Hair Removal for Children

Hair Removal Methods Friction
#1

I have a seven year old daughter (India origin) who has fine black hair on her back, legs, arms and upper lip.

She is beginning to notice it and I believe it will affect her confidence to do certain activities in the near future. Some kids at school have also made comments about the hair.

I’m sure this is a genetic problem, since I am hairy as well I will be getting her checked by a specialist or doctor to make sure it is not a hormone problem.

Is there any treatment that can be used to remove the hair safely. The hair is fine currently, would a friction method remove and kill the hair?

Thanks
Sunjit

#2

Well, friction is a temporary method that removes the portion of the hair above the skin’s surface, so it is not permanent. It should be safe to use on her legs but I would definitely recommend adult supervision at all times, and start very gently. Be even more careful if you are going to use friction on the back and arms, and I would not recommend friction for the upper lip.

You might check the Hairfacts site and other Hairtell forums to help determine which methods would be most appropriate for which areas. The only permanent methods are electrolysis and laser. Laser is effective for dark hair, but it should be used with extreme caution on dark skin because it is more likely to scar dark skin. And I don’t know if electrolysis or laser would be recommend for a child so young. Hope you find something that works though.

#3

One correction,desparate Andy, Laser IS NOT approved for permanent hair removal. Check the FDA website.

#4

Hi Sunjit,

I was in the exact same position as your daughter. I am also an Indian girl and started growing dark hairs on the facial area, legs, and arms at the age of 6. Facial and arms being the worst.

Like you have probably read in most of these forums, the best solution is shaving, especially for someone so young. I’m glad to see you’re giving her lots of support, she really needs it right now :slight_smile: I’ve gone through the comments. They’re very immature comments. The good news is they are kids and will grow up and realize their immaturity, the bad news is your daughter is at such a fragile stage in her life.

Definitely get her checked out for hormone imbalances, it’s something I never did and I know I should. In the meantime, look at methods like shaving. When she gets older, electrolysis may boost her self-confidence. It is something I will be looking at once I earn my degree and earn enough money to pay for it.

Best of luck to you and your daughter.

#5

Hi! I see many Indian kids with lots of facial hair. But I don’t think that they should be shaving their facial hair. Wouldn’t it come back thicker? I know this only because an Indian friend of me started shaving when she was younger, and now she has a very thick stubble, like a man. I think that Sunjit should teach her daughter how to handle negative comments and remarks about her facial hair. And then when her daughter is older, and her skin is not so sensitive, then she can look into other forms of hair removal other than shaving.

#6

Oh…forgot to elaborate. It’s OK to shave the hair on arms & legs. But I would hold off on the facial hair. Also with using friction on the face, since you are Indian, that would mean that years later, the skin will result in hyperpigmentation.

#7

Shaving does NOT make the hair come back thicker or stronger. (there is an illusion that it is, as the shaving cuts off the tappered end, thus losing the soft flexible tip, thus the hair terminates in a hard scratchy stubbley end) but tweezing, waxing, and anything else that rips hair out of the follicle DOES cause thickening, darkening, and may stimulate more hairs to grow in that area.

Although I would not recommend friction for any hair removal, I would outlaw it for the face if I could.

#9

Laser is NOT “permanent hair removal.” Laser is “permanent hair reduction” (not the same thing).

1 Like