I can't tell you how often I get asked some of these questions in regards to hair in the nether-region.
'Do you think lasering is the best?'
'I can't handle growing my hair out for waxing, doesn't it have to be like an inch long?'
'I'm currently in the process of lasering so don't mind my patchy hair. I'm only on my fourth treatment.'
OK. First off, lets talk about waxing vs shaving.
Pros for shaving:
-Quick
-Hair doesn't have to be extremely long
-You can do it yourself
-Virtually painless
-Left with smooth skin in under 5 minutes
Cons for shaving:
-Ingrown hairs
-Hair grows quickly
-Nicking, bleeding, missing an area
-You could be in the shower for hours shaving every bit of hair
-Not permanent
-Shave frequently
Pros for waxing:
-Esthetician does the work
-Leave feeling smooth and clean
-Esthetician can get to areas you can't virtually reach or see
-Wax can pull the entire follicle, leaving the regrowth thinner and more sparse
-Takes longer for hair to return
Cons for waxing:
-It hurts!
-Costs some dough $$$
-You have to go through the growing-out stage and deal with the pricklies
-Chance of ingrown hairs and skin irritation
-Time it takes for you to actually be waxed
Waxing definitely isn't for everyone. My first experience with wax (as a client) was horrific to say the least. I was 3 days away from my wedding day. We were getting married in Hawaii so I had to make sure I was waxed as close to the departure date as possible. The day before we left, I had my first appointment for Brazilian and leg wax.
I wasn't sure what to expect as I was not an esthetician at the time. A 23 year old wax virgin, I thought to myself- how bad could it really be? HA. I was greeted by the esthetician, and made myself comfortable on the bed while the esthetician stepped out. I was ready. I had taken my ibuprofen 30 minutes before. I had grown out for a week to make sure that wax pulled each and every one of my hairs.
The esthetician began after speaking to me about what I wanted done and what she was going to do. She used this syrupy textured wax, spreading it evenly on my skin, and firmly applying a strip on top, assuring each hair would stick to the strip. Without any warning, she ripped. HOLY SWEET MOTHER OF ABRAHAM. Did she tear open my entire vagina!? I felt as if she had ripped about 10 layers of skin off with each strip. The pain was unbearable. She continued, going over each raw, sensitive area with more wax to make sure she got every hair! (For those that have not been waxed, its similar to being sunburned, rubbing sandpaper on the area, and then having duct tape applied and ripped off). I don't know how I got myself into that situation but I promised myself I would NEVER do this again. I waddled out of my appointment, wondering how in the world I was going to explain this to my fiancé. I could only imagine the disappointment on his face as I mentioned how even underwear against my vajajay was soo incredibly painful. (Thankfully, the pain and rawness subsided the next day).
FAST FORWARD: 1.5 years
I was in Esthetics school and someone needed a model for a Brazilian wax. After much deliberation, I agreed to be their model. I was a little more prepared, but made sure to get some numbing cream prior to the appointment. It came time for the first pull, and... nope. Of coarse it was painful, feeling like a bandaid had been ripped off of a very sensitive area but NOTHING compared to what had happened 1.5 years prior. What was the difference? Why did this appointment not hurt as badly as the first??
3 reasons.
1. The type of wax the students were using was a high quality, hard wax. This wax does not require a strip, dries quickly, and only adheres to the hair, not the skin, when used correctly. This wax also has a flexible stretch to it, allowing the esthetician to pull and remove all the hair without breaking or flaking.
2. Technique used was more gentle. My first experience was... nothing short of terrifying and unfortunate. An experienced esthetician will apply pressure post pull, helping to relieve the pain a little quicker. Plus, the girls I was being worked on with knew how to hold, pull, and apply the wax. They worked in smaller sections so I wasn't getting thrown off the table with each pull.
3. My hair was thinner. After your first initial wax, your hair grows in thinner, more sparse, and a lot slower. So, your second wax isn't as painful because the hair follicle and bulb aren't as large as before.
OK, now lets compare waxing to laser.
Here are some pros and cons to laser hair removal.
Pros:
-More permanent results
-No more shaving, waxing, or tweezing
-Works great for dark hair, light skin
-Can shave between appointments
Cons:
-Cost. Ever looked up the price of a full brazilian? This can cost anywhere from $350-$1500 for 6 treatments!
-Pain. Imagine being flicked with a rubber band hundreds of times on your hoo ha. Ouch.
-If the right machine isn't used, you can have striping, patching, and may need more treatments
-Don't even think about it if your blonde. It won't work.
-Will need maintenance treatments once or twice a year.
I've been lasered a few times. I find it to be the most beneficial to remove unwanted hair permanently. It hurts. And if you aren't being lasered with a good machine, you may end up with stripes, patches, and scars from improper use and lack of maintenance. If you've gone 4 treatments, you should be virtually hair free, without striping!
However, make sure you do your research before going to the spa that promises results from the radio. Not all of the bigger companies work with the best lasers around. So, before spending obscene amounts of money on your laser hair removal, talk to others that have used the same company. Ask questions. Find out what type of machine they use, and what it is used for. If it is a multi-function machine, it probably isn't the best. Most machines that are multi-function cannot focus on one specific function, therefore don't give the best results.
So the answer to the above questions are:
It's completely your choice! No one can tell you what is the most beneficial way to remove hair down there. If you are comfortable waxing, continue! If you have a high pain tolerance and cannot stand hair, try laser! But don't down play someone because they shave or wax, its all a personal preference!
