I'm 17 and I'm so sick of having a mustache.
This is really embarrassing to post, but honestly I don't know who else to talk to about this and you guys seem to get it.
I’m 17 and my upper lip hair is thick and dark. I mean, it's not just little peach fuzz, it’s like a full-on shadow that I feel like everyone can see from a mile away. It's gotten so bad that I’ve started subconsciously covering my mouth with my hand when I talk to people. I'm constantly checking my reflection in my phone screen and I totally avoid sitting near windows in class because the bright light makes it look even worse.
So now it's become this whole running 'joke' with some of the guys at school. They'll ask me for shaving tips or say stuff like 'nice stache' when I walk by. I try to act like it doesn’t bother me, but seriously, every time it happens my stomach just drops and I feel my face get hot. It’s gotten to the point where I just feel ugly all the time.
And I’ve tried talking to my mom and dad about it so many times. But they just brush it off and say 'it's just a little hair, nobody notices' or that I’m being dramatic. They really don't get how much this is affecting my entire life right now.
I literally saved up for months from my part-time job, thinking I could just go get it profesionally lasered and be done with it. I was so excited, but when I called around, every single clinic told me they have a strict policy of not treating anyone under 18, even with parental consent. I was so crushed.
My next idea was an at-home wax kit. And the pain was whatever, like, I could deal with that. But my skin completely freaked out. It was bright red, covered in these tiny little bumps for almost a week, and it looked even worse than the hair did. I think I'm allergic or my skin is just way too sensitive for it.
So yeah, that basically leaves me here. I've been digging through old posts on this sub and I keep seeing people talk about at-home IPL devices. The Ulike one comes up a lot. It seems like a good option but it's a lot of money to spend if it doesn't work. I'm also kind of worried if it's even safe for someone my age to use. I'm just looking for any advice from people who have maybe been through something similar.