Oh my actual god

[paulhollywoodshairgel]

I've just bought an epilator. Now I didn't expect it to feel like being kissed by butterflies but, son of a biscuit eater that is the most painful thing ever!!! Way worse than waxing.. or am I doing it wrong?? Otherwise I've just formed out 100'quid to feel like I'm being flayed alive

It gets better the more you do it. The first few times I used one I chilled the area with a freezer block before and after which really helped.

I've purchased 2 in my life. Both gathered dust in the wardrobe and then given away. Way too painful to try twice.

They do hurt but it gets easier with time. Mine have me horrendous ingrown hairs though no matter what I did so had to go back to shaving

It gets better the more you do it. I have one now that I can use in the shower but if yours isn’t that kind it might still help to have a bag or shower to soften your skin before. Exfoliating before also helps.

If you were shaving before it’s likely your hairs are quite thick and strongly rooted, so it’ll hurt more till the roots get finer over time.

Paracetamol an hour before helps. You get used to it, and before long the hairs start giving up and don't grow back. I've been epilating for years and it doesn't hurt at all now, even my armpits.

What part of your body are you epilating?

I do my armpits and legs. Bikini line was just unbearable.

I recommend a few large wines and trying again after a piping hot bath. But it does get easier!

It gets much easier the more you do it. And do it regularly. I’ve been using one for years and the hair grows back so much softer and slower. There’s big patches of my legs where the hair doesn’t grow back at all now.
Although it is painful and time consuming to begin with, I’d definitely recommend sticking with it.

Only epilate relatively short hair. Shave/wax and wait few days, not too bad then. Keep it up in the beginning, the hair will sort of thin out after a while.

Your God is no good
Pray to apolépisi- the greek god

I used mine once and ran away from it.

I think I actually cried the first time. I don't know if to gets easier - too scared to ever try.

Yes, it’s truly awful. I’ve only done it once and will never do it again. Waxing is much less painful and I used to happily go for that (except bikini. No fucking way). I’m going to treat myself to an IPL one of these days. Or just be fluffy. (I don’t care that much anymore…)

Warm bath or shower first! If it's waterproof even better, running the shower over the area at the same time really helps

First time epilating will be painful but you soon get used to the sensation.

I used to wax before I took up epilating, so I was already used to having the hairs ripped out of my legs haha.

I actually really enjoy the sensation of epilating now. The only time it hurts is when I haven't epilated in ages so the hairs are long. So make sure you do it regularly when the hairs are short.

Men wouldn't do this to themselves. It's agony.

I have never tried waxing either.

I can do my armpits and bikini but not my legs. Far too painful

Epilating and waxing are both things I have tried once and never again. Hair removal is really not important enough to suffer pain for.

🤯

how can it be less painful to do your bikini line and armpits?

I'm struggling to think of something men do which is excruciatingly painful but which they are told to persist with, in order to meet an arbitrary beauty standard which has been thrust upon them.

@SoggyPaper I've no idea but it is? Maybe because I've waxed those areas more I. The past and shaved my legs as standard.

I just can't comprehend the difference in pain levels. Legs is just beyond what I want to handle. Arms isn't an issue at all, bikini only hurst if I catch some skin

Yeah mines been sat in a cupboard for years there horrible things used a couple of times never again will I put myself through that torture

Persevere with it. I felt like that the first time but can now epilate everywhere and it doesn't hurt. The big benefit is that after several years of doing it re growth is very slow.

I found the legs agony too, the bikini line better although I’ve had that waxed tonnes of times. Mine had been gathering dust for years because it’s way too painful for me. I got an IPL instead.

I had one. I used it once.

I first tried to epilate my legs at around 30 and found it unfathomably agonising so reverted to waxing at a salon. 20 years on, I tried epilating again during lockdown and found it absolutely fine. I have far fewer hairs after 20 years of waxing and think they must be weaker now.