What Age to Start Shaving Legs?

Updated on October 21, 2013
J.H. asks from Westfield, NJ
24 answers

My 11-year-old daughter today just noticed her hair on her legs. What age do girls start shaving? Honestly I'm so dang old I really can't remember when I started doing it!

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So What Happened?

Thanks for all the quick responses! I had asked her if any of her friends shave yet but she doesn't know - she said they don't talk about that kind of stuff :)

I'll ask her tonight if she wants to start and go from there. Her hair is pretty dark which is why she noticed it (said her legs looked like a man!). I'm glad she decided on her own rather than wanting to do it because everyone else was.

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C.N.

answers from Baton Rouge on

If it's bothering HER, it's time to let her do something about it. There is no set age, and if it never bothers her, she never has to do it.

3 moms found this helpful
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R.K.

answers from Appleton on

I spent many years as a young girl totally embarassed by the amount of hair on my legs and armpits. My Mom refused to let me shave, I honestly wanted to hide in my closet. If she notices it and wants to shave --- let her shave.

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T.S.

answers from San Francisco on

They start shaving when they have hair and it bothers them, could be ten, could be fifteen (could be never, some girls never shave their legs!)

2 moms found this helpful

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T.F.

answers from Dallas on

No set age. You start when she asks and tells you she's ready.

I feel for the girls I went to school with because their mom's had a set "age" in mind and it really damaged the self esteem of some of the goths because they were so self conscious of it.

If I recall correctly, my daughter was about 11 when she started shaving.

Best wishes, they grow up too fast!

2 moms found this helpful

F.W.

answers from Danville on

personally...I wish 'we' as a culture had NEVER begun shaving...lol

it is a PITA!!!

That said, when my girls began noticing leg hair, I got them razors. For eldest daughter, I got her an electric one. It was 'safe'...but not very 'functional'.

for next 'in line daughters...a safety razor with some supervision.

When 'they ask' is when they need to start...IMO

best!

2 moms found this helpful

S.G.

answers from Grand Forks on

I was 12 and I had just started jr. high. If she is bothered by it then it is a good time to start. I was bothered by it when I was about 10, but nobody suggested to me I could shave my legs.

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B.A.

answers from Minneapolis on

When ever it bothers them enough to ask to shave or wax. One of my daughters started shaving at 8 years old because she was being teased about hairy legs. Another did not until she was past 13 because she had very little hair on her legs and she did not care to shave.

If she is uncomfortable and shaving will make her feel better, I say go for it whatever age she is.

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J.C.

answers from Anchorage on

Let her start when she is ready.

1 mom found this helpful

M.N.

answers from Phoenix on

Now is a good age..I started to shave when i was her age.

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M.K.

answers from Dallas on

When they notice and ask. My first daughter asked at 11 almost 12. My second was 10 almost 11. She is a little more hairier than the first one. Once they asked we got decent razors and I 'watched' them do it themselves until they got the hang of it.

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J.C.

answers from Philadelphia on

When they ask. I was in 5th grade. My oldest was in 5 the grade and my youngest hasn't expressed an interest yet. She is 10.

1 mom found this helpful

M.D.

answers from Washington DC on

My daughter in 5th grade and wants to, and I'm okay with it. I told her to wait for spring though so she doesn't have to do it all winter long....and she was okay with that.

She has friends who shave already, one is a few months younger than she is and has been shaving for months now. They are 10.

So I'd say when she asks. I can't imagine being told I wasn't allowed to do that.

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S.H.

answers from Honolulu on

It doesn't matter what age.
What matters is, that she either needs to or not, per if her leg hairs are dark and obvious and icky looking by now or not.
If you can see it and think it is TOO much, then others probably can see it too.
Leg hairs can be, light and just barely there, or heavy and dark already and needing to be shaved.
My daughter is almost 11. She has leg hairs. But for her, it is barely obvious. So she doesn't need to yet. But others have dark leg hair that look like forests already and are unsightly, and need to be shaved.

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M.L.

answers from Colorado Springs on

I think that when the girl notices it and wants to do something about it, that's the time to teach her. You're not pushing her to grow up; she has done all the noticing herself.

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K.L.

answers from Washington DC on

My oldest turned 12 in August and she wanted to do it the night before the first day of school - 7th grade! She actually wanted me to do it for her, so I did. She has done it herself from then on.

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C.S.

answers from Las Vegas on

If she wants to shave them, I would let her. Just show her how to do it the right way.

1 mom found this helpful
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G.B.

answers from Oklahoma City on

I'd say whenever you feel it's okay. It's up to the mom to decide.

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G.L.

answers from Salt Lake City on

My daughter asked about it when she was 11 because she had some friends who were shaving. She seemed to think of it as a requirement, so I explained to her that it isn't - it's up to the owner of the body hair and whether she likes herself shaven or not. We talked about social norms associated with shaving (i.e. American women tend to go smooth-skinned, many other cultures don't, etc.), and whether or not she wanted to conform. I shared my personal preferences with her (summer, shave lower legs, winter, don't - underarms always, because I don't like to feel of hair under my arms), and explained that her own preferences might be different. Then we looked in the mirror. While my daughter had developed some body hair, she is so fair that it is mostly invisible. So she decided that she didn't feel the need to shave right now. If she changes her mind later, I'll introduce her to tools and technique then.

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J.W.

answers from Detroit on

I believe around that age. I also had underarm hair starting which embarrassed me. My mom got me an electric razor. I know it is not as close of a shave, but at that age it it "good enough" and safer.

R.X.

answers from Houston on

Wow. Culture shock. As a black woman, we start about 21 if at all.

Hair on our legs grow lightly and shaving makes it darker and more thick.

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D.T.

answers from Muncie on

That's about when I started. Dark haired and thick. Shaving is such a royal pain in the tush. Takes FOREVER!

I suggest helping her the first time around with a true razor, then let her do the daily electric upkeep on her own.

Once a week I true razor, then electric everyday after. Keep things in check.

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P.K.

answers from New York on

When she is ready she will ask. Wait until then.

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J.M.

answers from Tampa on

Mine started in 4th. It was bothering her, she's 12 now. My 9 year old wants to and I wasn't ready. She has a few long hairs in her pits but I cut them off. Not ready for her to shave yet. Her leg hair is light so I think next year she will be ready.

C.M.

answers from Washington DC on

I was 13 when I started but I know I had some friends that were already doing it. I think my sister was around 11. She was a lot more hairy than I was though. Even now, my leg hair is still blonde, so I only need to shave about once a week in the winter and maybe twice a week in the summer.
If your daughter is uncomfortable with the hair, then let her start now.

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