Wellness Wednesday | Pain(less) is beauty
Who loves shaving? Not this girl. I’ve always heard the mantra pain is beauty – but the pains of shaving (feels like it takes forever) has never been my gig.
I started laser hair removal treatments years ago – but then stopped when I moved to Dallas. I’ve previously done my upper lip (because I’m hispanic and hairy), my underarms/armpits, and my bikini zone. I’ve always been envious of the girls who were blonde with fine hair – I swear their lives are so much easier when it comes to beautification and maintenance. Not that I don’t love my heritage and ethnicity – but my mix of Native American genes combined with Hispanic blood makes for the craziest hair. I literally had to start shaving my legs before the 5th grade because I got so made fun of! I would come home crying and would beg my mom to let me start shaving my legs, so I learned young. I also had to start getting my eyebrows waxed in the 5th grade .. unibrow is no understatement. Of course, my mom didn’t tell me I was getting them waxed – I thought I was going to the salon for my standard hair cut and wash – and then wax ends up on my face when my head is in the wash bowl. Not cool mom, not cool – still salty about that one.
So needless to say – I’m no stranger to the pains of feeling pretty but sooner or later, I was so OVER all the waxing and bleaching. My brother could tell some stories about seeing me march around the house with bleach cream on my upper lip. Thankfully there are no pictures. As the years passed, I came to know laser hair removal like a best friend I’d never had. I was tired of seeing the super embarrassing razor bumps that I still see some girls with at the pool. Ladies – there is a solution, please don’t feel like you have to shave!
What I love about laser hair removal is the eventual loss of hair altogether. Over time and treatments, my hair became finer and eventually gone. I will stress it takes time and it depends on how coarse your hair is – and mine was the most stubborn ever. It’s actually preferred to have darker hair – the laser can “see” it better! And remember – your hair has growth cycles like anything else. The point of continuing the laser treatments over time is to kill off the hair in separate cycles.
Some people ask or fear that is painful. It’s not painless but personally I think waxing is so much worse. Imagine popping a rubber band on your wrist, and imagine that hurts more than the laser will.
I’ve partnered with my friend Courtney, a fellow nurse and certified nurse practitioner and owner of Vibrant Skincare and Laser. Courtney uses a Sciton laser which is supreme in its field. You might have heard of a Halo facial – well this is the same laser. It can be used for a variety of things besides laser hair removal: wart removal, treating nail fungus, phototherapy, venous insufficiency (which causes visible leg veins), body contouring and lax skin/sagging, scars, pigmentation and even acne. This laser creates a next to painless experience which cannot be said for most lasers.
I also ventured into trying a (very) light filler in my lips – and I LOVE the result. I always felt like my top lip was slightly thin (for my liking) and wanted a more symmetrical pout. Courtney used restylane refyne in the lip and restylane silk on the vermillion borders (edges).
Restylane is a clear gel formulation of hyaluronic acid that is specifically formulated to act like your body’s own naturally produced hyaluronic acid, helping to visibly correct moderate to severe facial wrinkles and folds, including the lines that run from your nose toward the corners of your mouth (nasolabial folds) and the lines that run from the corners of your mouth toward the chin (marionette lines) (derived from Restylane website).
Additionally, Restylane and Restylane® Silk are FDA-approved for lip enhancement in patients over the age of 21, and are uniquely formulated to give your lips fullness and definition. Once injected, Courtney massages the Restylane into place – and she puts numbing cream on your lips to minimize discomfort. I’ve been getting botox for years to prevent wrinkles. and now believe in the power of fillers, in minimal doses. Be sure to check their website for any contraindications to using the product, especially if you have a previous allergy or are allergic to hyaluronic acid. Just like with botox injections or any injection in general, there is a risk of bruising – which usually disappears within 7 days. Also, there is a risk of infection – again, visit their website to read the full list of do’s and don’ts.
Have any questions? Leave them in a comment below! As another healthcare professional, I’d be happy to answer them for you!
Photos by Christian Craven <– check out his blog!
October 11, 2017 @ 1:01 pm
I love the pictures you have on your post. You are really beautiful. I completely feel you on the Bering hairy part.???? Having dark hair is a nightmare sometimes. I’ve never tried laser but I’ve wanted to…..I actually live an hour away from Dallas!
October 11, 2017 @ 3:25 pm
I usually do waxing but I can see how getting lazer would make life super simple.
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October 11, 2017 @ 4:47 pm
Laser was the best decision I ever made! Like you, I always envied the girls with the fine blonde hair. I must say, laser was a breeze in comparison to waxing.
October 11, 2017 @ 8:04 pm
I have never done anything like this, but I’ve definitely been interested. I need to do more research, but might try laser hair removal in the spring!
October 11, 2017 @ 10:01 pm
I have to give a try to laser and that hair free skin and this looks super comfortable and painless. Let me search out options here.
October 12, 2017 @ 6:17 am
I just love the top you are wearing in these photos!. I never thought about getting laser to have hair removed, but I don’t have a lot of hair. It looks like it’s painful!
October 12, 2017 @ 8:06 am
It looks like a great pamper for ourselves. Looks so comfortable and painless. I will definitely recommend this to my friend.
October 12, 2017 @ 8:12 am
I have had laser hair removal myself on smaller parts of my body and what a difference did that made on my confidence! I did it about 7 years ago and it still lasts pretty well. I believe that the small pinch you feel in the procedure it’s worth every money for a life without razors of wax!
October 12, 2017 @ 9:20 am
I have been debating lazer hair removal. I should bite the bullet and do it!
October 12, 2017 @ 9:50 am
I agree! Laser hair removal isn’t pain-free, but you only have to do it once! I had it done years ago and it’s still effective.
October 12, 2017 @ 11:13 am
If I am honest I’ve never really had any treatments even though I fall into the thicker, darker haired catagory. I like the idea of lazer treatment! When I was younger.. I tried to wax once, I am pretty sure I took off a load of skin. Stupidly very shortly after I used deoderant.. ouch.. Its great to see behind the scenes and see how everything works, you look fab!
October 12, 2017 @ 2:26 pm
I hear yah… pain is beauty and sometimes that saying is all true. As most of us are all serious when it comes to beauty game and we’ll do some beauty routines in the name of vanity.
October 12, 2017 @ 5:27 pm
I have never done a laser treatment but always wanted to as who doesn’t want to get rid of a shave or waxing for a lifetime! Curious to know that how many sittings are required for the permanent treatment of upper lips?
October 12, 2017 @ 7:29 pm
I have been scared of laser treatments of any kind. somehow letting rays pass through seems uncomfortable to me. curious now on how it actually must feel
October 13, 2017 @ 12:45 am
I usually get a wax. I’ve never done laser before. I love getting all pampered up. Looks like you enjoy getting pampering too.
October 13, 2017 @ 6:00 am
Wow! I really don’t know much about these procedures. I’ve seen Huda get neck fillers and under eye fillers on Snapchat which seemed pretty good.
October 13, 2017 @ 8:55 am
I have always wanted to try laser hair removal! I hate shaving and every time I do shave it grows back so quickly.
October 13, 2017 @ 7:28 pm
I would love, love, love to do laser hair removal but I’m one of those (un) lucky girls who has red hair so all the hair on my face is blond! I have to have my eyebrows tinted because they’re so light! I’ve heard laser doesn’t really work for people for me, but oh I wish it did, because I get really sick and tired of covering what feels like whiskers with Nair and smelling like perm solution for a day after lol! Waxing breaks me out, but maybe I should try threading! Thanks for the info!
October 14, 2017 @ 1:47 am
Laser treatment. I’ve never looked into it but you make it sound like a simple process!
October 14, 2017 @ 9:55 am
Such a perfect way to pamper ourselves. I’ve tried laser hair removal many times and I like it because of it’s painless.
October 16, 2017 @ 12:08 pm
I’ve always been a little nervous for laser hair removal because I heard it hurts, but you make it look so glamorous!
October 17, 2017 @ 2:01 am
You are braver than I am. I don’t know if I could go through with it, but did enjoy learning of the process!