Day 54 - Laser Hair Removal

Let's start this one with a simple fact: I'm incredibly pale skinned and have super dark hair.  

While I enjoy the positive aspects of this contrast, such as being compared to Snow White, having a luminous complexion, the ability to pull off jewel tones like a mofo and the effect that my wearing dark red lipstick has on most people, there are a few pretty explicit drawbacks.  

For example, people naturally assume I'm a goth or a drug dealer if I'm wearing too much black.  Also, you can see every single strand of hair that I have on my body from across the street.  

When I was in seventh grade, I was teased almost daily about my mustache.  I can't even remember how many times I walked home wiping tears off of my face.  It's always made me feel vastly insecure.  My parents, even though they were so far from being able to afford it, paid to drive me to a town 50 miles away to get electrolysis every four weeks for TWO YEARS.  They knew how much the hair bothered me and they wanted to help me be my most confident Tiffany.  How awesome is that?  The love of two amazing parents with a focus on the emotional well being of their child is probably the most happy making thing on the planet. 

Unfortunately, the procedure didn't work all that well and I ended up making some sort of peace with it.  I asked my mom to stop making appointments because I didn't want to waste any more of their time or money.  As most do, the insecurity faded a bit as I grew older but I was never able to shake it entirely.  I remember when Joel and I first got together and he would try to touch my face, I would pull away.  Getting touched in the face made me uncomfortable because I was horrified at the prospect of him (or anyone) feeling stubble.

When Laser Hair Removal first became a thing, I was interested in trying it but remained skeptical.  First, Laser Hair Removal is freaking expensive.  Next, the electrolysis didn't do a damned bit of good (and it hurt).  Lastly, I didn't get paid a whole lot when I was contracting and it the procedure was freaking expensive.  Did I mention it cost a lot of money?

Then came the groupon.  God bless the groupon!  I was able to work out a deal where I did my whole face and neck for $800.  Even though that seemed like a lot of money at the time, I would make that decision over and over and over again.  

I did no photoshopping of this picture; none, nada, zilch.  My skin is smooth like butter and this makes me obscenely happy: