Hi,
I have been lurking in these forums for a few months, absorbing information, learning about different methods and (most importantly) reading the stories from so many other women who are experiencing the same kinds of insecurities and problems. Just reading other people’s stories and knowing I am not alone is a huge help.
I am in my 30s. I juggle family-life, full time job and part time University studies. It’s a lot to juggle and I am very limited financially as to how much and what I can do about “the problem”.
My mother and father are Mediterranean. My mother has some hair problems and I remember when I was younger that she would bleach her facial hair and eventually she started getting electrolysis. We never really talked about it though. In my mid teens, I started shaving facial hair (yeah, I know this is bad) because it seemed like the easiest way to take care of the problem without having to talk to someone about it. I would sometimes use epilatory creams but I hated the smell and how it would burn my skin and leave it red. I had lots of thin small dark hairs (well, they look very dark because I am pale). They were not coarse, except around the eyebrows - which are VERY thick. The problem areas were mainly sideburns, eyebrows, upper lip. As if this wasn’t bad enough, in the past year, I started getting dark hairs on my chin (the rest of the hairs there are very thin and not too dark).
In the last few years, I have stopped shaving around my brows and started plucking but I am pretty sure the damage has already been done. I pluck my chin hairs so it’s not too bad there.
Basically the facial hair is the area that bothers me the most. I live “up north” so most of the year, I’m covered up and so the body hair (bad spots are legs, armpits, bikini and sparse dark hairs just below my belly button) is less of an issue, even though it still irritates me.
I’ll try not to go into too much detail about my emotional state because I think most of us all know and understands what this is like. I have very low self esteem. I try to “blend in” and not be noticed because i figure if I don’t draw attention to myself, they won’t notice the hair. I hate it and the way it makes me look (especially the facial hair). I am nearly always conscious about it when I am alone or around other people. I feel stupid for letting it get to me so much but I can’t help it. The only person I can and have talked about it to is my best friend who admitted to having similar issues much to my surprise because she is very good at hiding her hair problems.
Anyway after months…years…of thinking about it, I finally made an appointment and went to a consultation at a local clinic. I think it went very well and I initially started typing about the experience here…but realized that it probably belongs in the laser forum…so I stopped.
Needless to say - for those of use who are immensely embarrassed about our hair issues and don’t seek professional help for it because of this persistent shame…try reminding yourself that these technicians in the industry have “seen it all”. I got very emotional at my consult today - started crying the moment I started discussing what I wanted done…just because I simply don’t talk about it (except the friend I mentioned earlier) and always try to hide it because it’s so shameful to me. Anyway, I was fine after my initial meltdown, largely because I had a really nice technician who was very sympathetic.
Thanks for reading and thanks to those who have posted their stories in the other forums - you don’t know how greatful I am for your empowerment and inspiration.