I am one hairy bastard so I thought I would help a few out.
your friend is wrong. Waxing takes alot more then a "few sessions" for it to stop growing back. After many many many many sessions over years it grows back finer and finer, because in essensce your damnaging the hair folicle.
As for hurting, that really depends on the area and amount you have to remove. for a woman, no its really not to bad, they have like 2-3 strips and they are done. For a man with a HAIRY back and HAIRY chest, yes bring the pain.
1) honee wax works well, the kind you use with muslin strips..but painfull, as you will pull parts of your skin off and bleed.
2) hard wax works the best, this kind actually forms into a hard strip and then you just yank the strip of wax off. no cloth strip needed. less painfull then a honee wax, as the hard wax does not stick to the skin.
Pete, laser is good for removing hair, but not keeping it off. Most studies out their show electrolosis is much more effective for long term hair removal. Much more painfull, but longer lasting results.
Hope this helps some
*personally i am so hairy, ussually its a body gromer or nair or wife in the shower with a razor. just way to much to even think about removing perm.