Shaving Bikini Area - New York,NY

If she is embarrassed by the hair showing on the outside of her swim suit. let her.

It is not about age, it is about what makes her feel comfortable.

Take her to have her bikini line waxed. So much easier than shaving, and lasts for a good month or so. (No razor bumps or cuts that could get infected!) My waxing lady says she has a lot of teens who come in for bikini waxes during the summer. Nobody wants hair to show outside of their swimsuit. That's embarrassing.

I don't like getting into these questions, but its important that your daughter not be embarrassed because she sees pubic hair outside her bathing suit. She may be the only one that notices, but its important that she not be embarrassed by hair sticking out.

Shaving all of it off may or may not be a fad, but who cares. Ladies used to wear only one ear ring and didn't poke multiple holes in their ears. Now its rare to see a lady with only one hole in each ear.

Shave a little, shave a lot or shave it all off. Its not worth arguing over, and it will surely grow back if she wants it to. Besides, do you really want to see (inspect) if she is obeying you or not?

Good luck to you and yours.

I suggest buying her a trimmer. She can trim the hair and not have worry about bumps and cuts. They sell those Personal Touch trimmers that are nick free and seem perfect for a young girl. They look like a little pen.

It's not an issue of age but of aesthetics. She and no one else wants to see her pubic hair coming out of her swimsuit. Let her go for it Mom!

Teens/kids can be cruel. If she's bothered about pubic hair poking out, absolutely let her shave so she doesn't get teased, get embarrassed or feel self conscious.
Maybe offer a gentle suggestion to only do the edge areas and not shave it all off. Let her know just how awful and itchy it is when it grows back!

Please don't make her to be embarrassed by pubic hair because of her age, it's better to let her shave it. Young teens have a hard enough time with puberty, why make them face the "bush" before they're ready?

I think that if she is uncomfortable she should do what she needs to do! I have been shaving my, 'bikini area' for years now & it is just as if I am shaving my legs. It's a matter of personal choice.

OHHH & just FYI, once this becomes routine the bumps and itching will go away, just tell her to make it, 'routine' otherwise each time WILL be just like the 1st, red bumps!

Assuming that she just wants to clean up that area right at the top of the thigh so nothing peeks out of the sides of her swimsuit, I'd say that's fine. It's nice that she's asking you. I have no idea what, if anything, my 15-year-old shaves other that occasionally giving her a head's up that she needs to go take care of her underarms. If she wants to do more than trim the bikini line (like shave the whole pubic area) I'd be alarmed about why and what that means. Grooming that area beyond what's needed to wear a swimsuit comfortable (or anything cut like a swimsuit - dance or gymnastics outfits, etc.) is a red flag for sexual activity.

i still remember that terrible sense of embarrassment the first time i noticed curlies making their way out of my bathing suit!
i would definitely let her trim, or get a bikini wax.
at this age i would discourage full shaving. i know some women prefer the look and feel, but i'd let her make that determination later. there's too great a risk of perpetuating body shame for an adolescent girl to feel that having pubic hair is gross.
khairete
S.

If it's bothering her, then let her do it. Just show her how to do it safely.

Not necessary. If she feels she needs to shave her bikini area you should be considering her swim suits are too small!
__________________________
I am looking at the other answers and either I am strange, my friends are strange, my daughters are strange, or I am missing something here.

I was at least 17 before there was enough hair down there that anything poked and that was in the era of those god awful french cut swim suits. My older daughter still doesn't have to shave for her suits and she is 23. My 12 year old, no where near enough hair.

That is why I am questioning her motives. Seems to me there is not going to be enough growth at 13 to need to shave unless she wants to sport a string bikini.

If it's a matter of modesty/embarrassment, the only reason I can see to say no is that shaving has uncomfortable aftereffects. And I wonder why pubic hair would be off limits if underarm hair gets shaved for the same reasons.

I tried shaving around the edges a few times; and developed ugly red ingrown bumps and a horrible itch as the hair grew back. I gave that up fast. I've never had a budget that could possibly include luxuries like waxing. But I discovered that after a shower, while the hair is barely damp, it's pretty easy to yank out, a few hairs at a time. No ingrowns, ever! No itching! And it doesn't even hurt much.

When it's too short to get a good grip, I've found that useing a finger cot on one finger gives great purchase. A touchup is only necessary every few weeks.

I think that kids can be cruel and personal hygiene grooming habits should start as appropriate. I would take her to get waxed if she wants / or needs this path at her age.