Girls facial and arm hair...

[karen-clark]

Hi everyone! My oldest daughter is 12.5 and just told me people have teased her about her dark hair on her forearms and her 'mustache.' :( I feel bad for her and want to do something about it. She is part Native American and has always been 'hairy' all over and I've just been waiting for her to let me know it's an issue. I finally just asked her about it tonight. Her sister has the same genes but takes after me more than her Dad. Anyway I never had to deal with this so I have no clue what to do.

What is best, a dipilatory? Bleaching? I don't think I could get her to wax, and shaving is probably out. I told her she can shave her legs this summer but there's really no need to start that yet. She said her arms really bother her, as well as her lip, so I want to focus on those now.

If you have any tips for me, or brands of products to try, PLEASE let me know. There is no one in my family who has this problem we are all blonde or light brown haired, and not much of that! HELP!!!!!!!

Thanks!

[alowe]

In my opinion bleaching is out. I work for a friend who owns a day spa and a lady came in the other day with a HORRIBLE mustache and refused to wax and instead bleached it, which looked awful. It was a full on blonde mustache, not a good look. A friend of mine shaves her arms and it isn't a huge deal. They are always smooth, she just prefers them that way. I used depilatories when I was younger before I started waxing and they occassionally really irritated my lip and even caused scabbing so if you go that route make sure you are in charge and read the directions really well to avoid all that. It used to really make my lip red and uncomfortable. We have 2 little girls around 12 who come in to get waxed. I personally think waxing is the best option for the upper lip, but it hurts like a mother. I just got mine done today and I go as long as I can. The arms can be shaved no problem. It doesn't take long to do and she can keep up on it and do it often, you can also wax them, but that can get spendy. Hope some of this helps you.

[becky]

i had this exact same issue at this exact same age if that helps at all. My mom took me to get my lip waxed in the 7 grade and did that all through high school until i was in college and i went myself. Now i just take care of it at home though every once in a while will go and get it done by the pros.

I'm sure you will be hearing other advice but i can strongly suggest against those hair removal creams on the face and arms. I knew girls in school who used those and the hair that grew back looked far worse than what they had in the first place becuase it grew back darker and thicker.

If you can find the right gal waxing can be nearly painless. I wish i knew someone up here i can recommend to you. You do want to be careful if you do go the waxing route that you find someone who is experienced with young pre-teens. Its so easy to burn the skin with wax and if you go to someone who is inexperienced they can very easily burn your girls delicate skin.

If it would help Karen i would be more than happy to help you with your girls especially since i have gone through this myself and they know me. just let me know. maybe we can make it a girls afternoon and we all get hair removed from our faces....god knows i need to go myself and it can help make the trip fun and special.

[becky]

I know a couple ladies here said they hate NADS and it hurts liek hell but i love it. I think waxing actually hurts more but I use NADS all the time at home. We can anyways do a day at home to get rid of the hair. I have even used it on Victor and it works great and you don't have to worry about burning or irritating your skin. Its just an after thought if you are interested.

[Luckylove]

Maybe you can bring her to the Arbonne party. Didn't Sara say she was trying to get her esthetician SIL to come do waxings? Maybe she will have advice. Also, your daughter might feel more comfortable with it if there are other women around her doing it and other beauty treatments. She will feel like one of the girls :tongue

[karen-clark]

OMG you guys are scaring me I cannot even imagine what she'd do. Seriously she is SO sensitive and skittish I just can't see her going for waxing! I wonder if I can just psych her out about it. She will hate me for life after though. LOL! What about laser? I know it is expensive but HOW expensive? Maybe I can get her Dad to help pay! HA!

[karen-clark]

Kathleen thats a great idea. Even if we don't do anything that night I do want to get her to start thinking about these things and taking care of her skin without me nagging her to. If everyone's OK with having her there! She's a good kid, but she's still a 'kid.' LOL!

[LMS]

karen: I think having her come to get her lip waxed at the party is a great idea.
I'm thinking about having sarah's girl wax my eyebrows and if a few others decide to do their eyebrows, lips, etc, it might make her realize that it's normal, and although it hurts it's only for a second, and then it'll be fine.
Maybe if she sees a few of us do it first??


Laser is PRICEY and you have to go lots of times for it to go away, BUT with liphair I'd totally do it, b/c... don't laugh... I always think I'd never laser my eyebrows or bikini line, b/c what if i wanted to "try something different" later, but it was too late b/c i had permanently lasered them into a certain shape? taht isn't a likely problem with the lip as i doubt 'staches will be "in" anytime soon, LOL.

Arm hair I dunno what to say on... I think that's more of a 'lets discuss why it's okay to be different' kind of thing. Bear in mind, this is coming from a toehead so any hair i have is hardly noticable unless you are thisclose to me.
Jr, on the other hand, is a hairy beast :lol
hairy legs, hairy arms, hairy chest (no hairy back, thank god) and 5 oclock shadow by 11am. He was always SUPER self conscious about it and when he was much younger he always hated it.
Now that he's older, it bothers him much less (plus it helps that I kind of like the hairy chest... smooth chests weird me out... they just look too femanine for me, and I prefer to be the girl in my relationships, LOL) but it took a LOT of "just wait, honey... when you're older you'll find a girl who likes it" talks from his mom.

[Lynette]

Salina is also a lot darker and hairier than me and she started asking about shaving and whatnot when she was probably 10ish so I let her. I figured if it bothered her, who was I to inflict my will on her since I am lighter and not very hairy so don't have to worry about it? I remember my mom telling me when she was a kid she got teased but her mom didn't get it so she did all sorts of whacky stuff to get rid of the hair which just made it worse.

Since like Jackie said, girl moustaches will never be in vogue, I would go for permanent like laser or electrolysis. At about 12 Salina (she is 13.5 now) got a few lip hairs and the electrolysist zapped them in one or two $15 appointments and they never came back. Then she started working on the few hairs in the middle of her eyebrows and took care of most of them too but since we stopped going there have been a few more so we need to make another couple of appointments. You can't laser your brows though, nothing close to the eyes and although it can be pricey for big areas like legs or arms, the lip is not too bad for permanent hair loss.

I actually used Nads to rip out my arm hair before, I kind of liked the look and feel actually. I have freckles so I thought it brought out my spots :D Salina was a big weenie with Nads though, I did like one strip on her leg once and she wouldn't let me finish! :lol She has had her brows waxed a couple of times and says it hurts like crazy buts hates the crazy brows more so she puts up with it. She is letting them grow in right now though so the electrolysist can clean up the strays when we go back.

When Salina laments about her extra hair I like to point out that she has crazy thick hair on her head so at least will never have to worry about going bald :D

Jackie- Way to go JR's mom! That is hysterical!!! :biglaugh

[FTM2Hannah]

I think waxing would be the best route. I know a gal who is an estetician and is very gentle and wonderful! She works here in Santa Rosa. I'd be happy to give the name out if anyone is interested.

[LMS]

Lynette: I don't know how comfortable you OR Salina would feel with this, but I was my brows at home using the sally hansen wax strips. I find they hurt WAAAAAAAAAAAAAY less than having them professionally waxed.
It's two pieces of plastic (thin like paper) with wax in the middle. You cut them to the size/shape you want, heat it up between your hands, peel them apart and you have 2 pieces w/ wax ready to use.
It's SO fast and SO easy and doesn't hurt one bit. I LOVE that stuff.

[Lynette]

We might have to try those! Right now she is growing them out so she can go back to the zapping lady can get rid of any in the middle and the other strays but she knows she doesn't want a permanent finished shape because like you said, fashion changes and she is afraid she won't like it.

[colleen&Kail]

i would go for the waxing too! like jackie said i hnk she would go for it if she saw others doing it too.

[LMS]

lynette: IF you go get them (they are cheap) in Walmart/Target they are in the aisle with the razors, etc. And are in a rectangle shaped box, half orange half white, and they say it's for eyebrows, lips and biki lines. and it actually says "hair remover strips" or something along those lines. There is no pot of wax or anything in it. (I got the wrong kind the 2nd time I tried them and still have it b/c i HATED it)

[karen-clark]

I am still not sold on having her wax. I mean look at your little babies/toddlers can you imagine doing that to them?? LOL Yeah she is 12 but she's still my baby! Wah! LOL

[meeg124]

We might have to try those! Right now she is growing them out so she can go back to the zapping lady can get rid of any in the middle and the other strays but she knows she doesn't want a permanent finished shape because like you said, fashion changes and she is afraid she won't like it.

Lynette - what zapping lady do you take Salina to?

[Lynette]

Lynette - what zapping lady do you take Salina to?

Harmon Toni Jo Registered Electrologist
55 Maria Dr Ste 841
Petaluma, CA 94954

(707) 778-2202


Salina said it doesn't hurt at all really, just like a pinch on the worst ones but this lady sells topical lidocaine to numb you right before the appt too. Laser is supposed to hurt like a rubber band snap and the pulses are around a dollar or two each and the size of a pencil eraser so doing a lip would be cheap than say legs. I guess my issue with it is that it is new technology though so not as tested?

[Kellie_MO5]

I've always been a bit hairy... my upper lip never really bothered me, cus it's not very noticeable.... at least I never thought it was.... (and I don't need to hear "Oh, it was the first thing I noticed!" from any of you wise guys...LOL ;) ) But my arms, I usually shave them... I haven't in a couple months, so they're grown back in, but don't really bother me anymore... it doesn't appear as thick as it was before, so I'm just gonna leave good enough alone for now.... though my eyebrows could use a pro. job again (I get them done pro. every now and then, and then just keep the shape with my tweezers at home)

[KaisaG]

Sorry... I'm not much help at all. I'm like you Karen- anywhere I do have hair it's short and blond... I've never waxed my upper lip because I have no need to... I hope whatever you decided works out for you. I know someone that did laser on her upper lip and arm pits... she said it's about $1 per pulse.

[justamom]

I am still not sold on having her wax. I mean look at your little babies/toddlers can you imagine doing that to them?? LOL Yeah she is 12 but she's still my baby! Wah! LOL

LOL, Karen, I did it all the time to my son. I mean he was always getting boo boos, and those band aids are not pleasant to get off, lol.

My daughter has had quite a few painful band aid pulls to simply because she used to want band aids for bumps and bruises too. She has slowed down a bit, lol!

I think you should not push her into any decisions. Simply inform her of her options, then let her decide. Then there is no resentment, and she will appreciate the fact that you trusted her to make her own decision. I know it is hard to watch our babies in pain, but it happens. On the other hand she may decide that the teasing is the better alternative.

That Nads commercial makes it sound great. Someday I will try it for myself. As far as eyebrow waxing, and bikini waxing it hurts more there as the area is more sensitive.

When I was about 28 or 29 I had these 3 stray hairs that started growing from the scar on the bottom of my chin. They drive me crazy! The scars are sensitive so I wonder if laser would be painful I would love to be done with them.

[Cheri]

I would vote for laser only because it is permanent. Just use someone who you feel comfortable with. It isn't as much as you might think & it's permanent. I wish I had this done when I was younger...
Anyway, its worth the money to never have to think about it again.
Just my two cents....don't know about the arm hair

[FTM2Hannah]

Hi Karen,

I talked to my esthetician (sp?) today. She has several clients who bring their daughters in to her. The youngest is 8 years old and she has experience with pre teens and teenagers. She said she can do modified waxing/bleaching and would be more than happy to talk to you about it.

From what I told her, she thought the bleaching would depend on how dark the surrounding skin is and how sensitive it is. If you choose to wax her arms, the hair will come in softer and less noticable compared to shaving (lots of stubby pointy hairs)

Anyway, I'm happy to give you Terri's info if you want. Email or pm' me.

Hope that helps!
Beth

[daisydoc]

I have a great waxing gal here in SR... don't know that you're in SR all that much though. But let me know if you want her info.

[karen-clark]

OK I talked to Fallon and she is OK with leaving her arms the way they are. Honestly they are not that bad so she may be OK with that for a while. I talked to her about electrolysis too and I think we are going to go for that for the lips. Thanks for all the help, everyone!!

[becky]

i would love to get the info for a waxing person. I really want to pamper myself and get some facial waxing done pro.