Or: the most pain I have ever felt in my entire life.
It is no secret around here that I have so much hatred for the hair issues surrounding my life. Sometimes, I think that I have come to terms with these issues, but other times I’m full of rage.
The last time I wrote about my body hair, not my head hair, was back in October. I’ve started waxing my shoulders which I love. Like it gives me so much more confidence!! And after a few times, the hair grows back in lighter, and softer, so it’s been a good thing for me. I’m even spacing out the appointments more and more, which is also a good thing.
However, if you read that post from October, you also know that I tried waxing my face as well. Just my jawline (it didn’t work at all because the hairs were too short and I was massively upset). Because that is the place that I hate the most. Like even more than my alopecia, I hate that I have hair along my jawline. My mom does too (I say I got all the bad traits from both my parents), and I have seen her shave her face literally my whole life. She doesn’t do as much of her face as I do – but I also kind of think that if I didn’t start, then I probably wouldn’t have had this issue when I got older. But a friend of mine noticed some fuzzies in my “sideburn” area while she was doing my makeup one night, like 99% of women have – just little fuzzies, and after that, I was like “NOPE!!” And here we are.
So the last time I went to the salon, I was telling this new girl about my concerns and she suggested that I try threading on my face instead of waxing. It would create less of a redness and it would be easier to get all the short hairs. Since my work family is out of town still, I took this weekend as a trial run for it – I could stop shaving my face for a few days and not have my 8-year-old squish my face and go “you’re growing a beard!” like she has started doing.
For those of you who don’t know: threading is a form of torture. You literally just take regular sewing thread, make a twisty thing and it rips the hair out as you tighten the twist.
In all it’s painful glory:
I made an appointment for Friday evening and went in. At first, it was all good. She started on my sideburn area on the right side of my face and it hurt a little bit for the first few times and then I couldn’t feel anything. I was all “oh, okies, I can deal with this.”
I pride myself on having a high pain tolerance. People sometimes ask what that means, so here are some examples:
- When I was 14 I broke my toe. Slammed it into a wooden thing while at a youth car wash. It kind of hurt but I brushed it off. An hour later when my dad picked me and my brother up, after getting rid of the soap bubbles from my feet, I realized my entire toe was half purple and half black. It wasn’t bothering me.
- When I was 16, I dislocated the same toe. On holidays, I was walking up the stairs in silky pj’s and my foot slipped. My toe caught on the rung of the stairway and literally was at a 90-degree angle from where it needed to be. I sat down, pushed it back in, taped it up and went on my way.
- I never get freezing when I have to have a cavity filled (my root canal was 100% different. I used all the freezing for that).
- I sat through over two-hours of tattooing, and shading, and colour blending, and pain for my hippo with no more than an occasional wince and no breaks.
So when I say that this broke me – it freaking broke me!
After about 20 minutes, she had reached down that side of my cheek and was starting on the actual jawline/under my chin. It was so freaking painful! At first, my eyes were just watering but after about 10 minutes of that pain, I literally started to cry. I don’t cry. Practically never. And here I am, laying in a salon, freaking crying.
It wasn’t like sobbing or anything, but there were tears. My voice was cracking when she was talking to me, mascara was streaking up my glasses, my lips/chin were quivering, and my body was starting to shake.
I honestly don’t know how people do this in more sensitive areas. She did say that the centre of the body is more sensitive but oh my goodness.
Anyway – she finished the area, I had a previously scheduled appointment for Friday so she’s going to check the area again. She gave me some tips to make the next time a little bit more tolerable – exfoliate the day before and try some numbing cream. So yeah…that’s definitely going to happen.
At least now I am prepared for the pain and will try to remember to not wear makeup so that I don’t have a wrecked face again.
I hear you…that shit hurts like hell. Nobody out here wants to wax eyebrows anymore and I HATE tweezing – makes me sneeze!
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I’ve actually started to tweeze a little of this annoying left over little wisps of hairs the lady couldn’t get on Friday. I promised I wouldn’t shave so I need to hold to that lol although I’ve never hears of tweezing making people sneeze? That’s kind of hilarious lol annoying though!!
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Oooo, okay good to know about the pain of threading. I’ve wondered about it myself. I tend to use Nair and tweezers for the hair that won’t come out with wax… I’ll probably just stick with that as I don’t do pain, lol. 😀
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Apparently its better on the eyebrows? But I’ve only had it this once so I have no idea lol.
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I get my eyebrows threaded sometimes and you are right, it hurts like HELL! I usually end up with eyes and nose running and big red splotches on my forehead after a session there! 🙂
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My eyes did start with the watering which is totally fine but then I just kind of crumbled into emotions which sucked!!
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Well I am not surprised as just having my eyebrows done hurt, so I can imagine it was worse having any more done!
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Why can’t they make hair removal painless? Lol
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I know, if only! I have got worse as I grow older, every day there are a few more rogue hairs sprouting up! 😣😣😣
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Ugh! Gross! But maybe that is the silver lining for me? I’ve started this process early so maybe by the time I’m older, all the roots will be dead from the continued ripping out? haha
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Yes, that would be a bonus for you!!
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Hehe totally!!!
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Totally sounds like torture!
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It was horrible, Sandra!
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I’ve never tried that but see people doing it maybe in the mail or other places. They don’t look to be in pain. I always thought it was painful. Hope it goes better the next time!
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They must have uber pain tolerance! I hope next time goes better too haha I’m not cut out for that level of pain on a regular basis
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I bet it gets more tolerant the more you do it. Your sensitivity deadens or something. Also I know your pain deadening stuff takes time to activate- so maybe you should wax soemthing else before you go, and that way your pain goodies are already swimming in your system. Or something. I’m silly. Who knows.
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Oh my lord. Never had that done and never will now! I have sideburn area hair too that drives me crazy, but I’ll pass on the pain.
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She said that some people come and and she has to do their whole face. Thankfully thats not me. Also that the thread snaps from the strong hair! Again: thankfully not me haha
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Thread snaps. :(. Red splotches, tears in the eyes, bad genes. And to think I gotta do it tomorrow. Aaaaarrrrrgggghhhh!
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Oh no!!! But I’m up on Friday haha
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You go, girl! 😀
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Urgh. This DOES sound like torture. I’ve had my eyebrows done…but I think it’d be waaaay worse on the side burn area. You are soooo brave to even consider going back!
p.s. happy new year!!
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Lol well now I have to go back Josy! I want to get away from having to shave every day thats so annoying. So if I can get this into a system I can get away from that. I might switch to waxing since it wasnt as painful that first time haha.
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That’s true! It must get easier!!
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Hopefully!
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Uggghhhhh! Can’t you do laser on your face too? Or have we had this conversation already?
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I think we have. I’ve been told my hair is too light for it to work.
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😖😞
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Indeed!!!
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interesting read!
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Thanks! There will probably be an update next weekend after my second go haha!
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GIRLFRIEND, I was in pain just reading this!!!! AAAAH. I also feel your facial hair pain! I have lots of lovelies growing on my chin and under! I use an electric razor most days, but when I have time, I pluck. And, you better believe I’m plucking ALL DAMN DAY. Those asshole hairs.
One of my friends full-on shaves her face. Like, with shaving cream and a razor. Once you go down that road, there’s no coming back. I’m too scared to even think about how that’ll be my fate.
As for letting the hair grow long enough to wax–ARGGGG! I can’t even! I won’t! My 3rd graders would 100% notice and I JUST CAN’T!!
Girl, I FEEL you 1000%.
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I’ve been full on shaving lile your friend. Before just with a razor but my skin is so sensitive I started with the shaving cream. I had my munchkins home last night and the 3rd grader didnt notice. But she had been up for 2 days straight and was cranky pants mcgee lol. She always tells me I’m growing a beard when I would shave in the morning and then she would see me at the end of the day. I go tomorrow again to the spa and I might see about waxing it instead. Less pain but more reddness but I have no plans so reddness would be ok. I tried tweezing some of the left over hairs last weekend and it wasn’t *too* bad. But under my chin is where its SOOO painful. I bought the numbing cream from Amazon and will try it out tomorrow.
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Under the chin is the absolute WORST! I’m so sorry, friend!! Know you’re not alone!
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That’s dudette!! 🙂 its nice to know I’m not lol and you are right, under the chin is the worst. Thats what made me cry last time haha. But now I know what to expect
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Numbing cream will probably be your saving grace! Update us on how it goes!
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I will!! For sure!
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Amen to everything! “Asshole hair” indeed.
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Ugh! Not even, never ever
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Once again, loving what you are sharing here.. 🙂
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Thanks so much!! I really appreciate it 💛
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