Laser hair removal is considered safe during pregnancy; however, if you become pregnant it’s wise to notify your treatment provider as soon as possible so they can advise when your hormone levels have returned to normal and when you can resume treatments once these have subsided.
Shaving can become an inconvenient chore as your body adjusts to accommodate for your expanding bump. But is laser hair removal an effective solution?
Hormonal Changes
Pregnancy hormonal fluctuations may reduce the effectiveness of laser hair removal treatments; however, they should not compromise the safety of this procedure. Therefore, it may be prudent to wait until after you no longer expect before initiating laser treatments.
In the second trimester, pregnancy hormones stimulate melanocytes and increase hair growth, often making the hair thicker, darker, and harder to remove than before. Unfortunately, this effect will not outlive its original purpose – once no longer pregnant it should subside quickly.
Before beginning laser hair removal treatments, it is wise to wait at least six weeks between pluckeding, waxing and electrolysis hair removal methods as these could make it more difficult for the laser beams to target your unwanted hair roots. You should also avoid sun exposure before and after laser sessions as direct sun can make skin less responsive to laser light treatments.
Before going under the laser hair removal treatment, it’s also essential that you consult with your physician about pregnancy. Hormonal changes could alter how effective laser treatments will be and may necessitate additional sessions than usual to achieve results.
Laser treatments not only reduce regrowth of hair but can also shrink individual follicles to help decrease body odor by closing off spaces where bacteria thrive, making it impossible for them to accumulate and cause unpleasant smells. Many clients also find that the laser treatment completely destroys or at least significantly reduces all unwanted hair on the body – this can provide great relief to individuals suffering from hirsutism (excess hair growth) or hypertrichosis (too much hair on body) by giving confidence back while cutting grooming time down considerably.
Skin Irritation
Pregnancy hormones can bring all sorts of unexpected side effects to your body – from mood swings to sudden growth of thicker and coarser hair in places you never had it before, particularly peach fuzz in arms, face, chest or breasts. Though you may feel frustrated, this is completely normal and will eventually subside once hormone levels return to their pre-pregnancy levels.
Unfortunately, hormonal fluctuations can make laser hair removal more challenging and even uncomfortable, since skin on your abdomen and breasts becomes more sensitive than usual. Hair removal treatments could potentially become more painful than expected and even cause rashes or burns to appear on these parts.
Pregnancy-related hyperpigmentation changes your skin pigmentation, further impacting laser hair removal treatments. Hyperpigmentation may darken the color of your skin, making the contrast between hair color and skin color less obvious and thus diminishing their efficacy.
Last but not least, expectant mothers should understand that many reputable hair removal clinics will not perform laser hair removal on expectant mothers due to safety reasons. They’re not being difficult or rude; simply taking the cautious route since not enough research has been done into whether laser hair removal during pregnancy is safe.
As such, it is recommended to avoid laser hair removal during pregnancy in favor of tried-and-true methods like shaving, waxing or plucking. Once postpartum, you can resume laser treatments without risk to the fetus; thus many medical professionals advise waiting until this point to start laser treatments.
Darker or Lighter Skin
Hormonal changes during pregnancy can darken your skin slightly. Some women develop dark irregular patches on their faces — typically around the nose, mouth and lips — known as chloasma or melasma, commonly referred to as the “mask of pregnancy.” Although harmless and likely to fade once you give birth; you may also reduce their intensity by protecting vulnerable areas with sunscreen with minimum SPF 30 protection.
Laser hair removal works best on people with lighter complexions and dark hair because the contrast between pigment of hair and skin allows laser (or intense Pulsed Light in case of Intense Pulsed Light) treatment to heat and destroy hair follicles without harming surrounding tissue. Although other skin colors aren’t inaccessible to laser treatment, results might take longer to appear than expected.
Your practitioner should explain all risks and benefits associated with the procedure, including potential side effects like redness or swelling. They’ll also outline when and how often it is safe for you to come back for treatment based on your individual hair growth cycle and desired amount of removal. Frequency will differ based on each person depending on individual hair growth cycles and desired hair removal goals.
Before your laser treatment begins, your practitioner will ask that you shave the area that will be treated in order to provide enough hair for the laser’s energy to absorb. Tanning beds or any form of tanning – whether natural or artificial – should also be avoided as this could hinder its effectiveness and lead to pigmentation issues; similarly waxing, tweezing and plucking should not take place either as this can interfere with its efficacy and lead to pigmentation issues. Finally, any waxing, tweezing or plucking activities should also be avoided to ensure adequate absorption by laser’s energy for proper laser absorption by hair that absorbs its energy.
Before scheduling your laser treatment appointment, be sure that the provider is both adequately trained and insured. Before booking an appointment, check that they belong to a register certifying their skill, training and insurance requirements as well as whether or not they will wear goggles during treatment so as to protect your eyes from laser beam exposure.
Side Effects
If you are pregnant and considering laser hair removal during your gestation period, be aware that there is no clinical proof it could negatively impact your unborn baby. To be certain of this outcome, get a complete checkup from your physician prior to scheduling any treatment; during which time it is wise not to expose yourself or the unborn baby to excessive radiation by limiting exposure via x-rays and ultrasounds as much as possible.
Hack advises it is best to be on the safe side and wait until after giving birth before commencing laser treatments. Your obstetrician is your go-to person when it comes to all things pregnancy related; they’ll know when it is safe for you to resume treatment by checking hormone levels as well as whether your skin has recovered sufficiently enough for laser treatment.
Experts generally agree that pregnant women should delay any form of hair removal until after giving birth, including depilatories and waxes as these methods have yet to be shown to be safe during gestation. Unfortunately, there simply hasn’t been enough research into their long-term effects on unborn babies.
However, some estheticians and dermatologists can be more flexible when it comes to receiving laser treatment while pregnant; especially for women who were receiving such treatments before becoming pregnant. Most reputable clinics take the time to discuss your medical history as well as any medications you might be taking, in order to ensure your safety during the process.
Be mindful that during your pregnancy, your hair growth patterns may alter. This is due to extra hormones produced by your body causing peach fuzz to appear thick and coarse in areas where it normally would have been soft and smooth. Don’t worry though as this is completely normal and will dissipate shortly after giving birth as the resting phase called telogen has set in for those locks and when active again after you give birth they will likely be much lighter and thinner!
