PHOTO: Reese Witherspoon, Ryan Phillipe Reunite
25 Funniest Tweets From Parents This Week
Hair Waxing for Tweens: How Young Is Too Young?
Filed under: Tween Culture, Development: Tweens
Waxing too early can make it difficult for doctors to tell if girls are maturing properly. Credit: Getty Images
Girls can be in such a hurry grow up fast -- they want to wear makeup, carry purses and get waxed. Wait ... waxed?
Yep, teen and tweendom comes with more and more of the trappings of womanhood these days, and salon owners say they now see girls as young as 8 coming in to get unwanted body hair removed.
The youngest waxers tend to want to get rid of the dark fuzz on their upper lips or shape up unibrows, and are often the children of clients, Diane Fisher, owner of Eclips Kids Salon in Ashburn, Va., tells ParentDish.
"Where we live, there's a lot of Middle Easterners," she says. "Lots of the girls have dark hair for their age. They're self-conscious."
Wanda Stawczyk, owner of Wanda's European Skin Care Center in New York, says girls who start waxing young, even before they have dark hair, will always have lighter, thinner hair.
"It's a very big result," she tells ParentDish. "The hair is diminished almost 100 percent."
She advocates for it even more strongly on her website.
"I call it the 'Virgin' -- waxing for children 8 years old and up who have never shaved before," the website reads. "Virgin hair can be waxed so successfully that growth can be permanently stopped in just 2 to 6 sessions. Save your child a lifetime of waxing ... and put the money in the bank for her college education instead!"
Stawczyk says the number of young girls she sees has increased by about 50 percent in the past year.
Many of her littlest clients start coming to her when they are 8 or 9 years old and get a range of services from lip waxes to lower leg waxes, Stawczyk says.
"Everything but bikini," she tells ParentDish. "We don't want to introduce them to that kind of service yet."
Regular bikini waxing starts at 14 or 15 for her clients, Stawczyk says.
And the ouch factor?
"The children, they don't feel the pain," Stawczyk insists. "They have weaker hair. All of them, when they come the first time, they're afraid, but it doesn't hurt them. I would say it hurts less than a Band-Aid."
Helps With Their Self Esteem
But is all this OK, or is it harmful for girls to get waxed at such a tender age? For the most part, there isn't a problem, says Rebekah Williams, assistant professor of clinical pediatrics and adolescent medicine at Indiana University.
"For some young women, it actually helps with their self esteem," she says of girls who are embarrassed about visible dark growth.
But Williams does issue one caveat.
"It's fine to wax any body hair," she tells ParentDish. "It's the pubic hair that's most concerning to me."
Waxing pubic hair if a girl is too young can make it difficult for doctors to tell if a girl is maturing as she should, Williams says.
"We use development of a certain type of hair and distribution of hair as a marker of normal puberty," she says.
Doctors look primarily at breast and hair development to determine if puberty is progressing at a healthy rate. Facial hair and underarm hair are a part of that, but pubic hair is a key indicator -- and not only the presence of it, but its location, as well. One indication of the final stage of puberty is the pubic hair hitting the leg, Williams says. If that hair is waxed too soon, doctors lose an important marker.
After puberty, though -- which can come very early for some girls -- Williams has no issues with waxing of any sort.
"After puberty is complete and we know that it's progressed normally, there's nothing concerning about bikini waxing," she tells ParentDish.
Others, however, think the message waxing sends girls is an unhealthy one.
"Girls are learning the worst possible lessons about body image and body hair," Dr. Diane Levin, professor of education at Wheelock College in Boston and co-author of the book "So Sexy So Soon" tells MSNBC. "Keep your bodies like little girls' because that's what men like."
Related: SmackDown: Should Kids Wear Skinny Jeans?
Your<span>Voice</span>
Ask Us Anything About Parenting
Recently Asked
- Why would the defendant file an acknowledgment of service instead of a defence?
- . two ways to lose property's selling or debt ( debt property is sold to pay debt) the debt has to be proved) court managing property?
- Does the dc superior court represent the irs in a civil filing or does the irs have attorneys?
RelatedVideos
-
Doctor: Many Child Care Providers Aren't Adequately Protecting Kids
In the United States, only 10 percent of children receive "high quality" day care, while the rest have to place their children somewhere affordable. When it comes to safety and regulations we aren't doing what should be done. Nancy Redd is joined by guest Dr. Marcy Whitebrook to discuss.
-
Jenni Pulos Reveals the Best and Worst Pregnancy Advice
When 'Bravo' star Jenni Pulos stopped by the OK! offices, she filled us in on the best and worst advice she's gotten about pregnancy. Also, listen to the one thing you can stop telling her now about having a baby.
-
Why Even Good Students Cheat in School
It's natural for parents to react with horror when told their child cheated in school, but new research reveals the line between right and wrong in the classroom is often hazy for young children. Work & Family columnist Sue Shellenbarger joins Lunch Break with appropriate responses for parents, and Laina Avant weighs in from her personal experiences with her young daughter.
-
My Husband Refuses to Meet with Our Daughter's Therapist
Skelley Skas discusses child therapy and how to get both parents involved in a child's betterment and emotional and mental health.
SitesWeLove
- Site Map
- |
- Staff
- |
- Terms of Service
- |
- Privacy Policy
- |
- Trademarks
- |
- Advertise With Us
- |
- About Our Ads
- |
- AOL Downloads
- |
- Contact Us
- |
© Copyright 2012 AOL Inc. All Rights Reserved.
Aol Family
ReaderComments (Page 1 of 4)
8-24-2010 @ 12:37PM
dougalcandy said...I wasn't even allowed to shave my legs until I was 12, which was back in the 70's. No makeup till 8th grade. The same for all of my friends--we were actually kids, played punchball in the street, rollerskated, even Barbies. My daughter was a little girl and behaved as such until she hit middle school. Parents, why are you pushing your kids to grow up so fast? Then when they're teenagers and want to behave as adults, we tell them they're still children. I loved childhood, let them be kids for as long as they can!
Reply
8-25-2010 @ 2:33PM
linda said...So hairy legs, lips, unibrow, sideburns and pit hair keep them children? Come on.
8-25-2010 @ 4:59PM
3girlzmama said...I have 3 girls. 2 teenagers and 8 yrs. My teenagers are real big on hair removal which is okay but my 8 year old is obsessed. I found out she shaved her legs last year for the first time when she sat with me to watch a movie and I started rubbing her legs. I told her under No circumstances is it okay for her to shave. She cried. I found out that she did it again then again. Each time I yelled at her it just hurt her feelings. She said she hates the hair and likes it to be gone, I even caught her plucking the few hairs that were on her big toes. Finally when she snuck a new razor (she'd been using her sisters) and cut a huge gash in her leg that she was afraid of telling me about, I decided that I would work with her. I bought her an electric wet /dry razor. She is happy because it cuts close enough and I am happy because she is safe.
8-25-2010 @ 5:37PM
susie said...Ditto, I could have written your post myself, "youth is lost on the young" is an old dead saying...... youth is just lost completely these days. Such a shame.
8-25-2010 @ 6:39PM
Gabi said...Oh Please! It's harmless and it's totally cultural anyway. If it stunts the growth of more hair so much the better. In many countries women are hairy and wouldn't even think to get rid of it (at least, say thirty, years ago) - it's mostly North Americans who got the fad started in modern times anyway. Ancient times the middle east epilated. It's a sort of nothing issue, except for the fact no kid should endure embarrassment for body or facial hair.
8-25-2010 @ 7:22PM
jessica said...Instead of parents teaching their children to change their body, try taking responsibility as a parent and teach your child how to cope and love their body. By the time they are thirteen, they can make the decision to shave or wax. THEIR decision, not yours. Anytime sooner is just a child wanting to fit in and it is not a good reason. This teaches them that altering your body and later on in life, permanently altering your body is an acceptable way to deal with the cruelty of society. (newsflash: it isn't) I hate that our culture has this obsession with immature-looking, hairless bodies for both women and men. I didn't care about shaving until I was around 13. I have scars all over my legs from razor mishaps. I come from an Italian family so it's not like I have *a little* hair. I can get pretty hairy but I really don't care much for shaving anymore.
8-25-2010 @ 7:13PM
Donna Hayes said...I think we ought to mind our own business, and let other parents raise their own children as they see fit.
8-24-2010 @ 7:37PM
Michelle said...I'm all for keeping my daughter a "little girl" for as long as possible, but sometimes Mother Nature has plans of her own. My daughter is 10, almost 11, and for several months now I have noticed she has been growing some fine, underarm hair. When my younger daughter noticed it, I thought it was about time to get rid of it, so I didn't make a big deal of it, and I shaved it off for her. I'm still not ready for her to be shaving her legs (once you start that the hair never grows back as fine, and razors can be dangerous anyhow), so I'll probably wait until she starts junior high for that, but I think it's okay to get rid of body hair when it risks embarrassment to the child. Because, unfortunately, I cannot stop other kids from teasing my girls if they happen to have a lot of body hair at a young age.
Now my daughter can still feel confident in her bathing suit or sleeveless tops this summer. As far as her doctor looking at the hair growth, I'll just let her know when I started noticing the hair.
I think every girl is different, too. My daughter happens to have very light body hair. Girls that have dark or excessive hair growth due to heredity may want to start hair removal at an earlier age. Hair removal is just a feminine thing, at least in this country. It doesn't mean your daughter is growing up faster than she needs to bem and it's not the same as wearing lots of makeup or skimpy clothing. Most girls just want to look like a feminine girl, not a hairy boy.
Reply
8-24-2010 @ 3:00PM
Sheila said...I started waxing my legs and bikini area when I was about 22, and continued every summer for about 8 years. I then started to get a lot of ingrown hairs -- deep ones, not "surface" ones. I asked my dermatologist about it and he said that removing hair by the roots can cause the new follicle to grow in "curly" or slightly deformed, and this new hair doesn't always find it's way to the surface. At that time I had a couple of ingrown hairs that I wanted him to remove surgically, but he said the scar would be worse than the bump. I stopped waxing after that, but I still have ingrown hairs from 25 years ago! They've turned into little brown bumps. I also tried electrolysis a few times (before I started having the ingrown hair problem) and I have 2 ingrown hair bumps from that, too. I wonder if children start waxing young if they will be more prone to getting ingrown hairs, since their bodies are still developing and changing.
8-24-2010 @ 7:08PM
Jenni-Anne said...Sounds to me like you were the one with the issues with her underarm hair. Sounds to me like the real issue is now YOU can be comfortable with her in a tank top or bathing suit. How come not once in the post did you say it bothered her? Or was it just you it bothered?
How about we teach our children proper self esteem before altering their body?
8-25-2010 @ 3:37PM
Addiesmom said...Sheila, thanks for posting that. I was having some issues from getting waxed, and I thought that the more I did it, the less the ingrown hairs would happen. Now that I read your post I'm going to stop doing it.
Thanks again.
8-26-2010 @ 3:44PM
Suzy said...who would want their young children to do this? How stupid! I did not let my daughter shave until middle school and I was not allowed to shave until I was 13 and only if I could wash dishes and clean my room properly.
Reply
8-24-2010 @ 3:40PM
Parissa Wax said...What are the important questions we need to ask ourselves as responsible child-loving adults?
How about we start here:
- Is this the child's idea, or someone else's?
- If it was the child's idea, why does he/she want the hair removed?
- is this an issue of self esteem?
We want everyone to feel beautiful and we also want you to have smooth skin - IF that's what you want and IF it's the right choice for you.
If waxing is the right choice - then please go to a professional esthetician first, before trying do-it-yourself waxes (like ours). It's the best way to educate you and your child about the pros and cons of waxing - AND it offers a great venue for them to ask whatever questions they may have. Comfort is key.
Reply
8-25-2010 @ 11:56AM
court said...I started waxing my upperlip and eyebrows two months ago. I'm thirteen and I gotta say it did help with my self esteem now that I know I don't have a mustache or a unibrow.
Reply
8-25-2010 @ 2:37PM
linda said...This a matter of hygiene too.
Reply
8-25-2010 @ 10:47PM
da said...What? So people with hair are not as clean as people without hair?
Is that what you are saying?
If girls want to remove facial hair or leg hair thats up to them.
But do not try to hygiene as an excuse.
8-25-2010 @ 5:48PM
vickie said...It has nothing to do with hygiene....I am italian and any full bloodied european will have hair somewhere they don't want it...it looks darker because it is...I use the creams....they are allot better....skin stays smooth and no pain....I never had a problem because I don't have body hair other than the usual until I got in my 50's and got facial hair....so i just use cream.....I've been married for 38 years ...never bothered my husband...he was too busy looking at my boobs........
1-26-2011 @ 9:03PM
SophisticatedSparkle said...Concerned about hygiene? USE SOAP, THEN.
8-25-2010 @ 3:01PM
Anonymous said...i started using depilatory creams at an early age around 11 or 10. and started waxing about 12 and now im 14. it does bother me and it is a source of hygiene. And there are certain ways to do things better which i wish i wouldve known, or more or less listened to my mum, But There is some advice i could give, use Nad's Waxing gel, It Is A natural Aussie Wax that um works with no heat, and it is my best friend right now. hahaha well anyways whenever the little girl wants to feel better about herself wax her not shave.
Xx-
Reply
8-25-2010 @ 3:01PM
Kip65per said...I can't believe that Diane Levin would say such a thing "keep your body as little girls that is what men like" !! Wow, where in the world is this woman coming from. Her statement concerns me greatly.
Reply