Hair can play a big role in our lives. From the hair on our heads to those few hairs on our big toes. Most days can go by without thinking about it - but when it starts growing in new places it can be hard to get off our mind.

Today we’re sharing stories of girls who embraced the hair on their bodies exactly how it shows up.

When Ode returned to school, she noticed that many of the girls had shaved their legs for the first time. Ode started to feel insecure and asked her parents if she could start shaving hers too. Ode's parents thought she was too young, but they said to Ode that so long as she was doing it for herself and own comfort she could.

The more Ode thought about it, she knew it would just be to fit in. So instead she kept the hair on her legs for a few more summers until she made the choice for herself. Even now she only shaves when it's convenient for her and never feels pressure to fit in.

Aminata had been straightening her hair before school for years, even though it would damage her hair. She thought it made her fit in with the other girls at school who had straight, long hair. One day she was running so late that she had to ditch the straightener. She thought everyone at school would notice the big difference and comment.

No one even noticed and people even commented that something about her that day was beautiful but they couldn’t put their finger on it. From that day Aminata let go of her hair woes and let her hair be natural.

In high school, Gemma started to grow dark hair on her upper lip and she was jealous of the girls who had no hair or light hair. When she shaved or waxed it, it just grew back thicker, but she kept doing it.

One day with her boyfriend, she noticed that she had forgotten to shave. Gemma was terrified he would notice and say something mean instead. But he didn’t notice it. She stopped removing her hair and eventually talked to her boyfriend about it who said - that a tiny bit of hair is not a negative thing. That it's just another part of her - and she is beautiful. She never judged him for the hair on his face so she realised it wouldn't be fair if he judged her.

Every girl’s hair story is different, so never compare your body to someone else. What matters most is who we are on the inside and not what we look like.

So if you see a friend being insecure about her body hair show her it’s normal and give a little confidence boost.