Hair Free by Summer 2017

In 2017,  I will stop buying razors.

I'm sure when you ask someone what's on their bucket list, they may respond with something like "jump of out a plane", or "visit all the Major League Baseball diamonds in the US". On my bucket list for a LONG time?

Laser. Hair. Removal.

I've had enough. Enough shaving. Enough waxing. Enough removing. Enough hair.

I've been shaving my legs since I was probably 11. I was always self-conscious about it. I begged my mom to let me start shaving. I wasn't teased or bullied but it always bothered me. And now, almost 25 years later, I'm done with the razor.

My biggest problem? I was scared.

And so, in an effort to focus on myself a bit more, I scheduled my consultation with Daniela at Freedom Medi-Spa in Woodbridge to learn all about laser hair removal.

Would it hurt? Does it work? Like really work?

Here's the thing: I've tried laser hair removal before. Years ago. And not only did it hurt, (I'm pretty wimpy in terms of pain tolerance) but I was burned. Literally. Scarred. And I still have the scar to prove it. Needless to say, I never went back.

I'd met Daniela at various events over the past few years and I disclosed my past experience and my desire, yet hesitation, to try laser hair removal again. And as we started a new year, I finally decided I wouldn't let my fear get the best of me -- or my hair -- anymore.

This week, Daniela and I met and we went through the good, the bad and the scary (her words!). She answered all of my gazillion questions, was patient and calm, and believe it or not, by the end of our chat, I was excited to get going.

What You Need to Know about Laser Hair Removal at Freedom Medi-Spa:

• Consultations are always free. Ask lots of questions, share your fears, your motivation, your wish list.

Health background, vacation plans, worries -- I laid it all out.

• Each consultation includes a laser test patch. Daniela says she'll be able to immediately identify if there's a reaction on lighter skin types.

We tested a section of my right underarm and lucky me, no reaction, good to proceed! And you get to hold a little squishy cube -- should you need to bare down.

• Laser Hair removal uses an intense, pulsating beam of light to remove unwanted hair; the intense heat of the laser heats up the root of the hair, cauterizing the papilla and preventing future hair or root growth

So it's hot. Like really hot. Daniela equates it to boiling the root of your hair. "Was it going to hurt?", I asked. Daniela assured me I would be fine, although the procedure is not pain-free. It's also not painful, though, so...some silver lining. 

Here's something to note: it smells. Duh, like burnt hair. So if you can get yourself past the singe odour, you'll be fine. There's also a tool blowing cold air so it's definitely bearable. And I'm wimpy, remember?

• While some lasers are designed to work best on clients who have fair skin and dark hair, Freedom Medi-Spa uses the Apogee Elite laser, which allows treatment on all skin types. No machine will treat hair that is lighter in colour than the skin. So it's best not to have a tan when lasering. 

I thought I had fair skin and dark hair. Hairy dark hair. Not so much, apparently. My hair is medium in colour and coarseness, and my skin is very fair. Daniela predicts my hair will react well. Woo!

I made sure to purchase an SPF 40+ that will go on my face every single morning. And if I'm in any sun whatsoever, I promised to reapply liberally throughout the day.

• Generally, you will need 6-12 treatments for facial hair and 5-7 treatments for body hair. Treatments should follow a fairly strict schedule, and should be performed when the hair is in the growth stage. (Every 4-6 weeks for the face and 6-8 weeks for the body – dependant on your growth cycle.)

I decided to start by treating my underarms and my upper lip. These are "necessity" zones, in my opinion. So that means by the summer, no more shaving my underarms. Hallelujah!

And so, I did it. Well, I'm on my way to doing it. Following our consultation, I was a brave girl and completed my first treatments. My only question now is, when can I start on my legs??