Curious...
How old was your daughter when she began shaving? DD is 10 and has quite a bit of hair on her legs and underarms. At what age do you think a girl should start removing hair?

I'm sure the age will vary from person to person. Our rule of thumb is when they have enough dark hair that they NEED to shave, or if they have a lot of light hair, and they feel uncomfortable in shorts or sleeveless shirts.

You can always let her shave once, and if she doesn't like it (some kids want to start earlier than necessary to feel "grown up") then, just let the hair grow back in, and she can try again another time.

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This is more of a question of need than age for me. Some people are extremely hairy and it should be their choice. If the child expresses concern then it is time.

*I* started in 5th grade even though my hair was blonde. I did it to "fit in". I was one of the last girls I knew to shave. I think that by the time they go to middle school/jr high (6th grade here), they should probably be shaving. I don't know if things have changed though. My son is in 4th grade this year and I haven't noticed a lot of the girls in his class who are shaving yet (still shorts weather here and I help in class so I see these kinds of things). One girl *should* or she'll probably be made fun of soon

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Aww the old can I please start to shave my legs...

My 12 yo started this summer. She has very dark hair and the hair on her legs was very noticeable. I allowed her to start shaving ( She's growing up too fast)

I also gave her a triple blade shaver ( Helps with the cuts).

If you are not sure if your 10 yo is ready for a shaver, you can always get her the hair removing cream.

I told my girls about it and that it was a normal part of growing up and hygeine with puberty, along with using deoderant, wearing a bra and taking a shower every day.

Then, I waited for them to want to do it. I told them they could start whenever they wanted, but I needed to show them how and give them a razor.

Oldest was the middle of 6th grade (12), youngest just started this summer before 6th grade (11).

Lisa

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Thanks for all the advice!

DD has very dark hair and it is pretty thick on her legs. She wore shorts to school today and looking at her legs, I thought it was time, just didn't know if 10 was too young. Also her underarm hair really is noticeable.
Would you suggest an electric razor? That is what I started out with whith I began to shave. But I don't think they do a great job...

I like the advice to have her try it and if she wants to stop, she can. I was thinking that once you start you kinda had to keep it up, that it wouldn't be soft anymore, but I guess that is not necessarily so.

Thanks all!

this makes me kinda glad I have boys, oldest is 15 and has maybe 6 hairs on his chin. Dad will teach him electric razor probably cause his dad did the same

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my daughter just used my razor w/out asking me. now she realizes she will have to do it the rest of her life. i think she was almost 11. she has dark thick hair, that can make a difference too.
my aunt taught her daughter how to use a removal cream for the first several times. it takes longer to grow back that way.
i also agree w/ the need vs an age.

Age has nothing to do with when to start shaving. It's a need not a want. Although the girl that wants to may soon figure out that shaving is a pain to do and discontinue shaving for a while longer.
Just because a razor has 3 blades doesn't mean it's a good razor. DD and I use the Shick Quattro. I have a tender spot on my right ankle that nicks very easily. I can't remember the new razor that I tried, however, it was thrown out after one use. I nicked my ankle and that was enough.

I was 10 when I had to start underarm shaving and then 12 before Mom let me shave my legs. I also got my period at 10. I am just hoping my daughter gets a little more time before she is forced to be a woman, LOL. She is 7 and already quite hairy(luckily it is light).

DD is 9 and had to start shaving her underarms this summer. She just recently asked when she could start shaving her legs and I told her not until all the scabby mosquito bites are gone from her legs (she's a picker and scratcher -- yuck). I'm thinking she can wait until next summer when she's 10 to shave her legs. It seems young to me but I will let her do it as I don't want her to be embarassed.

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My oldest dd is 10 and she started shaving this summer. It was a necessity more than a want. I shaved for her the first couple of times to show her how....what an experience, LOL!

My DD turned 11 over the summer and had to start shaving her arm pits. I bought her an electric razor for trimming beareds, not one of the rotary head kind but the flat kind. She is a blonde so legs are not quite yet an issue. After spending the summer shaving her pits she has decided she will wait till absolutely necessary to shave her legs. She thought at first it would be cool to shave but doesnt think so now.

if you use the creams make sure shes not allergic, i can put them on and it'll feel like my legs are on fire then red, puffy and painful for a week or so afterwards

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I tried Nair one time back when I was a teenager in the dark ages. I couldn't get into the shower fast enough to get that stuff off my legs. My legs felt like they were on fire.

my dd was 10 when she started shaving. We now use the Shick Quattro and we both love it it gives the smoothest shave ever. If your dd has underarm hair and its noticeable sounds like its time to start shaving atleast there.

steph

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I was in 6th grade (so about 12) when I started shaving my legs. I didn't need to shave underarms for about a year later. If she already has underarm hair, I'd let her shave if she wants to.

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I'd start with an electric razor. Shaving is enough work without having cuts to patch up. For leg hair, if you can find them, those little sandpaper mitts actually work pretty well. No good on armpits, though.

Just don't let her shave her underarms with it! OUCH!!

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My DD is only 7, but when she wants to start shaving, I'll let her use the electric razor on her legs until I see that she keeps up with it and then I'll teach her with a razor. It sounds like such a fun bonding experience!

And I'll probably start waxing her once she gets a little older. She already asks me to "arch" her eyebrows cause she says that they're too straight and "crazy". She obviously spends way too much time at the salon where I work! I wax my legs and underarms (along with eyebrows and bikini!) and she sees how smooth my legs stay. I'll let her choose.

But let me tell you that moms bring in girls from 3rd grade and older to get their eyebrows waxed and arched. Some of the girls even get their legs waxed cause their moms are scared that they'll cut themselves with razors (paranoid!). But some of these girls really NEED to do something so they don't get picked on. And kudos to the moms for noticing their daughter's needs and feelings!

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Put me in the "needs to" not "wants to" column. When it becomes noticeable and makes her uncomfortable, it is time.

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I agree. My DD started shaving her legs/underarms when she was about 12. Luckily her hair is blonde...not dark like mine. I had to start shaving my armpits when I was in fifth grade! ~Lisa

I use an electric on under my arms all the time, I actually like it better than a razor. But I use a razor on my legs.

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My dd was 13 when she began shaving. She was eager to start, but now hates it.

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I started shaving my legs in 6th grade and underarms in 7th grade.

I'd get her an electric razor. It may not give the very best results but I'd rather have a 10 year old with imperfectly shaved legs than one making a blood sacrifice of her legs with a razor. Once she gets the hang of shaving and does it on a regular basis then I'd move on to razors/creams/wax/whatever.

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My DD is 10 (will be 11 in December) and has started taking notice to her leg hair. It's not too bad, though. But we did shave her underarms the other day. She had some long dark hairs that were bothering her and were noticeable when she raises her arms. We'll put off leg shaving as long as we can, though.
On the other hand, my stepdaughter turned 13 in January and that's when she started shaving. But DD seems to be "maturing" sooner than my SD.

peapie

Well, it turns out that DD doesn't want to shave her legs! She says she does want to shave her underarms though. She says she doesn't care about the fact that her legs are hairy! I told her that I wanted to make sure that she wouldn't feel bad if other kids said something about it and she said that kids have said "your legs have a lot of hair" and she just says "Yeah, I know, so..."
She is a pretty neat kid, if I do say so myself!

LOVE that self-confidence you have instilled in your DD. Be proud of her AND yourself!

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"Well-Behaved Women SELDOM make history."Laurel Thatcher Ulrich


"Yesterday is but a vision, and tomorrow is only a dream. But today well lived makes every yesterday a dream of happiness, and every tomorrow a dream of hope." Anonymous

"Your candle does not lose it's light by lighting another candle" Generosity

Have the courage to be yourself.

Thanks for the compliment, but I don't know that I can take any credit for it. She is just a remarkable child who continues to amaze me. I want to be her!!!

My niece is going through the same situation. She is also 10yrs old, so my sister decided to let her use the Nair cream, it works well and needless to say my neice is very happy. She had very dark hair and was very self conscience about it, to the point she did not want to wear shorts or skirts to school.

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I second this... Remington makes some nice and inexpensive ladies' shavers. I still use razor for underarm but electric for legs.