I’m doing something a little bit crazy.

I’ve been thinking of laser hair removal longingly for quite a while. I’m the all or nothing sort of person so it was either shave my legs only when it was absolutely necessary (once every two to three weeks in the summer; not at all between the months of October and April) or shave every day. I went with the minimalist approach. Who needs non-hairy legs more than a few times during the summer anyway? It was only a four or five years ago that I decided it was time to put on my big girl shoes and shave more often. Every time I take a shower I shave my legs. This has wreaked havoc on my already dry skin. This means that I not only shave every day but I have to smear lotion on every day, too (missing for a couple days or even moving to the every other day plan leaves my legs looking powdery white from the colonies of dead skin, and achy all over–no good).

Lotion is slimy and disgusting. Shaving adds an extra few minutes to every shower (not relaxing, hang out in the shower minutes, but boring, work minutes) and is an annoyance.

It seemed my only solution was to either return to the minimalist approach (I got used to having smooth legs all the time and was not super excited about giving it up) or getting rid of the hair altogether.

Enter longing for hair removal.

I’d done my research, I knew the costs, side effects, and potential problems, I knew the different philosophies and approaches to laser hair removal, and I knew where I ideally would have liked to get my laser hair removal done. But I didn’t. I waited. I watched as others decided to do what I hadn’t done, questioned them, and waited some more.

And then there was groupon; 75% off laser hair removal at the spa I had always intended to go to. I wanted it, I knew I was going to get it someday, and I didn’t think I’d get another deal as good as this one. I popped on over and signed myself up.

Today was my first treatment. I decided to go without the numbing cream; it’s an extra cost, apparently messes a bit with the effectiveness of the treatments, and the technician said it probably wouldn’t be necessary based on my skin and hair type. The laser hurt a bit in some areas but mostly it didn’t. My technician was super impressed with how I was handling it. That is until I started dry-heaving. Apparently laser treatments + an empty stomach = nausea. Lovely.

(Have I ever mentioned my overly sensitive gag reflex? It gets me into all sorts of embarrassing situations. I blame my father.)

The poor technician did a little, I’m not sure how to handle this and I’m actually quite worried about you dance. (As it turns out, dry-heaving is not a common reaction to the laser treatments). I explained to her the culprit was my empty stomach. She began rapid-fire listing the snacks they keep on hand, stopped herself midway through a word and said she’d just bring me a selection. Then she was gone. She returned in no time at all and ran off again for some water.

The rest of the time I spent snacking and chatting. The treatment, not including the extra time added due to the dry-heaving fun, only took about twenty minutes.

Seventeen more treatments and the razor and I will be parting ways forever.

This parting will be all sweetness and no sorrow.