Leg Shaving, Eyebrow Waxing....

[Anonymous]

My 13 year old is VERY self conscious about the hair on her legs and has been since elementary school when a girl commented on her hairy legs. FWIW... they actually aren't abnormally hairy... she just has dark hair on fair skin.

Fast forward to 7th grade, and she is asking me if she can "PLEEEEEASE shave before shorts-wearing season?????" I'm thinking yes, but wanted to clarify what the going age is for shaving.

A similar discussion lately is with her eyebrows. They are very full and beautiful (in my biased opinion), but she wants to get them "shaped" (either by plucking or waxing) to get rid of the stray hairs.

Is this a normal request for her age?

[Anonymous]

Let her maintain her body. It's not about age, it's about what is appropriate for her body. Let her shave!

[Anonymous]

Both are perfectly normal. FWIW my 6th grader started shaving her legs a couple of years ago.

[Anonymous]

7th grade is DEFINITELY time, if she's ready and complaining. I shaved my legs in 7th grade and I'm well over 40 now. If kids were doing it by 7th grade back then, they certainly are now.

[Anonymous]

There is no going age. When she becomes uncomfortable, that's when you work with her to solve the problem. Right now, I'd absolutely let her shave her legs, and I'd pluck the middle of her brows if she has hair there, but I wouldn't let her mess with any other part of her brows.

[Anonymous]

If she is asking for it, then it is time to let her.

[Anonymous]

These are both totally reasonable requests. Say yes. Say yes today so she can stop worrying about it and tell her this month she can get her brows threaded, and at the end of April she can get them waxed, so she can figure out which one works best for her.

[Anonymous]

This is not a battle you can win, OP. Girls shave and pluck.

Especially her eyebrows, take her to a pro. What you think looks beautiful probably looks dated.

[Anonymous]

She's actually years older than my dd's and their friends were when they started shaving. Don't force the poor child to wait for no reason.

[Anonymous]

Do her a favor - teach her how to do it right. My DD shaved legs and cut herself badly the first or second time.

[Anonymous]

Speaking as a hairy girl, please let her shave and deal with her eyebrows. It's a horrible thing to be self-concious of.

[Anonymous]

Yes, I'd say yes. It's better she do it with your guidance.

But I wish I had started waxing when I was that young. I think it would've helped deter the hair growth.

[Anonymous]

shaving, yes for sure. eyebrows--would take her to an eyebrow person but not wax. skin is very sensitive at that age. I got burned from it (not from the wax itself but quick sunburn on freshly waxed eyebrow area) and never went back to waxing. the eyebrow pros are much better these days.

[Anonymous]

Who cares what the going age is. Your daughter is being made fun of. This will scar her for a long time. Please let her shave her legs and armpits and maintain her eyebrows!!

[Anonymous]

DD started shaving in 6th grade. She was an avid gymnast and it wasn't unusual for the darker haired girls on her team to start shaving in 5th grade since they spent so much time in leos.

6th & 7th grade is the norm. I can remember when I was in 7th grade and everyone was making fun of a girl in our PE class because she had black hair and very dark, hairy legs. No one wanted to hold her legs during the physical fitness tests (sit ups, leg reaches). I held her legs along with the PE teacher, who didn't do anything to shut the little a-holes up, and then I got made fun of for 'mating with Sasquatch.' The girl's mom was very strict that she couldn't shave until HS. That just seemed like such a weird rule to me.