Let’s face it with summer and beach season fast approaching, swimsuit season is sneaking up on us, and there is one thing that may need some attention, your bikini line! The big debate is bikini wax vs. laser hair removal. I’m here to give you the skinny with pros and cons to both, and most important in your decision-making process, the pain level.
I consider myself late in the game when it comes to managing the bikini line, ya know, since I am donning a bikini so often these days (my twin delivery has destroyed that dream, they are lucky they are so cute!). I was not afraid to shave daily until two years ago when I was at Charlotte Mag’s B.O.B. Awards. I noticed a B.O.B. winner of “Best Brazilian” who was donating to the silent auction. After a few glasses of wine for courage, I decided that I needed that woman in my life and camped out to win that auction item.
With bikini waxing, it’s all relative with regard to pain. It seems that fair-skinned and fair-hair colored women can have more sensitive skin – that would be moi. So I went to my waxing appointment terrified of what was to come, especially since I selected a Brazilian wax on my virgin voyage. Why not go for the full monty, that’s just how I roll! When I got on the table, the hot lamps and nerves immediately made me start sweating profusely and after the first rip of wax, I nearly dove off the table. The woman coaxed me back on and I tolerated the torture chamber for what felt like an eternity. At one point, I told her that I could take no more, I was good with whatever level of completion we were at. It was time to go. She said she could not leave me looking like that, only halfway done. I said, you know what, my husband won’t mind, really, this rodeo is over. Somehow, and I’m not really sure how, I was coerced back on and muscled through the rest of the appointment.
After leaving, I have to say, I really liked the outcome, but I was pretty sure I could never do that again. EVER. IN. MY. ENTIRE. LIFE. Enter my friends at Charlotte Skin & Laser, God love ’em!
It took me another full year to get the guts to make an appointment for laser hair removal. For some reason, all of my friends who have had laser bikini treatments said it hurt like no other, even more than bikini waxing. Let me tell ya, these gals have never had a Brazilian wax. This laser thing was a breeze.
I was prepared for the worst, but left my laser appointment literally 12 minutes later and asked “Is that it???” Aside from a tiny bit of stinging, definitely uncomfortable but NOTHING like a zillion strips of hot wax torn off your hoo-ha, I’d give it a pain level of 5 at most. Trust me ladies, we’ve all given birth, this is cake! I cannot say the same for bikini-waxing. I’d rather give birth to my twins ten times over before enduring that hot mess again!
So let’s talk cost comparison. Waxing typically costs anywhere from $50 for a regular bikini wax to up to $100 with tip for Brazilian. Laser hair removal packages may appear to be a ton more up front, ranging from $800-$1,200 for a full treatment package. But if you plan to stick with a waxing regimen monthly over the summer and maybe a few other maintenance trips a year, you’ll find laser hair removal much less expensive.
My vote in the ‘ole debate – laser hair removal, hands down! It just so happens that our friends at Charlotte Skin & Laser are running a Smarty special:
Bikini per treatment – $200
Brazilian per treatment – $275
*Mention Charlotte Smarty Pants and it’s buy 4 get 1 free!!
Must purchase by April 30, 2012.
For more information on laser treatments, give our friends at Charlotte Skin & Laser a shout, make sure you tell them CSP sent ya!
Charlotte Skin & Laser
130 Providence Road, Suite 100
Charlotte, NC 28207
704.333-9113
7 comments
Have done both & I’m a huge fan of laser hair removal! You bite the bullet with costs upfront but it’s LOW maintenance & hassle after your initial 7-10 treatments. Sooo much better than waxing all the way around! Just know it’s a dark hair option only (no natural blondes or reds).
Best thing I did for myself in a long time!!! I even got my underarms done. I didn’t think that it hurt. I also went to Dr. Rostan’s and I even felt relaxed as I lie on the table completely naked for my bikini and underarm treatment because the technician was so nice.
On my way to becoming the “hairless wonder”! I had my underarms and bikini line lasered about 7 years ago. I had my lower legs done a year ago. I am with the result!
I am fascinated by Jen’s blog post and the comments, because that was NOT my experience. Granted, I never had a bikini (or any other) wax. But I have given birth, twice, and the 2nd time was w/o meds of any kind. I had laser hair removal done at Sona Med Spa on bikini area & underarms and found it VERY painful. I wasn’t prepared for it to be painful, so when the technician handed me a stress ball to squeeze I looked at her curiously with a what-the-heck-do-I-need-this-for expression, which quickly turned into an omigod-what-are-you-doing-to-me expression as the laser began pulsating down my armpit. Wholly crap. It was all I could do to stay still and I squeezed that stress ball until I’m pretty sure I heard IT screaming in pain. Yowsers. I had 7 appointments of this torture, and dreaded each one. My pits and nether-regions were sore for hours afterward, and that so-called numbing cream they sell you is (IMO) a sham. I’m very pale, and those hairs are not, so this procedure should’ve worked well. I’m two years out now and still shaving those areas. Granted, the growth is a lot less and I can go a few days between shaving, but still….those claims of “getting rid of the razor,” not true in my experience. Given the $$$ we shelled out, the pain, and the less-than-awesome result, I wouldn’t recommend laser. Which leaves me wondering….was I just unlucky enough to pick a crappy place?
I completely agree with you about Sona Med Spa. TERRIBLE EXPERIENCE!
Angel, I feel your pain, although mine was the bikini wax kind! I had heard that laser was torture a few years ago. I specifically asked at Charlotte Skin & Laser if the technology had changed. She said it had not and I asked about numbing cream and was told that it doesn’t work, kind of useless. I did bikini and underarms and it stung for sure, but was totally doable. Again, pain is a relative term and we all have different levels of tolerance. I thought mine was a low tolerance so I was thrilled to find that this treatment wasn’t bad at all. I promise though, it’s ten times better than a Brazilian wax! I have a friend who did the Brazilian by the same girl a week later and she was not phased. So we’re all different I guess!
Good post. It may sometimes seem funny how girls are trying out just about anything to get the best result. Thanks for sharing.