LETTING MY TWEEN DAUGHTER SHAVE HER LEGS

Is your tween begging you to shave? Not ready to let her grow up just yet?  Well, I feel your pain.  My 11-year-old daughter wants to shave her legs. If you would have told me I'd be letting my 11-year old shave a few years ago, I would have said, "No way, she is too young!" but when you look at her legs, you can totally see that she has a lot hair, and it is very noticeable. My baby girl is growing up and has the hairy genes of her father!

I believe the old wives tale that the hair will grow back darker, stronger etc, but I know she feels embarrassed so I know the right thing to do is let her shave, especially now that she is starting 7th grade. Middle-school can be a nightmare!

I have been allowing her to use Nair for a while now but it is such a pain to use and oh so stinky! It was convenient when we first started on this adventure of pre-puberty at around age 10.  Nair was the best solution for a child so young but with very hairy legs.  I would let her do it every once in a while, when the hair was too out of control. Then she would see how much of a pain it was to apply the cream all over her legs and just how smelly it was, and months would go by, without doing it.

But NOW....now we are in "new territory!"  Summer, plus starting 7th grade and the hair on her legs are more visible than ever!

My debate now is, do I let her use a regular razor an electric shaver?  I had considered buying her an electric shaver rather than a blade razor but upon further research I decided differently.

I researched the pros and cons on Electric Shavers as well as Razors with Blades and this is what I found:


Electric (or dry) shaving

How it works:

An electric razor has a fine screen that glides across the skin’s surface, trapping the hair and cutting it off with a moving blade underneath.

Suggested for: Legs, arms, underarms, bikini area

Advantages:

• Simple and efficient
• Easy enough to do every day
• Can be done just about anywhere since no water or shaving cream is needed

Drawbacks:

• Won’t give you the close shave that a razor in the shower would; results may not last as long as you’d like
• Electric razors are expensive
• Keeping up with tangled cords and battery charges might slow you down
• If your hair is coarse—particularly in the bikini area—electric shaving can cause ingrown hairs

Upon reading the drawbacks of the electric shaver, I re-considered the regular good-old fashioned razor blade:
 

Wet shaving

How it works:

A set of razor blades glides over wet skin and lathered shave gel to remove unwanted hair.
Venus razor blades are spaced close together and spring-mounted to individually adjust to a woman’s natural contours. This way, each razor blade stays in contact with the skin for a curve-hugging, close shave. The Venus Embrace Refillable razor uses 5 blades surrounded by a Ribbon of Moisture for extra glide.

Suggested for: Legs, arms, underarms, and bikini area

Advantages:

• Quick, effective, and safe to do daily
• Painless
• Inexpensive
• Will even exfoliate skin while removing hair

Drawbacks:

• To maintain your softest skin, you have to shave frequently.
• If your hair is coarse—particularly in the bikini area—shaving can cause ingrown hairs. To minimize the risk, exfoliate the area, shave in the direction of the hair growth, and apply a moisturizer after shaving.

TIPS:

First and foremost, let her know that sharing a razor is not recommended (it’s just not hygienic), and help her choose a razor just for her.

You’ll also want to tell her to change the blade at the first sign of discomfort to prevent nicks and cuts. Razor performance will vary depending on how thick the hair is and how big the areas being shaved are, but many girls change their blades after 5 to 10 shaves.

Another important tip is to always use a shave gel, which will help the razor glide smoothly over skin. Not only does this make shaving comfortable, it also helps prevent nicks and cuts.

A great shaving tip for girls: Choose a women’s razor. For example, some Venus razors have rounded, pivoting heads, a Ribbon of Moisture and a curvy handle with SoftGrip gel. They make it easy to shave ankles, behind the knees and underarms.

 How To Start:

Soak the skin in warm water, lather up with a shave gel, and shave with a light touch, against the growth of the hair. Suggest she use a body lotion after shaving, to keep skin moisturized.

MY CONCLUSION:

I think for NOW, I will allow her to use a razor blade with shaving cream for a nice, clean cut shave. I will of course, be supervising and buy her one of the best razors available.  I figured, we shouldn't skip any steps.

We started with Nair.  And now, I will have her start shaving with a razor blade and if she finds it uncomfortable or too difficult, I will expose her to an electric shaver.

NOTE:  Choose the brand that works for YOU and your daughter.  This article in no way endorses a specific brand. Good luck to you and your tween as you venture into the world of puberty!
~Mommy Warrior.