The one thing everyone talks about with laser hair removal is the pain. When I’d tell friends I was considering it, they’d warn me with anecdotes like, “It hurts 10 times more than a Brazilian wax” or “It’s worse than getting a tattoo.” Then, they’d always follow up with, “It’s worth it!!” Never having to shave, or wax, or thread again (and pay for all of the above) is worthy of enduring minutes of discomfort, they’d say. With that in mind, I booked my first appointment at The Dermatology and Laser Group in New York. Feeling a little jittery, I decided to start small with only one area up for treatment, my underarms, which I’ve been shaving (and dealing with daily stubble) since I was 12 years old.
I came in specifically to try the Motus AX, a brand new Alexandrite laser (the strongest kind), which not only promised to work equally well for all skin tones, but be “painless.” I was skeptical as hell. But, as soon as we got started and I braced myself only to feel an ice cool glass comfortably running up and down my skin, I was convinced. That’s it? It took less than five minutes and I felt ZERO pain. I have a really low tolerance, for the record—even just threading or plucking a single hair makes me cry.
One month has passed and the thick, coarse hair on my underarms is already 70 percent gone. Poof! They’ve never looked smoother and I’m thrilled. I haven’t had ingrown hairs, or razor bumps, and even though I still have to shave for now, it has never been easier. I’ll come back for three to five more sessions to get the rest off (it’ll likely be less since I don’t have much left), and I plan to get my bikini line done as well. And maybe legs. And maybe arms. And maybe upper lip? Okay, I’m fully converted.
