A mum has blasted a parenting magazine for suggesting young children could have the hair on their upper lip waxed or plucked.

A photo of the article published in US Parents magazine was shared by Instagram account Sturdy Mom Central, run by a mother from Wisconsin. 

“I am appalled at parents magazine for this article stating that it is okay to wax or pluck your preschooler’s ‘moustache’,” she wrote on Instagram on 18 November.

“The featured picture even makes me angry. What is this teaching our young children about appearances? It is absurd!”

The article begins by explaining that almost all children have hair on their upper lip, but some is “darker and coarser” than others.

“Thick and coarse hair on a little girl of boy’s upper lip is only a problem when it starts to impact their happiness and self-esteem,” paediatric dermatologist Jody Levine is quoted as saying in the article. 

The article then goes onto explain how to remove the hair with scissors, “if the child wants to”.

“If the hair is too short to cut, waxing and plucking are safe alternatives for kids who can handle the discomfort,” the article reads.

“But it’s best to avoid bleaching creams at this age as they can irriate young skin.”

Commenting on the photo, other parents were shocked by the comments made in the magazine.

“100% agree with you, what the heck?!” one person wrote. 

Speaking to HuffPost UK, Dr. Jody Levine (the expert quoted in the magazine article ) who is a paediatric dermatologist and mother of five said: “I agree wholeheartedly that a parent should try her very best to take a child’s focus away from body image and make a child confident with whom he/she is as a person. 

“However, a parent must also strike a balance and not ignore a child’s call for help. If a child is getting bullied or embarrassed in school as a result of an image that is different from others, it is not good parenting to ignore one’s child’s concerns. 

“A parent must be equipped to help her child when in need and should be aware of her options. Parents Magazine is raising awareness to an issue that although not common, does exist, and parents who criticise the magazine for offering this education are misreading the article and are not adequately considering those children who may be psychologically affected.”

HuffPost UK has reached out to Parents magazine for comment and will update this piece upon their response.