Here are a few of the most common methods of pain management.
Try these first. If these don't work well enough, you might consider
Topical anesthetics.
Over-the-counter pain medications:
Many find that over-the-counter analgesics are enough to dull
the pain: Advil, Alleve, Tylenol, regular aspirin (although
you may want to avoid salicylates, which interfere with blood
clotting in some people). Many take this in conjunction with
other methods listed here.
Antihistamines: This
is not a pain management tip, but it can make your session more
comfortable. You may find an antihistamine tablet or nasal spray
like Dristan can help reduce sneezing and the amount of mucus
your nose produces while working on your upper lip. Some find
these also help reduce swelling.
Antacids: Kathy writes:
"I would like to pass on something I have stumbled across
recently which has helped mitigate a significant amount of discomfort
from electrolysis. I have been taking Pepcid AC an hour before
my treatments and it works. Of course it is still uncomfortable
but it is much more tolerable. I do not have any idea how it
works but it does. This was passed on to me by a friend who
regularly has her legs waxed. I hope it can help others."
Ice: Some people like
to numb the area with ice before treatment, although some electrologists
and almost all waxers prefer the skin to be normal temperature
during treatment. Check with yours first. Wrap an ice cube in
a wet washcloth or inside a plastic bag. Some like to freeze
pieces of wet tissue to use. If you don't like the water dripping
everywhere as the ice melts, you might try one of those reusable
frozen packs for use in coolers, or one of those gelpacks they
make to put over your eyes. You don't need a lot of icing--
five minutes before starting, then for as long as needed as
you move to a new area. This may also reduce swelling. For some,
this slows the process down too much. Some lasers use ice before
and during treatment, while others use cooled gel or a cryogenic
spray immediately before the pulse.
Get comfortable: Take
off anything binding like shoes, socks, belt. Wear loose clothes.
Have a fan blowing on you. Any discomfort not related to laser,
waxing, or electrolysis should be eliminated.
Start slow: If you
dive right in with several long sessions or tackle the most
sensitive parts first, you may not want to repeat the experience.
Ask about adjusting the intensity:
There is a trade-off here. You should work at the highest energy
level you can stand with laser and electrolysis, otherwise you're
wasting your time and money. However, it shouldn't be past what
you can stand. Adjusting the intensity happens throughout a
typical session, so don't hesitate to try to find a comfortable
working point.
Save sensitive parts for the
end of your session: No matter how long you you've
been going, this is probably the best way to do it. Sensitive
areas can sometimes leave me tense and exhausted. Doing them
last means there's a light at the end of the tunnel, and after
that, your session is done. Some like to get this over with
first, though. It depends on you.
Don't return to a treated area:
Some find that they build up a mild tolerance in an area as
it's being treated. Slowly moving out from that area can help
keep the pain lower. Going back to a tender place that has already
received treatment during that session can hurt much more. You
should never treat a lasered area twice in the same session.
Something to hold:
Some people squeeze stuffed animals during treatment. Maybe
you'll like this too, especially if you're fidgety like me.
I usually hold a couple of tissues which I twist, tear and use
to wipe away EMLA.
Something in your mouth:
Some people find that having a breath mint or hard candy to
melt and play around with can help. Careful with gum or something
that requires chewing or moving the jaw-- it may slow facial
treatment down. You should probably avoid smoking and chewable
tobacco products during treatment.
Watch: Some like to
watch the whole process with a hand-held mirror. This lets them
prepare for when and where a hair is about to be treated. Others
can't stand to watch. While I find that it's interesting to
see waxing or electrolysis, it gets real old real fast. For
me, it did make it seem less painful for some reason. You won't
be able to do this with laser due to protective eyewear.
Get involved: Some
people like advanced warning just before the current is applied
or the wax strip is pulled off.
Be motivated: This
may sound silly, but those who really want this done are willing
to deal with the occasional pain. If the pain makes you not
want to go, perhaps you should step back and think about what
you really want.
Bring a friend: Occasionally,
clients will bring a friend along to pass the time. If you know
someone else who is also undergoing treatment, you could schedule
back-to-back appointments, drive there together, and keep each
other company. The moral support can also be good for those
who are prone to forgetting appointments or reluctant to go.
Sleep (or lack thereof):
Some people have to be wide awake for hair removal. It's easier
to take when they're fresh. For others (like me) going in very
tired does seem to help.
Exercise: Some people
find that being in shape makes the pain more tolerable. This
makes sense, because exercising reduces your stress level and
helps increase the production of natural painkillers (endorphins)
in the body.
Hydrate: Some claim
drinking a lot of water helps with pain. Plus, it can't hurt!
Reduce your stress levels:
If you have a stressful job or home life, get treatment when
you'll be relaxed. Give yourself plenty of time to get to treatment
so you're not stressed about that. Try not to get wound up on
the day of your appointment. That's why many people get weekend
treatment. For those who can't control their stress level on
their own, they may find a tranquilizer such as Valium useful.
Acupressure: I find
a little acupressure can work wonders. When I get treatment
in certain areas, the pain travels away from the treated area.
For instance, a couple of places near my ears are much more
tolerable if I press a finger between the treated spot and my
ear. This blocks the pain from traveling to my ear, which I
find very unpleasant. I find blocking the pain from traveling
down my neck during treatment is very useful as well. Have your
electrologist or waxer push down with the fingers he or she
is using to stretch the skin. The closer to the treatment site,
the better. Some laser handpieces require pressure on the skin,
which can help with pain.
Pinch/stretch skin:
This is similar to acupressure, in that it can keep the sensation
from spreading or shooting down a nerve.
Rubbing: Have your
electrologist or waxer rub the spot right after treatment, which
seems to diffuse the pain a bit. Don't touch it yourself- that
increases the chance for irritation or infection.
Placing cotton rolls in mouth:
An excellent variation on acupressure is to put a cotton roll
(like the ones they use at the dentist) or a tightly-folded
piece of facial tissue between your lips and teeth during work
around the mouth. This elevates your lip so the practitioner
isn't smashing your lip against your teeth while treating that
area, and it makes it easier to see the fine hairs. It also
has the effect (for me, anyway) of greatly reducing the tears
and mucous that can be triggered by working near the nostrils.
It's kind of like pressing your finger against your upper lip
when you're about to sneeze.
Breathing techniques:
Concentrating on breathing can help some people. Try slowing
down your breathing with deep breaths. Try breathing in through
your nose and out through your mouth. On every outward breath,
just mentally "let go." Say "aaaah," or
"blaaah," or "ummmm" under your breath or
to yourself, and go mentally and physically floppy. Holding
your breath and counting to a set number can be good, as can
breathing out just after the treatment. Some people like to
hold their breath until a certain amount of treatment has been
done. Experiment and see if it helps you.
Relaxation techniques:
Some people can take themselves into a light trance by visualizing
and consciously relaxing various parts of their bodies. Try
to focus on the feet and legs since they're about as far away
from the head as possible. It doesn't exactly lessen the pain,
rather it *disconnects* one from that pain. Anyone who is reasonably
well-practiced in self-hypnosis, visualization, or meditation
can find these techniques helpful during a long session. To
get that feeling of "letting-go," visualize a sunlit
garden, and imagining walking down a series of steps as you
go deeper and deeper with each breath into solitude and serenity.
Imagine slowly sinking down into a bath, the warm water gently
relaxing each part of your body until you're floating. Another
method is to push the pain and stress away from your face each
time you exhale. Push the pain down your arms and out your fingertips.
Dangling your hands off the table may help this. Gosh, I feel
more relaxed just typing this stuff!
Double up: Pay the
same amount but be done in about half the time by having two
electrologists or waxers work at once. Nicki writes, "I
get twice the hours of work for the same number of hours of
my lying there being tortured so it's much quicker to make progress.
Also, I find (and this may surprise you) that when you're getting
sensitive areas like the lips or chin cleared, having someone
else working somewhere else is actually an advantage: it's a
distraction!"
Chit-chat: A conversation
with the practitioner or clients who may be waiting can help
make the time zip right by. I like to invite in people waiting.
Find something you like to talk about: movies, music, current
events (ugh, a pun!), sex, fashion, community gossip, whatever.
Chatting during work around your mouth may slow the process
down, though, and any talking can interfere with relaxation
techniques. Let your practitioner know if you'd prefer silence
before you start.
Music: Some people
like to bring their own music if it's not a salon with music
piped in. Familiar songs do seem to make the time go by faster.
A Walkman might get in the way, but maybe that's an option if
you really want to blast something.
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