Pregnancy brings many changes to a woman’s body, some of which may be beneficial – like stronger nails and glowing skin; others less so; such as increased hair growth.
Thick hair tends to diminish within six months postpartum, yet some women might be tempted to resume their old hair removal regimen before this occurs. Is this feasible?
1. Is it safe?
Many pregnant women experience profound changes during their pregnancies. From weight gain and bladder control issues to unexpected hair growth and thicker, darker strands appearing out of nowhere, pregnancy hormones can alter normal hair growth patterns significantly – leading many new mothers to want laser removal treatment as soon as they give birth. Unfortunately, most doctors advise against it while breastfeeding.
As it remains unknown whether laser treatments’ chemicals will pass from mother to infant through breast milk, any treatment performed while breastfeeding could potentially have negative consequences for either parent. Therefore, for safety’s sake and in order to safely undergo laser treatments it is advised that patients wait until hormone levels have returned to normal and their infant has stopped nursing before getting laser treatments done.
Concerns over whether laser treatments while breastfeeding are still somewhat contentious due to limited research available on this subject. Most medical professionals agree that laser treatments should be safe so long as they don’t involve directly treating chest tissue. As a safeguard against adverse side effects and any mishaps occurring during treatments, it is advised to undergo a patch test prior to getting any laser treatment sessions done.
Be mindful that some medications and anesthetics used during laser treatments may transfer through breast milk, so it’s advisable to wait until after your procedure to use these products. Speak to your laser technician about this to identify alternative solutions or go natural if possible.
If you want to remove unwanted body hair, the key to successful elimination should be using traditional methods, like shaving, until after giving birth and breastfeeding have concluded. After this time has passed, use laser skin treatments as a treat after you’ve worked so hard at providing your baby with the best life possible.
2. Is it painful?
After their baby arrives, many new moms can finally enjoy some time for themselves. They may start attending the gym or getting massages; or perhaps they want to reduce excess hair growth in areas like their face and underarms.
Laser hair removal can be an effective and safe solution to reduce unwanted hair, but it’s essential that breastfeeding women carefully consider if laser treatment will be safe during breastfeeding. While there’s no definitive answer on this front, most physicians advise women waiting until after nursing duties have concluded before having any laser therapy done.
Laser treatments use a machine that emits a beam of light through the skin to target hair follicles and create damage, leading to their removal from your body and consequently falling out. Depending on which laser type and area is being treated, some individuals may experience mild discomfort; however, this typically doesn’t last very long and shouldn’t pose too many concerns to breastfeeding mothers.
When considering laser hair removal while breastfeeding, it’s essential that your technician has experience and can perform the procedure safely. An improper laser session could result in burns or other complications which would not be ideal for breastfeeding mothers. Also avoid anesthetic creams during treatment as they could pass through breast milk to affect your baby directly.
As breastfeeding women are particularly prone to hormonal effects, one must also be wary of these hormones’ influence on their bodies. Hormones can alter skin tone dramatically during breastfeeding – either darkening it (hyperpigmentation) or lightening it (hypopigmentation), so it is advised that they wait until nursing duties have concluded before seeking any type of laser therapy treatment. As medications or antibiotics could potentially trigger such changes, seeking advice from your healthcare provider beforehand would be wise.
3. Is it dangerous?
Due to limited information, it’s difficult to accurately predict any risks posed by laser hair removal during breastfeeding for your baby. Most medical professionals recommend waiting until after giving birth before starting laser treatment on any unwanted hairs.
Newborn babies transform lives, so it is natural for women to want to look their best after spending a period of time adjusting. That’s why many opt for laser hair removal after giving birth or even before.
However, it’s important to keep in mind that laser hair removal may not be safe when breastfeeding due to the chemicals used for hair removal passing into the baby’s bloodstream and potentially harming it. Other hair removal techniques like shaving, waxing or tweezing do not present this same risk.
Laser hair removal while breastfeeding poses another potential downside: permanent pigment changes to the breasts and nipples could result in permanent pigment changes which alters breast milk color – though this side effect is rare, it should still be noted as it could occur.
Other side effects of laser hair removal may include redness, swelling and irritation which can be quite uncomfortable for mothers. Furthermore, topical anesthetic used during laser hair removal can interact with certain medications negatively.
Although there is no proof that laser hair removal while breastfeeding is harmful, most clinics will refuse treatment because they want to ensure that the baby remains protected. Therefore, if you decide to get your hair removed during breastfeeding it’s essential that a physician provide written confirmation that it’s okay and monitor your progress to make sure there are no detrimental side-effects to either you or the baby from treatment.
4. Is it worth it?
At its core, laser hair removal should likely be safe while breastfeeding; however, there are a few things to keep in mind. First of all, make sure you use a reliable practitioner with strict safety protocols in place in order to minimize potential risks to both mother and baby during the procedure. Also consult your physician on how best to manage any pain or discomfort experienced during this procedure.
Another potential risk is that hormones could cause any hair removed to grow back faster than usual; to minimize this possibility it would likely be best to wait until breastfeeding has ended before considering laser hair removal treatments. Finally, topical anesthetic used during laser hair removal could transfer through breast milk and cause adverse reactions in your infant.
Medical experts warn against laser hair removal during pregnancy, particularly on chest, nipples or breasts. This is because laser treatments can affect hormones that create and pump milk into breast milk production systems causing loss or cessation of breastfeeding altogether.
Many breastfeeding women are concerned about the long-term effects of laser hair removal during breastfeeding, yet this treatment should not have any detrimental impacts on breast milk composition or your mammary glands. Furthermore, laser does not penetrate deep into skin layers and will have no negative impacts.
If you have questions or are concerned about getting laser hair removal while breastfeeding, don’t hesitate to contact us and schedule a consultation session with one of our experts. They will be more than happy to explain all aspects of this treatment option and help determine whether it suits you personally. We look forward to helping you reach your personal beauty goals!
