Experienced moms question

La
 I am a FTM and debating on an unmediated or medicated labor. I am leaning toward unmediated - for various reasons but not that I condemn medication or think it makes me any better of a person :). 
   My biggest fear about labor is when the baby is crowning and what if I rip or have to be cut... I don't want to feel that. A lot of people assure me that when it came to that part they barely felt anything maybe just a burning. That contractions will be the most painful part. 
 Is this true?