Highlights on an 11 year old?

When cosmetic work is done by a professional, it is usually OK.

I think it might affect what’s on the other side of the scalp… As is how she may grow up thinking that somehow she needs to change things about her to be beautiful. As a single father of two young and beautiful girls, I tell them constantly how lovely they are, just being themselves. There’ll be enough socital pressures on then soon enough, telling them they need to do this or that to be more accepted as normal…

whatever I’ve had my hair colored and highlighted since I was young because I was more mature and could handle the responsibility.

Highlight chemicals usually don’t touch the scalp, or barely do. I wouldn’t worry about it at all. Single process dye is more likely to be irritating.

@Bagardbilla Just when they hit Jr. High and those pressures really start to increase please let them get their hair done and conform to some extent if they want to. I can’t say enough how important I think it is for parents, probably especially dads, to tell their daughters they are beautiful, they are enough, they are impressive, they are smart, etc. It seems you do that, but often it is important to girls to present themselves in a way that helps them feel confident. I think parents who never help their frizzy red headed kid get their hair straghtened, or get the mole removed from their stomach so they feel good about wearing a bikini, well I think those parents ignore the real pressures out there.

Plus, highlights can be a simple fun thing, it doesn’t have to be a big psychological experiment.

Try the allergy/skin reaction test on your kid’s skin. If her skin react’s severely to it, then don’t die her hair. Hair extensions can be an alternative.

@nikkiduq Good answer

@JLeslie yes, you are absolultly correct about outside pressures especially when in their early teens… with insecurities arising out of physically changing bodies, to hormonal changes, etc.
I believe (especially with girls) that if there can be a solid foundation of self esteem (based on total self acceptence) established before the teen years then all the internal changes & external pressures are far less jarring. Ofcourse that’s probably true for boys as well…
But I know what you mean and I’m not looking forward to those years. :)

I think highlights are fine. My sister is a hair stylist. Growing up, I was her guinea pig. I’ve had every hair colour, cut, highlight/lowlight. It has in no way changed my personality, except for the better. Whereas some people say that it will make children questions whether they are beautiful/handsome without changing themselves that could be possible, but the other is true because it affected me. I felt that I could have any type of hair and people would still love me. I realized they love me for who I am and not for what I look like.