mustache

[wendmatt]

9 yo dd has just told me that she gets teased at school for having a mustache. She has fairly dark hair and she does have hair on her upper lip. Should I just do nothing and tell her to ignore the meanies or maybe get some bleach and try to lighten the hair? I've never used hair lightening cream, is it a danger of burning such young sensitive skin? She would never let me wax it as she hates pain! I don't want her to be uncomfortable with teasing. Girls are so mean! Any advice?

[smiles33]

Awww, your poor DD. I'm so sorry. Kids are so cruel. I still remember a mean boy told a friend of mine in junior high, "You really need to shave." The irony is that she did shave but had really dark hair.

I have never bleached before, so I can't give advice but perhaps you can try it yourself so you could then help your 9 year old do it. I know it's a bit young, but kids are cruel and a bad nickname could linger until high school.

[kozachka]

I had mustache until mid-20s when I finally did something about it and I went the permanent route with electrolysis. I have dark brown, almost black hair, and olive skin, typical for Mediterranian type. I've never tried bleaching as IMHO light jair looks weird on someone with darker skin color, plus I would still had had a mustache, just a blond one. And I did not want to deal with growing out hairs/stubble from waxing or shaving. At this day and age I would have used laser.

In your daughter's case I'd do nothing and work on building character. Mean girls would always find a reason to pick on you, if not for a mustache, then for something else (I also had a unibrow and unusually straight back-feet in 1st position walk from years of dancing, that I got comments on).

[pinkmomagain]

I have three daughters. When they started complaining about their leg hair (maybe around age 11) I let them shave. Nine seems young, but if she has very dark hair that is quite noticeable...and if she is unhappy with it...I'd bleach it for her.

[AshleyAnn]

I have had a mustache issue as long as I can remember. I wax it, its painful but it improves and it makes it go away the longest. I occasionally use nair but its not as successful at removing thicker hairs and it can burn the skin. I've never bleached it as mine is enough it would probably look worse. If I need a quick fix I do occasionally use a razor. It lasts several days especially on the finer hairs. If her hair is fine it may work just to shave it occasionally.

I was teased about it too as a kid and I wouldnt tell her just to ignore it. Its not hard to fix it so I would definately just remove/bleach the stache and hope the meanies move on.

[essnce629]

I'd use wax strips on it. The kind that you just run between your hands to warm up. You just need one strip per side and your done. Super fast, barely hurts (and will hurt less next time since there should be less and finer hair). I like the Nad's or Parissa brand, both of which can be found at Target, CVS, etc.

Nad's
http://www.amazon.com/Nads-Hypoaller...4549574&sr=8-1

Parissa
http://www.amazon.com/Parissa-Quick-...4549626&sr=1-7

[hwin708]

I wouldn't bleach it. It will still be somewhat noticeable under the best of circumstances, and on some complexions, could look even worse.

If you're concerned about the pain of waxing (which is minor for such a small area), then I would just use a depilatory cream like Nair. Easy, painless, effective. And you can get it in sensitive skin formula.

And yes, I personally would let a 9 year old remove obvious facial hair.

[mom2binsd]

Don't bleach it, it will be just as noticeable.

Either use a cream facial hair remover, Sally Hansen has one that is very gentle,OR get one of those small thin trimmers by Clio, they are very effective, I used to use the cream remover, but I use the Clio one and it's much less abrasive on my upper lip. They are about 7.99 and come in cute designs.

I think it's quite all right to remove facial hair that is making a child uncomfortable. Our friends DD had the worst Unibrow and thick bushy brows and they started waxing at age 9, it was fine and the little girl was much happier.

My DD has the hariest arms and legs, so bad that last summer the sunscreen was all goopy and a mess in her hair...so we removed her hair (the arm hair literally wrapped around her forearm- her dad is very hairy too...). AND it has not grown back thicker/coarser/etc.

[mmommy]

I think I was 9 or 10 when I went to my mom about my arm hair. She talked o me about loving myself, blah, blah, blah and then, because she didn't do anything about the hair, I shaved it. And ended up with at least one ingrown hair. So I'd vote for talking about how she is beautiful etc AND helping her to control her appearance a bit. I also wouldn't suggest bleaching as it just turns the hair a funny color. Wax at home or take her to get it threaded.

[momm]

Aw. I'm sorry. Kids can be so mean.

I would suggest threading as well. Quick and easy, and no pain after the first time. cleaner than other methods.

Good luck, hope your DD gets over the kids' meanness

Bleaching would've been ok, but sometimes in sunlight etc. the light shines off light hair and shows up even more.