust my nine year old with a razor at the times so I told her and her younger sister they could start shaving the summer before middle school. Thats when they both started.

I do agree that the type of hair makes a difference. The reason for me, is once she starts if will need to be done regularly or else it will be spiky hard hair. Many girls with light hair will notice the old light hair will start growing in much darker and will really stand out against her legs. If she is willing to maintain the routine she is ready.

my daughter started shaving last year (so 10). It was bothering her so I went and bought her a nice razor, showed her how and the rest is history.
Many blessings