HUNTSVILLE, AL (WAFF) -
How far is too far when it comes to young girls getting adult spa treatments?
It's a growing trend for tweens, girls 12 and under, to get a controversial waxing treatment; the Brazilian bikini wax.
"It is very painful. I don't think a child would really want to go through something that painful," said Renea Stroud, an aesthetician at Blue Medspa in Huntsville.
According to the International Spa Association, 16 percent of spa clients in their teens have had a hair removal procedure. Uni K Wax Centers promote the idea of girls 15 and under getting waxing treatments on their July blog. They offer a special discount to young girls for their first waxing experience.
Critics believe the concept of a child getting a Brazilian wax is way too intimate; it is much more than just a bikini line wax. WAFF asked Stroud, why would a girl get something like that done?
"You know, they're just hearing things around school. A peer pressure thing. Other than that... why are you even thinking about that?" said Stroud.
Family therapist and blogger Kristen Howerton said she doesn't think it's anything new for girls to worry about hair in the bikini area.
"I wouldn't say girls are grooming younger, I think they're grooming differently," she said. "If my daughters felt unsure about wearing a swimsuit because they have hair, I would absolutely do whatever they felt comfortable doing to make sure they can go out in a swimsuit without worry."
WAFF contacted the waxing salon offering the promotion for tweens, Uni K Wax Centers. They responded with this statement:
"Our July Blog <http://www.unikwax.com/blog/the-right-time-for-girls-to-begin-waxing/> and promotion, is designed to give a safe choice of hair removal to young people that need it.
Waxing services for teenagers is not new, and salons throughout the United States have been performing these services on teenager girls for years without parent's consent. More importantly, our Uni K Wax Centers do not allow services to minors without parents' consent.
Uni K Wax has been in the hair removal industry for over 22 years, our business is owned by parents and grandparents that understand the waxing needs and constantly work to solving the problem of unwanted hair in a safe and professional environment.
Uni K Wax takes great offense to those individuals who believe that waxing is something sexual, or that our advertisement showing a teenage girl was intended to elicit a sexual response.
Uni K Wax Centers have not been promoting bikini services to minors. In fact, our blog talks to the parents, not to the minors. The promotion was only posted on our website, Facebook and sent via email to our subscribed customers. Our July blog and promotion is not to sexualize minors but to educate parents about the safest option for hair removal for those young girls that need it.
Waxing is nothing more than a fast and convenient way to remove unwanted body hair, such as eyebrows, upper lips, and under arms; it's similar to shaving, except much better. Uni K Wax centers offer those services in a safe, professional and affordable environment."
Blue Medspa does not allow clients under 15 in their spa. They said most of their clients are older than 20. However, they will do a Brazilian wax for a teenager between 15 and 18 under certain circumstances.
"I don't think we would personally want to do it, because they are young at age," said Stroud. "But, if their parent is willing to be in the room with them, then yes we will do it."
Most spa professionals agree that there are certain waxes that are ok, like eyebrows or even bikini lines.
"I think a bikini line is appropriate, especially girls that maybe do cheerleading or swimming, gymnastics. They're having to wear tight leotards," Stroud commented.
Dermatologist Dr. John Huber said there are some risks involved, however.
"When you strip away that layer of skin, you're more likely to get infection in the top layer of skin," Huber said.
Some salons advertise young hair removal as a way to save time and money you would spend on waxing and shaving in the future. Huber said that's not true.
"Whatever you've minimized as a kid may not re-grow until you've reached puberty, but at that point you're going to make hairs that you've never had before," he said.
Even still, some parents will do whatever it takes to save their girls from embarrassment.
"I had an interesting comment from a reader after I wrote about this topic who said, 'Anyone who judges a parent taking a girl to have a waxing doesn't have the same hair issues I do.' So, I think people's opinions on this tend to be really colored by their own experience and embarrassment, that they experienced as a child," Howerton said.
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