Need Advice Regarding Young Female Child with Hair on Upper Lip, Back and Legs

Goodmorning M.,
Its up to us parents on how we look at situations that our children will pick up.It's important that your feelings don't come out in front of your daughter that would probably make her selfconcious.Some children probably will take notice and she may get teased,but its up to you to instill in your daughter the strenghth that when people can be cruel not to let it get to her as if it would if you focus on her features that God blessed her with.Teach her that God made us all unique in our own way.Teach her the humor side of dealing w/people who can be this way especially children.For instance when she finds her self being teased about her hair features her response would be "im going to be more warm in the winter than you".Then she walks away.Teach her to stand her ground.Teach her STRENGHTH.
It sounds like it affects you more on how children will hurt her feelings and thats perfectly normal because we're mommies and mommies are sensitive to our childrens feelings as for daddies they may not be as sensitive as we women are.Thats why God made mommies to kiddos so they can have those feeling taken care of and show them ways to deal w/things in LIFE when they arise.But its up to us mothers to show our children how to be STRONG and not let words hurt.That simple saying "sticks and stones may break my bones but words can never hurt me".Teach her that one too and show her how to live by that too.Be strong and show her your strenghth and she'll pick up on it.Remember she will grow up and she will have the option to do something later in life about her hair situation and maybe if you continue to teach her that words are just words she may not be fazed w/ this and it may not bother her at all.When the time is right she can make the decision on how she wants to take care of this and you just be there to help her w/ HER decision.
Have a POSITIVE STRONG attitude and YOUR children will pick up on it.

I had dark hair when I was young... and I remember my mom worried about it. I was NEVER made fun of... my hairy body that is.

When I hit puberty... all of my body hair lightened. As an adult it's now golden! If you really are worried... my husband uses a clippers to trim his arm hair and side burns (you are not removing it... just shorting it).

As she gets older and she becomes self conscious of this... trimming it shorter may be an option... but left alone I'm sure it will thin out and lighten up!

Also, I just read the other responses... and I want to add that for me waxing doesn't last long. If you trim it short or bleach it lighter... I think that 1)it won't hurt her so much, 2)it won't be so odvious/drastic, and 3)it's easier to fix at home. If you are interested in trimming her hair you can buy a clippers at Sally or Target. Also having taught 1st grade... I know that kids are aware of the way they look and when others treat them differently. I would ask her if it bothers her... and if it ever does then find a way to make it better. Don't make her suffer!

I would get a second opinion from a doctor who knows about hormone imbalances....I've known little girls who have had similiar things happen and they eventually developed breasts and public hair way prematurely and need to be seen by a doctor and their condition addressed.
L.

If it is that noticable I would definitly bleach or wax it. It could be devistating for a girl to be made fun of for something so easily fixed. She may be young, but I think the procedures are harmless. You can buy hair bleach cream at any store in the beauty section or take her to a nail salon for a waxing...

Hmmmmm, I would wait until she says something, then you can offer to bleach or wax it. The benefit of waxing is it grows back less and less, lighter and lighter. I would wait until it bothers her tho. I have seen little girls get picked on and made fun of behind their back for stuff like this.

Hello:

I'm speaking from current experience. With all due respect to Tina's post, she's wrong (IMO). My 6 1/2 daughter is being teased at school (she's in 1st) b/c of her dark hair on her upper lip and the long black hair on her legs. (She also has it on her back but this part is always covered up so no one sees it). The hair on her lip is dark enough that it does appear she has a "dirt" mustache. She has come home crying almost every days the last 7 school days b/c the kids (4 in particular) are calling her a man and teasing her b/c she's "hairy" and actually calling her "hairy". The first few days I tried the oh, just laugh it off and that God makes us the way he wants etc. and not only is it not working, it's making her question why God would be "mean" to her by giving her all this hair. When my daughter started walking around two days ago with her head down or hand in front of her face to hide "it" I said enough is enough. So yesterday we went and bought a product to remove the hair. Yes, we teach both our kids that God made us and what matters more is what's in the inside rather than the outside but evidently that's not what a lot of parents are teaching their kids and I'm not going to have my daughter's self esteem crushed to the point it affects her development and it's just too difficult for the teacher to try to "enforce" a nonteasing rule. Sorry for the book, but I'm kind of passionate about this right now.

Hi M.,

I would first suggest that you ask her pediatrician to do a simple blood test to check her thyroid levels. This happened to my sister at the same age. It turned out to be Hoshimoto's Thyroidism. Once she was put on the correct dose of thyroid medication the hair disappeared.

If your pediatrician or family doctor won't check her, I'd get a second opinion. Physicians who handle thyroid issues are Endocrinologists. Your daughter would need to see a Pediatric Endocrinologist. There's an excellent one who practices in Austin - her name is Jane Wray, MD.

Best of luck to you and your little girl!

J. L
Austin