I've used a Phillips epilator for years but only on my armpits and legs. First time I used it, I would say it was "uncomfortable" rather than "painful". After each use the regrowth became finer and using the epilator became much less uncomfortable each time. I have patches on my legs that don't regrow now. I use the epilator every 6 or 7 weeks. There is a short time you have to wait for the regrowth to become long enough to redo. I use that time to shave a couple of times before I use the epilator again because it gives me the exfoliation I lose when epilating. Speaking of exfoliation you MUST use some type of exfoliation a couple of times per week or you will get ingrown hairs because the new growth is softer.
My new Flash Fiction:
An Extraordinary Orgasm.
https://www.lushstories.com/stories/flash-erotica/an-extraordinary-orgasm-2