One of the worst things about hitting puberty is that it comes with a whole lot of body hair. For a girl, this can be embarrassing and really affect her self confidence. Removing body hair is a regular part of a woman’s life. However, as a parent, it’s best to know when the best time is to introduce the concept of shaving or waxing to your tween daughter.
When should your daughter start arm and leg hair removal?
Via: Today Show – When should my daughter shave her legs?
As a sign of puberty, a girl starts developing hair across her body. Puberty in girls also makes the hair become thicker and stronger making it more visible. This of course makes it more recognizable and can cause self-esteem issues or even sometimes be a reason for bullying at school.
While most girls tend to hit puberty between the age of 8-13 years old, body hair usually starts to develop at the age of 10-12. There isn’t a recommended age when a girl should start hair removal, but it is important to make sure your daughter is doing it for the right reasons. When talking to your daughter about hair removal make sure to discuss the following:
- Understand why she wants to remove it and that it’s not just as a result of peer pressure or bullying.
- Make sure she’s not being influenced by the media or copying what she’s seeing on TV.
- Discuss body shaming and make sure she’s comfortable in her own skin.
- Make sure she’s old enough to safely shave using a razor or teach her how to wax.
- Make sure she is ready to commit to removing her body hair on a regular basis.
If your girl chooses to shave her legs, here are some tips for the first time:
Via: Getty Images – When should my daughter shave her legs?
Start with a single blade razor
When introducing shaving for the first time, a single blade razor is less likely to cause cuts and is safer for your daughter to use until she gets the hang of shaving.
Make sure disposable razors are only used for a couple of times before being disposed
The reason why they’re called disposable razors is because the blade stops being sharp after a while and can make it difficult to shave or cause an uneven shave. This can also lead to irritation or cuts and can even cause infections if the blade becomes unclean.
Do not share razors
It’s important to make your daughter understand that razors cannot be shared as they can cause harm, infections, and even transmit diseases.
Prepare the skin for shaving
Before shaving, make sure that your daughter has cleaned the area that will be shaved and use shaving lotion or gel to moisturize the skin and soften the hair.
Clean the razor after each use
Unclean razors can lead to infections and so it is important to rinse the razor after each use and pat dry.
Show your daughter how
A great way to bond with your daughter and walk her through the transitions of becoming a woman is to demonstrate the things she’ll be too embarrassed to ask. You can do this by showing her exactly how to do each step and walking her through the entire process.
Further reading: Joelle Mardinian Explains Why She Shaves Her Daughter’s Legs
