There’s no use trying to deny it: I am a hairy person. Much like fellow Mediterranean women, my moustache grew in about the same time as the prepubescent boys’ in my classroom. This has never embarrassed me—some people are hairy and some people aren’t. That’s just life. And while I respect a person’s choice to sport or remove hair wherever and whenever they please, I prefer to be smooth.

I’ve tried all forms of hair removal. Waxing, shaving, creams—you name it. I even dabbled in making my own reusable wax once. Needless to say that didn’t work out so well. Just when I thought I’d never find a permanent, easy solution to my hair woes that didn’t irritate my skin, hurt or just be downright annoying, enter: laser hair removal. If you’ve been considering getting it done, here are a few things to consider.

It doesn’t hurt. No, seriously.

If you go to a salon that uses new machines, you’ll barely feel a thing. Sure, there will be a mild discomfort as the laser gun can get very hot, but all in all it’s the most painless hair removal procedure I’ve done.

6-7 sessions probably won’t be enough

When purchasing hair removal treatments, you usually buy a package of 6-7 treatments for one body area. Though you’ll see a significant reduction in hair, you may need to purchase extra sessions to be hair-free. It’s totally worth it.

Your hair might grow back with significant hormone changes

Pregnancy, starting/going off birth control and any other occurrence that significantly alters your hormone balance will lead to hair growth in areas that have received treatment. For this reason, it’s best to wait until after pregnancy to undergo hair removal.

You can pretty much remove hair anywhere

That laser gun can get into some pretty tricky areas, which is convenient as heck. The only area that doesn’t seem to be receptive to laser is your eyebrows, which is fine considering you want a strong brow game anyway.

You have to stay out of the sun

After receiving treatment, it’s important to apply heavy sunscreen and avoid too much sun, as your skin’s sensitivity is increased. This includes tanning beds. I guess there’s a silver lining to our seven-month-long winters.

If you, like me, are a naturally hairy person at their wits end to find a more permanent, comfortable solution, I suggest you give it a shot. It really slows down the hair growth process and gets rid of the bumps, irritation, redness and pain associated with all other forms of hair removal.