Unfortunately, very little research has been done regarding laser hair removal during pregnancy; therefore it is difficult to state definitively. Most experts advise waiting until after delivery before having laser hair removal done.
Women looking to avoid shaving and waxing while pregnant do have options, however. Our experts, such as Hack, Westbay and D’Aquino recommended foregoing laser treatments as one possible approach.
Risks
Pregnancy brings with it many changes, from mood swings and loss of bladder control, to growing hair where there wasn’t before. While these symptoms can be inconvenient and frustrating, one less talked-about symptom of pregnancy may be hair growth in unexpected places that was never present before – something which will eventually stop. Luckily this is considered a normal part of gestation which will pass.
Permanent methods of hair removal such as laser treatments offer many women an effective solution to reduce unwanted hair around their faces, arms, legs and bikini area. While these treatments can give women back confidence they deserve – the question remains as to whether this same therapy would still work while pregnant?
Even though no scientific evidence suggests laser treatments during pregnancy are unsafe, most doctors advise postponing them until after you’ve given birth due to increased skin sensitivity and blood flow – both factors which increase your risk of burns during treatment sessions.
Pregnancy hormones may alter the hair growth cycle and make it challenging to coordinate multiple treatment sessions required to reach your goals, leading to treatments occurring at inappropriate points in time and not yielding the best possible result.
Chemical exposure should also be taken into consideration during pregnancy. Depilatory creams should generally be avoided since their chemicals can penetrate through your skin and into your baby. This is especially crucial since your skin tends to be extra-sensitive during gestation and you’re at increased risk for accidental cuts while shaving or waxing.
Simply stated, not enough evidence exists to prove laser hair removal as safe for pregnant women. There are more reliable solutions that work just as effectively and are much less invasive.
Precautions
Pregnancy can be an emotional and hormonal rollercoaster ride. Hormone levels become imbalanced and cause mood swings as well as other symptoms like increased hair growth in places that didn’t previously contain it – including thick and coarse peach fuzz that’s difficult to reach with razors or tweezers. While pregnant women may be tempted to use laser hair removal technology during this period, most doctors and clinics advise against doing so due to potential risks involved with its use.
As no studies have been done to ascertain the safety of laser hair removal during gestation, expectant mothers are typically reluctant to do anything that might place their baby at risk. While lasers have been successfully employed in treating other conditions such as genital warts and kidney stones safely, they should not be used cosmetically such as hair removal.
Therefore, most reputable laser hair removal clinics tend to avoid treating pregnant patients. Furthermore, topical anesthetics commonly used during laser hair removal treatments (like lidocaine and prilocaine ) should also be avoided whenever possible during gestation.
Some laser treatments can also cause hyperpigmentation of the skin. This is particularly noticeable if skin tone differs significantly from that of the hair being removed, taking several months for any colorations to fade back out completely. Without taking these precautions, clients could end up with discolored patches on their skin; an embarrassing and unpleasant situation which should be avoided at all costs.
As for alternatives to laser hair removal, temporary methods like shaving, waxing, threading and tweezing are generally safe during pregnancy; however as your body changes during gestation these may become increasingly challenging and time consuming to use.
Avoid shaving directly above or around a C-section incision site as this can irritate hair follicles and increase infection risks. Some women even experience what’s known as “telogen effluvium”, where their pregnancy hair suddenly begins to fall out after they give birth.
Postpartum
Pregnancy brings many changes to a woman’s body, including new patches of hair growth in unexpected places. While pregnant women may wonder whether it is safe to continue laser hair removal during their gestation period, doctors typically advise waiting until after delivery before continuing. This allows your hormones to stabilize while healing and allows scars or wounds from an episiotomy or cesarean section to fully recover before returning for another round.
Pregnant women should steer clear of laser treatments due to the risk of infection following treatment. While their immune systems are compromised during gestation, any infections could prove hazardous for both you and your unborn baby. Chemical-based hair removal methods like depilatory creams containing chemicals such as thioglycolic acid and barium sulphide should also be avoided as laser hair removal sessions involve direct laser light beams being directed at areas that need treating, where light absorbs dark pigmentation that damages hair follicles thereby stopping further hair from growing out.
Laser treatments can be painful, often necessitating multiple sessions before seeing results. Pregnancy makes your skin even more susceptible to discomfort than usual, making anesthetics such as lidocaine or prilocaine unsuitable for use during this stage. As such, you may find the procedure more uncomfortable while recovering afterwards.
Since there have been no long-term studies done on laser hair removal’s impact on unborn babies, it would be prudent to wait until after you give birth before opting for laser treatments. There are other effective solutions such as shaving, waxing or plucking which may provide hair reduction during your gestation period.
Before beginning laser hair removal treatments while breastfeeding, it’s wise to wait at least until your hormone levels have stabilized as hormones in your body may interfere with producing quality breast milk. If unsure, consult your physician and follow his or her advice regarding when best to start treatments.
Insurance
Pregnancy can bring on many changes, with hormones leading to excess hair growth in sensitive areas such as breasts or bikini region. Shaving or waxing may become awkward or uncomfortable for some women. Therefore, many pregnant women turn to laser hair removal in order to eliminate unwanted hair growth; laser treatment involves having a doctor or technician aim a beam of light at desired area which targets dark pigment in hair follicles to destroy them permanently – although due to risks involved with direct beam exposure while pregnant it’s advised that pregnant women choose temporary methods like shaving or plucking instead.
Although laser treatment has not been shown to be harmful during pregnancy, it’s still wise to exercise extreme caution. Due to lack of research or guidelines regarding elective laser treatments during gestation, elective treatments should often be avoided in order to protect the unborn baby from potential risks.
Laser hair removal should also be postponed during gestation for another reason – hormonal fluctuations during pregnancy can actually make your skin darker in some places where there had previously been none – as lasers work by distinguishing light from dark, this change could thwart its efficacy.
If you decide to go forward with laser hair removal before becoming pregnant, it may be prudent to book several sessions and then stop once you discover you’re expecting. Each clinic has different policies regarding this matter but most offer to postpone further appointments until after you’ve given birth.
Laser hair removal should also be avoided if you suffer from medical conditions like diabetes or high blood pressure that could make laser removal dangerous for you, like diabetes or high blood pressure. Such conditions can impair circulation and it would not be wise to expose yourself to potential risks while pregnant.
