At What Age Did You Allow Your Daughters to Start Shaving Their Legs?!?!

I was 10 and in 5th grade when I started shaving. My mom is Italian, so I took after her side in the dark leg hair department. :) It wasn't so odd for me to start shaving at that time, since i was a very early bloomer (I also got my period in 5th grade--i was 10 1/2). I would let her, but maybe, as someone else suggested, show her how to use Nair.

Teach her how to use Nair. She's not using razors so it's safer for her and it lasts longer as well.

my daughter was afraid of the razor (and still is) so she uses a hair removal product (not Neat, but similar). She started when she was nine.

I don't think this is something that can go by age, my son started wearing deodorant in the summer and on gym class days at age 6. He stunk. Not the same I know but a lot of people complained that he was to young. I'd say puberty ( anymore from age 9-13, it's happening so much sooner now days) is a great time to start letting her shave, have her wait till next summer at least since you can probably get away with it without her getting any grief, but if you are having to go shopping for training bras or feminine products then a razor should be on the list as well.

LET HER SHAVE! Not sure if she is going into 4th or 5th grade this year, but especially if it is 5th grade...LET HER SHAVE. I was told by a teacher friend that the boys are very mean to girls about their leg hair...especially if the hair is dark. My daughter was 10 and in the 5th grade when I let her shave. She did not have dark hair on her legs, but it was very thick blond hair. I started her with a wet/dry electric woman's shaver. She does great with it! With the electric shaver there are no cuts...no band-aids needed. :)

I was your daughter's age when I started. My mother helped me the first time and I used her razor. She showed me how to take my time and avoid nicks.

10 and 11 is a bit young in my opinion, but I was hurt by someone I thought was a friend. I have thick dark hair, just like your girl. Your little one is beginning to enter the horrid teen years, she's becoming self aware according to society's twisted standards. Waiting might be an option still since as you said fall and winter are coming. Ask her why she wants to start. If she's being teased then it might just be time. If not, you might be able to tell her to wait until she's 13 and make it a big deal, a sort of right of passage into the "teen" years.

Good luck.

Have you considered waxing? I think it's a great alternative.

Less and less hair growth each time you wax. The hair grows back in soft. Many woman can get away with waxing every couple months.

Good luck!

I was also about 10 and so were my 3 girls it's more trauma to them if friends make comments about their hairy legs. I think 7 might be a little young. If you let her use conditioner it will make the job easier. Spend the money for a good razor if you can the kind with the soap on it works well. But still use hair conditioner because it will soften the hair
Also I have a great home biz you might want to check out It has allowed me to say home with my 5 kids and now help with my 2 grand kids.
Good Luck and my all your child rearing questions be as easy as this one.

Hi M.,

It's questions like these that make me glad I have boys. :)
My personal thought though is if the hair is thick and dark maybe she should. I do think 10 seams awfully young though. I can remember wanting to shave and my mom not letting me. She kept saying, I know you think it looks kinda neat and all but once you start you have to keep doing it and trust me after a few months it doesn't seam so cool anymore. :) You are her mom and if you don't think it looks bad I vote to wait. If she does though I wouldn't recomend you use products like nair though. None of us need those types of chemicals spread on are skin.
You mentioned you are thinking of going back to work, is that becuase you feel like you have to? I found a great home business if you would like to earn money but not return to the outside workforce. Feel free to email me if you would like to learn more.
Good luck with your daughter!

My Mom made me wait until I was in Jr. high school and I had the really dark hair.If disposable razors were available my Mom didn't know about them, I had to use a razor that you slipped into a big steel piece and then had to screw it down tight with the handle.Extreme caution had to be used or you could take huge chunks of skin out of yourself, not just knicks like the disposable ones available now a days.Luckily I never cut myself badly.
Most Mom's I know today are letting the young ones start when kids start teasing them about it.Around 11 or 12 years old.But kids need to know once you start it has to be repeated every few days.Since little girls wear mostly pants I think it wiser to wait, at 10 they have other things to think about doing other than shaving thier legs.
Good Luck , yes your little girl is trying to grow up on you and it is scarey.Blessings, Debbie

I think the right age to allow your daughter to shave her legs is when she begins to notice and feel embarrassed about them. I was in 6th grade when I began to notice that my brunette legs looked different from the other girls in my class, and was so embarrassed! It took a lot of nerve for me to ask my mother about it (I was embarrassed in front of her, too!) but she was wonderful. She bought me a razor and some inexpensive hair-conditioner to use as cream (cream was too expensive), and then sat me down and told me how to shave. Then I went and tried it out on my own. Sure, she'll cut herself a couple of times, but it's a learning process.

If your daughter has noticed her leg hair, PLEASE don't make her wait to shave it. Being a tween is hard enough without the added stress of learning to think your body isn't good enough at such a young age. Gym class, wearing skirts, even going without socks will make her feel nervous about herself. Shaving isn't like dating or staying home alone - there isn't that much responsibility involved, and so really, there isn't that much to be "too young" for. If you're worried about her doing it on her own, have her sit in a bathing suit and help her with it! Good luck.

My daughter was 10 when I let her start. She has very dark hair too. The hair on her legs stuck out like a sore thumb. Girls that age can be mean. With school starting soon, you should probably consider letting her do it. Will she be taking gym class at school? Will she be wearing shorts? Like I said girls can be mean at this age. I know it's hard. I have two daughters 10 almost 11 and a 15 year old. I would just emphasize to you tour daughter that shaving is a commitment and once she starts she cannot quit. Good Luck, T.

This is obviously emberessing her. It was probably really hard for her to bring this up in the first place. Also one of the things you failed to say is your daughter going to be in a gym class this year. If so keep in mind that she will probably be harssed by other girls in the locker room. It is a problem for her and you probably should let her shave her legs.

My daughter is only 3, so I still have a while to go before making a decision about her, but my mom let my sister and I decide when it was time. My sister insisted on starting when she was 9 (she inherited very dark hair from our Italian side). I didn't have the slightest desire to shave. I held off until I was 11 when a friend of mine made a comment to me at school about having hair on my legs. All the other girls in my 6th grade class had been shaving their legs for at least a year. So, I went home and told my mom I wanted to start shaving. The only rule my mom had was that we had to use an electric razor until we were 14. I thought it was a ridiculous rule at the time, but she was concerned about our ability to handle a razor when we were so young.

With my daughter, it will be based on when she wants to do it. If she's 9 or 10 and asks, then I will show her how to do it. I totally understand your desire to hold off -it is sad how quickly they grow. But if your daughter is uncomfortable now (and we could end up having warm weather till mid-October like we did last year), then I would say let her try it. Good luck!

Hi M.. I don't believe 10 is a bad age. I was shaving by this age as I also got my period at this age. And children say it like it is and they can be cruel. And girls today are much more cruel then when I was young. There are such better razors today... I recommend the Venus it is very hard to cut yourself - at least I haven't managed to yet! And I am good at it because I do it real quick - can't stand it. You could also purchase an electric one that she cannot cut herself. OR creams you can do for her to remove the hair avon's is pretty darn good. Then you won't have to do so often. But your little girl is growing up and you get a chance to help her learn all those things we women wish we didn't have to do. Remember she may wear shorts to school at the beginning and end of the years and wear a dress to school... Make her feel comfortable when she does.

Hello M. it sounds like you don't want your little girl to grow up :-) can't remember when my daughter started shaving her legs as I probably didn't know when she did as we never talked about it and she never asked questions. I think if she has a lot of thick dark hair by all means let her shave them off. I personally use the stuff you put on leave it for 4 or 5 minutes and wipe it off that way there are no bandades needed. It is sad when they grow up and in no time there are out of the house enjoy every minute you have with them. My daughter lives in Ky. and the two boy's live in California not enough trips to enjoy them as often as we would like.

Hi M.:
My daughter is 11 and has been shaving for about a year. It was a very tough decision but I let her do it because she has very dark hair and was VERY uncomfortable and self-conscious. We made a big deal out of it by going shopping for an electric razor, having lunch and made it a great "Mommy and Me" day. I wanted to keep my baby young for as long as possible but I don't regret the decision for one second. She has been very responsible with taking care of her razor and I haven't had to tell her once to pick it up and put it away, etc. We chose the electric razor because it is sooooooo much less painful. She hasn't had any cuts to deal with and is very happy!!
Good Luck!!

WOW, I'm so shocked by alot of the responses. My mom said I was 13 (I called her when I saw this, lol). My dd will be 10 on 8/20 and has been asking for years. She also has long dark hair on her legs. None of her friends shave yet (at least none that I know or that come over here) and I believe 10 is WAY too young. We talked to her ped. about it and was told to leave it be for now. Once you start shaving (just like with a man's face), it will come in faster and darker (if they are dark haired to begin with). I'm just not ready for that and I know she isn't so we hope to hold off at least another 2 years. If I find out others in her class are doing it sooner (she starts 5th grade on the 26th), I MAY reconsider. ALOT of her friends are boys and not one has ever said anything so we aren't worried about them in the least.
I think you should hold off..but you also have to do what is best for your family and your daughter. Good luck in your choice. I'm going to keep watching this to see if any others pop in.

S. :-)

I would let her. If it's thick and dark she has probably been made fun of. Don't forgrt kids can be cruel.

My sister even shaved her arms. They were always very thick and dark. She is a blonde. Our father's family is very very hairy. Grandpa looked like a blonde Ape when he took his shirt off. Hair even hung down his pants legs. My sons take after my husband family mostly. His Dad male members didn't even shave. We had been married for 10 years before he bought a second can of shaving cream he had so little to shave.

Honestly? If your daughter is ready to start doing it, why not let her? I aksed my mom if I could start shaving when I was around 11 or 12, and she said "no," so I just started doing it behind her back. What could she do? I mean of all the things girls want to do, what's the big deal? As long as you think she would be safe with a razor, there's no reason she shouldn't be allowed to shave, especially if there's a chance that she will be made fun of if she doesn't.

My daughter was 11, but many of her friends were already doing it (had started at 10 or even earlier). I hated to see her start because her hair was blond, but my opinion is that if your daughter is feeling self-conscious you should let her. My mom didn't let me do things when I wanted (shaving, wearing pantyhose, etc) and it set me apart from other kids my age, and I think it led to a bad body image as a teen.

I would start allowing it when you see she needs it...which is obviously now! I had two daughters....one was a little older when she started shaving but my youngest needed to much sooner. Girls are much more self conscious of their looks and so in my opinion, this could help boost her confidence. Be sure you sit down with her and show her the proper way to shave so she won't suffer the nicks and cuts.

Good luck!

All girls are different. I have twin daughters that are 13 and they have been shaving for about 2 years. I believe that if they are asking, then it must be bothering them. I wouldn't wait much longer. Keep the blades fresh and use a shaving gel or something.

Since I was an extremely hairy child, as was my daughter (who also started developing at 9 and was in bras by 10) we both started shaving then. Bless my parents! They got me an electric razor to start out with that had an attachment for legs and one for underarms. Made life much easier for all of us! No cuts, no scars, etc.
I know it is a difficult decision to make for you. Once you start it never ends unless you can afford electrolsis (sp) which I never have been able to afford for myself or my daughter! I was so bad I used to shave daily, thank God as I have aged that has backed off!

M.,

I was with you on this issue, however the hair on my daughters legs began to get so long and dark I gave in. Almost three years later I'm glad I did. Girls are not the most kind and it's difficult to know when the right time would be to start wearing make up and shaving your legs also sounds like she is the oldest. It can be difficult to let the first one grow up. Good Luck many more difficult adventures await you...

My daughter is 10 1/2 and has very thick light colored hair. I too was trying to hold off as long as I could, but just decided it was time. Also, because school is starting in two weeks, I wanted to make sure that if she was around others who were shaving (and there are lots), that she looked and felt confident and comfortable with her body. Hormones have been running rapid in my house, and shaving is a natural course of those hormones. I have an electric shaver, so I showed her how it worked on one leg and she shaved the other.

Good Luck!

My mom made me wait until I was in Jr High but that was way too late. I have dark brown hair. I was picked on and teased mercilessly about it in 4th and 5th grade (when alot of other girls started shaving if it was noticible). I vowed to let my girls start whenever they wanted to if they have dark hair so I don't care if it's 10 years old or not. I've always used Skintimate shave gel and a good disposable (change after 3-4 times so it stays sharp... the sharper the blade, the fewer nicks and cuts you know). My oldest daughter is only 4 so I have awhile. :-)

My sister showed her daughter how to do it when she was 11... most her friends had already been shaving for awhile but since she has light blonde hair it was barely noticible.

I will be trying to follow this! My husband has been informing me for a year now that our 7 y/o needs to shave. NO, scratch that, I need to shave her legs for her since she is only 7!!! I KNOW 7 is too young. Same thing though...thick dark hair! They do seem to grow up way too fast!!!