How to: Stop your armpits smelling (hint: laser)

A friend of mine asked me the other day if I was still having my laser treatment because I hadn't written about it in ages. I am, but the hair came back so slowly that i didn't need my next treatment for 8 weeks! Pretty sweet, right?

The hair that did grow back (eventually) was very fine and sparse - kind of like when you first get hair under your arms when you're 12 or whatever. The kind of hair that meant I could still wear a singlet to pilates and not be self-conscious because it wasn't really noticeable.

I had my fourth treatment yesterday and, even though I sharply inhaled, cringed, and moaned like a little b!tch, it didn't actually hurt. Michaela, the goddess at Leah's Mid-City Centre who is doing my treatments, was like 'why are you whinging, it doesn't hurt' and she was right. I guess when someone is pointing a laser at your tender bits, your default reaction is to pull faces and cringe, yes?

I have no idea who to give credit to for this image, but it's amusing

I have said it before and I'll say it again (because I like the sound of my own voice) - laser is the best thing I have ever done. Well, top 10. Okay, best hair removal thing I have done, and I wish I had done it a whole lot sooner. Get on it now so that once summer rolls around you can chuck your razor out.

Fun fact - I find my underarms don't stink as much when I sweat because there's no hair for the bacteria to cling to. Next time we hang out, I'll let you evaluate that one out for yourself.

Candela GentleLASE laser hair removal
Price: $70 for Brazilian and underarm
From: Leah’s Waxworks – level 1 Mid City Centre
Why you need it: No hair, no stink, always bikini ready.

I was a guest of Leah's Waxworks

Fun fact for the day

If you ever plan on getting laser hair removal on your upper lip (aka your lady-mo) then don't ever bleach it. Here's why in really long narrative form…

Today I took myself off to one of those fancy medi-spa's that really rich women with too much time and money go to when they want their lips plumped/eyes plumped/boobs plumped. I was enquiring about Selectif hair removal, as I had heard it was similar to electrolysis and could remove the fine blonde hairs that laser can't (I'm less Tom Selleck and more Frida Kahlo - just a fine shadow). My 10 minute consultation involved the nurse telling me straight away that Selectif wasn't right, would be too expensive and would take too long. Okay. She then suggested laser. It would take about 8 treatments every 3-4 weeks and then we could do Selectif after that for the blonde hairs. Oh, and this was going to cost me TWO HUNDRED DOLLARS per laser session. I politely nodded, paid my waste-of-money 'consultation' fee, and hightailed it over to Leah's Waxworks.

Artists interpretation of how my mo felt. Picture credit: usayisay.com

I had discussed laser on my l-mo with Michaela at Leah's before, so I was confident she knew what she was on about. You can't laser hair once it has been bleached (hello, lip wax) because bleach destroys the colour pigment in the hair. On top of that though, the chemicals in the bleach get into your dermis and when they are hit with the laser it can cause pigmentation. I have been bleaching on and off for years, so once my hair grows back from the wax and we start lasering, that's just a risk I am going to have to take. Thank goodness there are so many great anti-pigmentation creams on the market now like Clinique Even Better and the new Estee Lauder Even Skintone Illuminator I am currently trying.

Funny thing is, the nurse at the fancy over-priced clinic didn't ask me any of those questions. And Leah's is $35 for a lip laser compared to $200. Long story short, eat your vegetables. And don't bleach if you want to laser. And I'll take the friendly girls at Leah's over the judgemental cows at the expensive medi-spa any day.

PS - I paid $6 for my lip wax. That's price of two cups of coffee, or maybe one cup at a fancy cafe.

PPS - Don't forget that if you live in Sydney and you're a Stuff That I Bought reader (you are?! you have excellent taste in blogs), then you can get $10 off any treatment valued over $50 at Leah’s Waxworks in Mid City Centre. The deal is valid until September 1st, 2011, so plenty of time to do something 'bout that upper lip, and maybe get a Shellac mani while you're there. Just mention Stuff That I Bought.

PPPS - Have a great weekend my dears!
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I went on a tropical holiday and didn't take a razor

True story. I went to Hawaii for a week and didn't take any sort of hair removal device. Crazy, right? It's still blowing my mind that I don't have hair under my arms anymore. I had my second laser hair removal about 2 weeks before I left, even though the hair hadn't grown back from the first session. The laser was a little bit stronger second time around so it hurt a fraction more, but not to the point where it was unbearable. Besides, it's only five minutes of pain and I just kept reminding myself the whole time 'no more hair, no more hair, NO MORE HAIR'.

It was also pretty nice being able to throw on a bikini every day and not having to worry about strays (y'know what I'm talking about). I waxed my legs before I left (am I oversharing yet? ) but I also have an at home IPL that I'm trialling at the moment - I'll let you know what I think soon. That all said, I'm actually considering lasering my legs. Has anyone done this? I imagine it would be well worth it, but it takes about 45 minutes, and 5-mins of pain vs 45-mins is a huge difference.

While I've got you - don't forget you can get discounted laser hair removal just for being awesome. If you're a Sydney reader and you head into Leah’s Waxworks in Mid City Centre, mention Stuff That I Bought and you’ll get $10 off any treatment valued over $50. The deal is valid until September 1st, 2011, so plenty of time to get hairless before summer.

(side note: I'm sticking with the Leah's logo because it's really hard to find an appropriate image to go with a hair removal post)


For more about my laser hair removal journey, flick through some old posts.

Pew Pew! The two week mark of my laser journey

For anyone who is interested in my laser hair removal journey, I thought I would give you a quick update on the progress of my pubes (I do apologise, I just couldn't resist the alliteration).

It has been two weeks now and as expected almost all the hair has fallen out. The hair on my bikini line fell out pretty easily, possibly because I have been waxing that area for years and the follicles are a little looser (much like Kesha after she has been brushing her teeth with Jack). I did encourage some of the hairs out by gently plucking with my fingers, but just the simple act of wearing things like tights or tight jeans helped to move them along.

My underarms were a different story, probably because after all these years I had never done more than shave so the laser was a shock to the system. At the two week mark there is still some hair that refuses to budge, even after lots of encouragement and shower scrubs. My beauty therapist said I can only shave once between appointments, so I'm pretty glad we're well into Autumn now. Seriously, Autumn/Winter is the best time for laser because you're all covered up for those awkward shedding and growing out phases.

My next appointment is in three weeks, so I'll let you know how I get on. Don't forget that if you visit Leah’s Waxworks in the Mid City Centre and mention Stuff That I Bought, you’ll get $10 off any treatment valued over $50. The deal is valid until September 1st, 2011, so plenty of time to do a full course of laser and be smooth for summer.
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Pew Pew! My first experience with laser hair removal.

I went for my first session of laser last Thursday. I have been putting off getting laser for years because I had in my head that it would hurt like hell. Meanwhile, I have been waxing for over 10 years. Um, idiot. Go figure, right. I would hate to do the math on just how much I have spent on waxing over the last decade. But I digress.

It was actually my little sister who talked me into having laser. She reckons it doesn’t hurt at all but I was sceptical - my sister is the toughest nut on the planet and has a pain threshold higher than most marathon runners. I on the other hand am a wuss. The wussiest wuss who ever wussed. Look up wuss in the dictionary and you see my face (but again, years of waxing. Go figure).  I was however slightly placated when I was told that my bikini and underarm would only take 5 minutes all up. Surely I could handle 5 minutes of pain.

I took myself off to Leah’s Waxworks in Mid City Centre on my sisters recommendation and she wasn’t kidding when she said a) it would only take 5 minutes and b) it actually didn’t hurt that much. This is pretty much my internal monologue of how the five minutes went down:

Minute one...
Pants off, arms up, on the table with a leg spread. Gosh it’s hard to be graceful and dignified when you’re essentially starkers lying on paper. What’s she doing? Oh, a quick swipe over with a razor to make sure all the strays are gone. And here are the stylin’ ski goggles I have to wear to protect my eyes. I am the height of chic right now.

Minute two...
Right underarm. Ok this isn’t so bad. It really does feel like someone flicking me with a rubber band. What’s she doing? Oh I see, up and down in stripes to get every spot. Kind of like mowing the grass in rows. Ha! What a great analogy. High five, Phillips.

Minute three...
Left underarm. Ok this hurts a bit. Stings. Yep, kinda hurting. Ok...breathe....breathe....oh, she’s done.

Minute four...
Bikini line. I wonder what Fiance is cooking for dinner? Ok ow! That hurt. That skin is pretty sensitive down there, you know. Oh that skin’s alright though. Yep, not too bad. Ok ow again!
 
Minute five...
Bikini line. I’m an old pro at this now. Totally fine. Cool. As. A. Cucumber. Are we done? Really? I could totally go again.

And just like that it’s over! It’s less pain and more just uncomfortable – when everyone says it feels like being flicked with a rubber band they are right. It’s not pleasant as it is happening, but as soon as the laser stops, the pain stops. The smell of singed hair I could take or leave though.

There is redness afterwards like waxing, but it isn’t uncomfortable. My underarms felt a bit sensitive throughout the afternoon (I had it done on my lunchbreak) but considering I have been shaving them for more than half my lifetime and I have never once waxed, I’m not surprised they felt a bit odd.  I’ll let you know how I go when the hair falls out in two weeks time – apparently it’s going to be itchy!

Check out this video I found on youtube and skip to the 2 minute mark - it shows how the process works and what the laser looks like as it hits the skin.

Candela GentleLASE laser hair removal
Price: $70 for Brazilian and underarm
From: Leah’s Waxworks – level 1 Mid City Centre
Why you need it: Permanent hair removal. Throw out your razors and stop spending on waxing – you can spend all that saved cash on a nice PS1 for me please.

SUPER AWESOME SPECIAL NEWSFLASH: If you pop into Leah’s Waxworks in the Mid City Centre and mention Stuff That I Bought, you’ll get $10 off any treatment valued over $50. Bad luck non-Sydney readers, cos this is a sweet deal! The deal is valid until September 1st, 2011.

I was a guest of Leah's Waxworks and will be reviewing a full course of underarm and bikini laser treatments.
Image courtesy of atlanticdermatology.com
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