Yes, it hurts a lot! But it's working well with me. I had my 10th session last week (lightsheer 25/30 kj) and I may have about 10% of the initial hair (rough estimation), more than half of it on the mustache area, where facial hair is usually most resilient. For me it worked like this: after the 5th or 6th session I would need no concealer to go out, just a little make up. The shadow became by then nearly imperceptible, even in male mode. Now, after 10 treatments I could go out in role without make up foundation if only considered the nonexistent shadow (I keep shaving everyday however); I just use very little make up foundation however (btw, this effect is not obtainable in the immediate days after the treatment). Now that Androcur is helping, I do not foresee more than two to three treatments. After that, I will consider if I do some electro for the very blond hairs, which are relatively few and do not cause any shadow, only dysphoria when they grow and I pass my hand over my skin.
The good news: the less hair remaining, the lesser the pain each time. At least for me, the red spots became significantly less after the 4th or 5th treatment and lately they disappear within a few hours of the treatment. The bad news is this: my dermo and my endo have told me, laser alone does not get rid of all of the facial hair, not completely. Some or many of the blonde ones will likely remain unaffected and as far as (dehydro)testosterone is produced new hair cells may form. That's why some girls do electro afterwards. But stopping testo production after laser will generally do the trick: I know a couple of girls who never did any electrolysis. Also, like in every other thing, everyone is different in this department. I wish you all good luck with this. Getting rid of most of the facial hair has improved my confidence a lot!