Don’t fear the laser

I do everything last minute: braving the mall crowds on Christmas Eve, still getting dressed with an Uber on the way, making my wax appointment mere hours before my departing flight. I’ll usually blame my tardiness on YouTube’s autoplay function, but in the case of 11th-hour waxing, it has everything to do with my complete lack of pain tolerance.

Needles, push-ups and most heels are all no-gos, so imagine, if you will, my degree of avoidance when it comes to a Brazilian wax, what I consider to be a legal torture practice.

But with a warm weather bestie vacay on the horizon (a.k.a. another reason to subject myself to said torture), I decided on a different approach: laser hair removal.

Yes, I had heard horror stories about the original, now-antiquated versions that discoloured the skin, cost a bazillion dollars and, of most concern, hurt like a mother.

But The Ten Spot beauty bar’s new offerings promised everything the older models couldn’t: an ultra-safe, quick, efficient experience.

Lying on the esthetics bed at its Roncesvalles location in Toronto, suspiciously eyeing the humming machine with fear, I learn that the secret to a nearly painless experience starts with its topof-the-line laser machinery, which took over a year to select. First up is a mechanical melanin reading of my skin.

My esthetician, Melissa, assures me that this part is totally painless (bless), but more importantly, it’s a crucial step that informs the machine in deciding on the safest, most effective treatment for your specific skin type. Then after drawing out the area she’d be treating, Melissa tells me it’s time.

Before I can tense up like I do when a dentist tool is looming over my face, she explains that she’ll run a cooling tip along my skin before a powerful blast shoots the hair out of its follicle.

The main event sounds like a terrifying sci-fi encounter, but when she initiates the first blast after the icy cool sensation, I feel nothing. And I mean nothing. The rest of the session follows suit, save for a couple completely tolerable pinches (the more hair in the area, the more painful it is, Melissa tells me.)

And before I know it, it’s done. My entire bikini area takes 14-16 zaps and a total of 15 minutes from undressing to out the door. I’ve waited longer for the streetcar.

Again, Melissa attributes this to the laser itself, which boasts the largest spot size on the market.

Twelve weeks and three sessions later, I’m happy to report this new laser lives up to the hype. I’m swimsuit ready, totally unscathed and never have to squirm through an agonizing waxing appointment again.