When Should Your Daughter Start Shaving?????

My daughter's leg hair is dark, so when she became uncomfortable with the hair on her legs I told her she could shave. She was afraid to use a razor, so we bought her a chemical hair remover (veet) and she loves it.

Schick or Bics (they both work wonderful and easy). Just remind her not to push hard or go too fast due to the fact that razors cut! My girls both started off with Schicks, but now use Bics! Good Luck!

I have three daughters they started shaving when they were ten but my youngest daughter, I started shaving her legs and arms when she was six she is very hairy. When I was young my mother did not want me to shave my legs and I remember the embarassment. Plus I went ahead and did it any way. Hope this helps K.

In my opinion, it has a lot to do with her maturity. My oldest daughter didn't need to as early as my youngest, who is 12. She just started shaving in the last few months. I got her a razor package at Walmart that had the razor and shaving cream all in a little bag. I got the 3 blade razor, too. My oldest daughter and I use the 5 blade, but like you, I didn't want my 12 year old to cut herself. She has done fine with it so far. I figure if they are old enough to take the time to do it, they can probably handle the responsibility of it.

Good luck!

I let my daughter start at 9, but she dances alot and the tights and hair were driving her nuts. : ) She began with the Veet, you rub on the cream then wait 2 minutes or so then use a "razor" and rub it off. Now she uses my razor and she does fine. She will be 11 on the 17th of November. Hope this helps.

Two of my girls were eleven when they started shaving. I bought the Venus vibrance. It vibrates so there is less chance of them cutting themselves. So far, so good. It has been 4 years and no cuts. Also Veet is a good thing. We started with that on my middle daughter. It is a foam and something that looks like a razor. Then they learn the techniques and where to shave with no blade. Good Luck!!

I my self started shaving at 9!!! Kids can be very cruel, so don't wait any more time... I started using creams, but it is just too expensive, so I change for the razor, just tell her to do it slowly and thats it

Hi L.. My youngest daughter was about this age when she started shaving. If she is feeling self-conscious about her hairy legs then it is probably time to let her do it. I am sure some people might think it is gross but when my youngest daughter started shaving her legs I would give her my slightly used venus razor blades with her own razor handle (in a different color). I think this made it safer for her to use until she learned how to do it properly. This worked very well for her.
T.

My daughter is 10 and alot of her friends are using veet. They look like a razor but there is no blade. Seems to be the popular thing and no chance of getting cut. I still have not let her try it because I dont think she needs to yet. I told her when she gets "hairy armpits" I will let her start using veet. I was getting tired of her asking everyday! Good luck!!

If she is geting to the point that she is self conscience about the hair then I would go ahead and let her remove the hair. If you're worried about the cuts from shaving try Nair or one of those kind of products first. My daughter is the same age and we had the same issue. I used Nair for sensitive skin and it worked well for her.

Let your daughter decide when it is best for her.Once you start it is a forever job that needs done.She is but a child and yes childrens legs are hairy but her being very blonde it really should not show much.I was 15 in 1975 and my Mom finally concented for me to learn to shave my legs.Short dresses were in and I was about to enter my first year of high school.Wish I had never started, the hair got darker and longer and was such a pain to keep it shaved.Children grow up on us so fast to start with why not just let her be a little girl.
Debbie

I started in 6th grade when I first became a cheerleader. My mom always used disposable razors, so that's what I learned on. I cut myself a lot though!

I was a lot younger and my mom shaved my legs for me the very first time. Then again I'm a brunette. If your daughter was upset about the comments then it might be time. If she wasn't then I wouldn't bother. You might even hold off until she's 13, make it a sort of rite of passage into teenage hood. As long as she goes slowly and takes her time she shouldn't nick herself.

I agree with the other ladies here - she is ready if she is asking.
My mom also gave me an electric razor, and I only shaved up to just above my knees.
I am still using the electric - in fact, it's an epilator now. (I do NOT recommend that for young girls!!!) Two of my three girls are shaving and they have an electric razor. (They use disposables in the shower for underarms.) What I like best about the electric, besides the fact that there are no cuts, is that there really isn't "stubble". The hair grows back, but not really thicker or stiffer, at least it's been that way for us!

i would say you m can start now a good type of shaver to use is veet my friend who is about 18 uses it it is blade less good luck

I let my daughter shave the beginning of this school year. She is 10 years old and in the fifth grade. She too had blond hair on her legs, however, there was a TON of it. I bought an electric wet/dry shaver for her to use. My original plan was going to be to wait until 6th grade, but then I talked with a teacher friend who taught 5th grade. She told me I HAD to let her shave in 5th grade, because the boys will make fun of her. That advice, along with the amount of blond hair she had, caused me to make my decision to let her shave. Electric shavers are a great way to start out because they can't really cut themselves, and they are not too expensive. Good luck!

I have two daughters, and they started shaving when they were ready. When they asked, then I let them start. They were in either 6th or 7th grade. Tried it, then the younger let it grow back, and was much more sporadic in keeping it shaved. Both girls had lots of hair, younger was dark, older was light. Goodluck. I would wait until she asks to start shaving, and seriously wants it once she knows what is involved. Then she will be motivated to keep it up. Unless you want to be the one to shave her legs for her. (Too much work in my opinion, although I have heard of moms doing that for their daughters.)
R.

My stepdaughter is 11, and she just started shaving her legs. My bio daughter is 9, and she just started shaving, too. My rule of thumb was to let them start shaving when the hair bothered them. My 9 year-old was much hairier than my 11 year-old, so I guess she is on the accelerated program - ha ha!

They both use disposable Schick Quattro razors at our house, and they've had no problems with thm.

Hi L.,
It sure would have been wonderful to have a connection such as this when my four daughters and one son was growing up. As it was I had to learn on my own.
What I did was buy my daughters a razor of their very own and taught them how to use it. By the way, you couldn't buy safety razors when my girls were growing up but you can now. You might even want to get her an electric razor, at first, if you think she's still too immature to use a regular razor. I also explained to them that they were not to use it, at first, by themselves until I was sure they knew what they were doing. This helped them to grow and become young, young, women, with Mom's help and wisdom. I was also able to keep an eye out for their safety while giving them freedom to grow without them knowing I was watching, so to speak.
Good luck, I would be interested to know how you handle it and the outcome!
C. S.

hi L.
I don't remember how old i was. 5th grade i think. I have very dark hair, so my parents made me use an electic razor so that i would not cut myself. Over time I learned to use a razor. My parents also only let me shave to just over my knee so that it was less work and did't take as much risk of cutting myself.Personally I think that was too stict because of my dark hair I was being made fun of. But if her hair is blond this might work. Hope this helps!

I was going to say when she asked, but if someone told her her legs were hairy, she probably wants to start. If you are worried about the sharp razors, what about getting her an electric razor first? I think I started around that age because I was swimming and spent a lot of time in a bathing suit. I think it was 6th grade and around the time I started my period.

I like what Debbiesue said.

I held our daughters off as long as I could - they are GLAD - everyone knows what a pain it is to keep up forever once you start.

I have always told them if someone teases them or picks on them - that that person is maybe jealous or doesn't have it as good as you do and they are trying to make you lesser than they are. As a result they barely let anything like that bother them.

Our oldest is in college and they are celebrating this month - it is called "No Shave November" - our daughter said "I am definitely doing it!!!"

I also agree that girls develop at different ages and so you have to consider that, too!

Hi L.. I personally started in 6th grade and that is when I allowed my daughter to start. We use the venus and it has been great. I don't think she cuts herself ever and I have rarely cut myself using the venus. Good luck!

Hi L.,

My daughter just turned 10 this Oct, and this summer she started shaving legs and underarms. I taught her while we both were in my jetted tub, so it was quite the bonding moment.

She was ready simply b/c the dark hair bothered her. She's brunette. She uses Schick Twin razors w/ shower gel, and hasn't cut herself yet!

I think your daughter's ready!

~K.

My daughter is almost 11 and started shaving her legs this summer. I let her have my Remington wet/dry electric shaver because I think it is the safest shaving system I have ever used. :)

That's around the right age- everyone is different, but it won't hurt her. I definitely don't think she's too young - I think I started when I was 11 (armpits too!) I love my Venus (I use the one with the built in shaving gel) It's a bit expensive but I never cut myself.

If she's feeling self-conscious about her legs, I would be sensitive to that and let her. It's not worth her being embarassed because she's worried about her legs being hairy. I'm speaking from personal experience. My mom refused to let me shave my legs until I was fourteen. Now I'm blond as well but that doesn't mean I don't have visible hair on my legs. It got so bad I would sneak scissors into my room and CUT my leg hair :( I think with a talk from you she'd learn the right techniques and not cut up her legs with the razor. Good luck!

I personally think 11 is too young, but when she hits middle school the whole "want to be like everyone else" hits hard! Assuming she is in middle school, I'd start working with her before summer. I would choose a razor with three blades and use a good shaving cream. The other option is to use a hair removing product.

She should start when she starts feeling self-conscious about it. If she is asking about it now, and she truly has "hairy" legs, then let her shave. Just remember, once she starts, she cannot stop.

My best friend's daughter started shaving when she was 10 or 11 (I can't remember now....but she was young) because she had VERY hairy legs...and she started getting teased, etc. She also started her period earlier, started developing earlier, and got her period when she was 11. So....just depends on the child.

To me, shaving is not an issue to argue. Makeup, yes. Dating, yes. Shaving....no. LOL

And I like the venus too....I think she'd do well with it.

Good Luck!

Honestly mine started when she was Nine..... So did I as a child. I believe that ifyour daughter has asked to shave youshould allow it. It realy shoudl be because she has noticed and feels sheis ready. You don't want her to be the one girl everybody makes fun of do you? Shaving is unfortunetly one of htose things that kids can use and they are vicious about it.....

HTings like Dying hair, eye brow waxing etc... all those things can wait until well into highschool but shaving legs and arms..... she shoudl probably start now. Does she have underarm hair???? Did she all summer in a bathing suit??? You know think about things like that.....

L., I think it's time when they become self-conscious about it or the kids start commenting on it to them. I started waxing my daughter's unibrow in 2nd grade cause girls were making fun of it. We just started doing her legs in the 5th grade. Like other moms said, some people started to comment. Personally I'd have preferred to wait a little longer, but that's not the world our daughters live in.

I use Moom, which is so easy to use. We've only been doing her legs for a year and the hairs are already alot thinner. Hopefully by the time she's older she won't have to do much at all.

I was one of those whose mom wouldn't let me start shaving until 13, and it was mortifying. I agree that it would be wonderful to let her be a child longer, but it just doesn't work that way. In my case, I finally started sneaking in her bathroom and shaving anyway because I was in PE and it was always being talked about. (And I was a rule-keeper, not sneaky in general.) My older sister teased me mercilessly, but I wasn't able to tell my mom about even half of the humiliation I felt. It's my opinion that this is not an issue to make a big deal about. It doesn't hurt anything to let her shave, but it may cause pain not to.

I would let her if she wants to. I asked my mom if I could shave my legs in 6th grade because my friends were. She said no, and I was so embarassed. Some of the boys made fun of me, too. I would error on the side of letting her shave too early than letting her be self-consious of it or get made fun of.

My mom started me off with an electric razor so I wouldn't cut myself. Maybe try that. I could never use Nair or products like that because I would have a reaction to them. Good luck!

I think I was 10, and I did it while spending the night at an older girl's house. I have dark hair, though. When I told my mom, she said, "Now you will have to shave for the rest of your life." While this was a bit dramatic, as you know, the hair grows back in course and itchy, and your daughter may not want to have to keep up with it. If she is not bothered by it, I wouldn't encourage it. After all, you don't want to encourage her to cave into peer pressure and make her decisions based on someone else's criticism or opinion. Winter is coming, so our legs aren't on parade now, anyway, unless they wear shorts in gym. I like the Venus razor, too. Don't know if there is something better for young girls. That is another worry, though. She may cut herself often until she gets the hang of it. Girls grow up too soon these days. Unless she is begging you to do it, I would hold off. Was it just this one kid making fun of her, or is she seriously being ridiculed? I have to disagree with the other responses. All of this peer pressure in school results in children who can't think for themselves and who base their self-worth on someone else's opinion of them. Instead of caving in and following what "they" are doing so our children can fit in, we need to teach them how to value themselves and be spiritually strong. Of course, this is just leg hair, and there's no real harm in letting her try it. But it starts with the small stuff, so talk her through how to handle criticism from her peers whether you let her shave or not. Be well, R.

I use the Venus disposables and I love them! I can't use a single blade razor because I still cut myself! She will probably cut herself a time or two (who hasn't) while she's still learning. The first time she shaves she may have to go over all the area twice, especially if she's really hairy. If she uses a shave gel or cream, she'll lessen the chance of cuts.

As far as the when, I'd say 11 is a pretty good time. Especially if someone is making fun of her.

I was and am a furry little blond myself. My mom was an ogre when it came to me wanting to start shaving. I think I was close to 14! When she finally caved, she bought me this little, white and pink, round razor that was about the size of the palm of my hand. It seemed to be easy to control.

If she has only nicked her self once so far she's doing awesome. It won't be the last nick. Good luck!!