This weekend I took my first foray into the world of home waxing.

I am no stranger to hair removal. I was blessed with more than my fair share of hair, not only on my head, but in many other inconvenient places as well. It is my curse, and I have dealt with it since I was about 12 years old. I could go into a rant about the mainstream media and its anorexic, hairless ideals, but I will refrain.

Here are the many and sundry ways in which I deal with my hirsuteness:

1. I shave my legs, under my arms, and my arms themselves daily. (People are always shocked to learn that I shave my arms. Honestly, I probably don't need to do it. I don't have gorilla arms. I shaved them for the first time when I was about 15, and I loved how silky smooth they looked. No, there's no stubble on my arms, in case you were wondering.)

2. I remove the hair on my upper lip. I do this using a gentle depilatory.

3. I bleach the hair at my hairline and on the sides of my face.

4. I have a few stray hairs on my chin. I pluck those.

5. I shave the hair "down there."

Are you grossed out yet? Do you feel like you know too much about me? Sorry. I bet you had no idea I was so furry.

Sunday afternoon, I washed my face and decided to give it a go. I pressed the prepared waxed strip against my cheek and quickly ripped it off before I had a chance to second guess myself.

Surprisingly, it wasn't as painful as I had expected. Encouraged, I tackled the rest of my face with reckless abandon. I waxed even more than I had originally intended. I applied strips to my hairline, chin and even my eyebrows.

I did my upper lip last. Good thing, too, because that was definitely the most excruciating area. It took all of my courage, and I mean all of it, to do the other side of my lip after I'd done the first. It stung so badly that it brought tears to my eyes.

Despite the pain, when I'd finished, I was pleased with the results. Although slightly red and puffy in the recently waxed areas, I was smooth, silky and completely hair-free. I imagined myself waxing far into the future, eventually waxing every square inch of my body, if I could find the time. Yay, waxing! I thought. I can't believe I never did this before!

I wish I could end the story happily. Sadly, today I woke up with angry red bumps all over my hairline and upper lip. The bumps on my upper lip seem to be evolving into tiny fever blisters.

Sigh. Thus ends my short-lived fling with waxing. Waxing, you and I must part ways, I believe. It was nice while it lasted, but I can't see this turning into a long-term thing.