Tips for Talking to Your Teen Daughter About Shaving

Though there isn’t a set age to talk to your daughter about shaving, you can look for noticeable cues it’s time to have the conversation. For instance, she may approach you about wanting to start shaving, or you may start noticing her body hair and want to start that conversation. Either way, make sure she knows you’re there to talk with her about shaving when she’s ready.

Especially as puberty hits, your daughter might bring up shaving on her own. It could be out of simple curiosity or because her friends are starting to shave. Or, she could be feeling self-conscious about her new body hair.

Change can be scary, especially when it comes to body changes. It’s important to remind your daughter there is nothing wrong with having body hair and shaving is entirely her choice. Let her know you are there to teach her if and when she wants to start shaving.

If your daughter is growing more body hair but hasn’t tried to talk to you about it, that’s fine. She may not be interested in shaving. However, she might also be scared to talk to you about it, in which case starting that conversation may help her feel more comfortable.

You can wait and see if she approaches you, or you can bring up the topic in a subtle way. Let her know if she wants to learn how to shave, you’re there to help her along the way. And if she isn’t interested, reassure her not shaving is perfectly OK, too.

First and foremost, make sure your daughter knows sharing razors is not sanitary and can cause infections to spread. Because of this, it’s important that she has her own razor blade.

And if your daughter needs help shaving, help her build her own razor. That way, she can choose which handle, colour and number of blades she wants.

In addition to not sharing razors, it’s important to throw away disposable razor blades or change blade refill cartridges when they become dull. She may be nervous about getting nicked, but assure her a sharp blade leads to better results and fewer chances of nicks and skin irritation than a dull blade. If her blade pulls at her body hair or feels rough on her skin, it’s time to replace it. In general, razor blades last five to 10 shaves depending on how frequently she shaves.

Another safety tip is to always use shaving gel. This helps maintain moisture and allows the razor to glide more easily across the skin, which reduces the chances of skin irritation. Applying a moisturizing lotion or oil, one that’s preferably alcohol-free, after she finishes shaving will also preserve moisture and keep her skin hydrated.

You can show her how to shave or walk her through the process.

Regardless of the location — whether it’s the armpits, legs or bikini area — she should soak the area in warm water for at least three to five minutes via a bath or shower, and apply shaving gel. And, make sure she knows how to shave each individual area for the best results:

• For legs, gently shave from the ankles up
• For armpits, shave in all directions — downward, sideways and upward as needed
• For the bikini area, first, shave in the direction of the hair growth; then reapply shaving cream and go against the grain for a closer shave.