Recently postpartum mothers often worry that laser hair removal will have adverse effects on breastfeeding infants, but as long as it doesn’t involve their nipple or breast tissue it should not pose a threat.
However, it’s essential that you discuss all available options with a medical practitioner prior to making any decisions.
What to Expect
After giving birth, women often strive to regain their pre-baby bodies. Stretch marks, sagging skin and any noticeable blemishes like freckles and dark lines (melasma) may have left visible changes on their bodies after giving birth; although anti-wrinkle injections and filler treatments should not be performed while breastfeeding; laser hair removal treatments can still be completed safely during this timeframe.
Pregnancy causes women’s hormone levels to fluctuate, which in turn can alter both skin and hair conditions. Hormonal fluctuations may make skin more sensitive, leading to sunburn and other potential side-effects from laser treatment; because of this risk, some salons refuse to perform it during breastfeeding; but this doesn’t indicate it’s unsafe.
Laser treatment is a type of selective photothermolysis that uses light energy to heat and destroy pigment found in hair follicles, while leaving surrounding skin undamaged and unaffected by this treatment. Furthermore, breast milk or your baby will not be adversely impacted in any way by laser treatments.
Due to hormonal changes during and post pregnancy, some women are concerned about the effects of laser treatment on their babies. Furthermore, antibiotics and drugs may increase skin sensitivity to sunlight or laser light which could result in hyperpigmentation and other issues; plus some numbing creams used during laser treatments could enter your bloodstream and harm your child.
Given these concerns, most women opt to postpone laser treatment until after giving birth. To be on the safe side and consult a specialist about alternative solutions.
Electrolysis and waxing are popular alternatives to laser treatment. Electrolysis employs galvanic and thermolysis current to remove hair follicles from the body; pregnant and breastfeeding women may use it safely while those with darker skin should consult a dermatologist first before going ahead with this procedure.
Preparation
After giving birth, many mothers experience anxiety over their skin due to the postnatal hormones’ potential effects – stretch marks, sagging skin and dryness are just some of them. Blemishes or dark lines (melasma) could also appear.
Laser hair removal is an increasingly popular procedure that utilizes selective photothermolysis. In other words, laser light heats and destroys individual hair follicles on the skin using heat from laser light beams. While breastfeeding mothers may face some restrictions during this treatment process, in general it should be safe to undertake during lactation.
Contraindications include certain antibiotics and medications that increase skin sensitivity to sunlight and laser light, potentially leading to hyperpigmentation, hypopigmentation or other skin-related problems; however, laser hair removal sessions do not usually fall under this category of contraindications for breastfeeding mothers.
If you are planning on having laser treatment during lactation, it would be prudent to wait until after weaning has occurred as any chemicals contained within numbing cream could transfer through bloodstream and potentially impact on child.
Reserving laser treatments until after weaning may also be wise, since nursing mothers’ skin can be particularly delicate and susceptible to redness or swelling, making effective laser treatments difficult or impossible. Furthermore, hormonal fluctuations during gestation could hinder its efficacy as a laser procedure may not work effectively enough.
As with any cosmetic treatment, it’s vital that you inform your therapist of your breastfeeding status prior to beginning any cosmetic procedure. This will allow them to ensure no unnecessary exposure is received during the procedure and ensure it is completed correctly and safely.
Note that different women may experience more intense reactions to laser treatments than others. If your symptoms appear particularly intense, contact your therapist immediately – particularly if rescheduling becomes necessary due to severe side effects of treatment.
Treatment
Pregnancy and breastfeeding hormones often result in skin changes, leading pregnant and breastfeeding women to seek laser hair removal as a treatment option. Although no studies indicate laser treatments as being unsafe during this timeframe, it is always wise to consult your healthcare provider prior to undertaking any form of laser hair removal or skin treatments.
If you are breastfeeding and considering receiving laser hair removal treatments, it may be wise to wait at least until after your child is at least a few months old before receiving laser therapy treatments. This will give your body time to regulate hormone levels and recover from possible side effects from the laser therapy; additionally, alternative hair removal techniques like shaving or waxing may be less irritating for new mothers.
Most dermatologists or plastic surgeons will perform laser treatments. You should always ensure that whoever performs your treatment is licensed, certified professional with extensive knowledge in lasers and skin treatments. Many complications arise when non-licensed individuals (like your dentist or someone taking an untrained weekend course and purchasing their own laser ) use it on your face – for your safety, seek out someone experienced with this field as soon as possible.
Some may express concerns that chemicals used in laser treatments could be absorbed into their system and excreted through breast milk, an understandable worry; however, the risk involved is very small; only trace amounts of chemicals are absorbed this way and even less so if lidocaine local anesthetic is applied directly to the treatment area.
No known risks have been associated with laser treatments while breastfeeding; however, you should be mindful of potential hyperpigmentation or hypopigmentation risks in treatment areas following sun exposure after the procedure. A high-quality sunscreen suited to your skin type should be applied after each session to minimize side effects from occurring.
Aftercare
Many breastfeeding mothers wonder whether laser hair removal treatments are safe to undergo while breastfeeding, and the answer is that laser treatments pose no risks to either mother or infant. It is, however, advised not to undergo cosmetic injection procedures such as lipolysis/whitening agents/Botulinum toxin/dermal fillers while nursing as these could transmit bacteria/chemicals that could harm both mother and baby; waiting until after your newborn has been weaned may be best practice.
Laser treatments work through selective photothermolysis, using laser light to heat and destroy pigment from hair follicles located on the skin. There is no negative impact on surrounding areas and it is safe for breastfeeding mothers.
After receiving laser treatments, it is recommended to avoid direct sunlight or artificial lighting for two weeks post-treatment and wear sunscreen with an SPF rating of 50+ every day. In addition, any topical retinol, chemical peels, alpha/beta hydroxyl products (such as glycolic acid), hydroquinone and Accutane should be stopped 10 days prior to your procedure.
After your laser treatment, it is normal to experience some minor discomfort at the treatment site for several hours or days post-procedure. Rubbing or massaging this area should also be avoided to reduce swelling and tenderness; alternatively, pain relief medication such as Acetaminophen/Tylenol may help.
After your session, it is completely normal for dead hairs to shed from the treated area. While it may look like new growth is happening, this is actually just old hair being shed and not new growth taking root.
Be sure to schedule regular laser sessions every 5-6 weeks, at approximately five-six week intervals, in order to help avoid permanent hair follicles forming. Shave any affected areas prior to each laser session so it will be easier for the technician to treat them effectively.
