Pregnancy can bring many changes to your body, including an increase in hair growth in unexpected places. Before making any decisions regarding waxing, threading or shaving while pregnant it’s essential to discuss all available options with your healthcare provider first.
Dr. Stephanie Hack, an OBGYN board-certified by the American Osteopathic Board of Obstetrics and Gynecology (ABOGYN), and Shelley D’Aquino, an esthetician trained in laser hair removal treatments are here to provide their expert opinions on whether at-home laser hair removal during pregnancy is safe.
Pregnancy and Hair Growth
Pregnancy can be both exciting and hormonally changing for pregnant women. One consequence can be unexpected hair growth in places such as their face, chin, abdomen and breasts (often around their nipples), known as hirsutism – caused by hormonal fluctuations during gestation; although normal during gestation it can still be very uncomfortable and frustrating!
Most doctors and health care providers advise pregnant women against laser hair removal treatments due to an increased risk of skin damage during their gestation. Therefore, temporary methods like shaving or waxing may be more suitable than laser hair removal at this time.
Unfortunately, even these methods may not always work due to pregnancy-sensitive skin, making it harder for you to reach certain areas. Furthermore, if you’re planning a cesarean section it is vital that no hair removal occurs in the area where surgery will take place in order for an incision to heal properly and be completely effective in healing properly.
If you do decide to undergo laser hair removal during pregnancy, be sure to find a clinic with clear policies regarding postponing sessions if you discover you’re expecting. This will allow for continued treatments once hormone levels have returned to normal and any wounds associated with birth have healed completely.
As can be seen, at-home laser hair removal during pregnancy is safe if done according to industry recommendations, such as finding a licensed technician and opting for natural methods of treatment. Unfortunately, no long-term studies exist regarding its effects; therefore it would be wise to err on the side of caution and consult your healthcare provider prior to making any definitive decisions about laser treatments for unwanted hair removal during gestation. Luckily there are other temporary and effective solutions available such as waxing that might provide relief during gestation – make sure all options have been explored beforehand!
Pregnancy and Laser Hair Removal
Pregnancy often brings hormonal changes that cause their hair to grow differently or thicken more than usual, and one way of dealing with this issue is shaving and using other hair removal techniques, but some methods, like waxing or depilatory creams may not be appropriate during gestation; so laser hair removal while pregnant may be an attractive solution that some may opt to explore.
As much as laser hair removal may be considered safe, no long-term studies have been conducted on their impact during gestation. As a result, pregnant women should forego laser hair removal during this time as it is possible that incorrect procedures could harm their baby.
This is especially the case during the first trimester, when hormone levels change rapidly and make skin more vulnerable to heat treatments, increasing risk of burns during treatment sessions. Furthermore, breastfeeding mothers have an even higher risk of burns during these procedures.
Pregnant women should avoid laser hair removal during gestation due to its potential risk of burning, particularly if they have open wounds from cesarean section or episiotomy surgery that require incision healing. When these scenarios arise, a physician must evaluate if receiving laser treatment would be safe for her and her unborn baby.
If you are currently receiving laser hair removal treatments and become pregnant, it is essential that you notify the clinic as soon as possible. They should work with you to postpone treatments until after giving birth.
Finding an effective solution to excess hair growth during pregnancy can be a difficult challenge for most women. Shaving may provide temporary relief; more permanent solutions such as laser hair removal may offer longer-term solutions; however, due to no scientific data on its safety during gestation, it would be prudent for treatment to wait until after giving birth before initiating treatments.
Postpartum Laser Hair Removal
Laser hair removal should generally be safe postpartum; however, if you were already receiving treatments when you found out you were pregnant it’s recommended that any remaining sessions should be postponed until after giving birth. If unsure how best to proceed or require assistance navigating your specific case with regards to pregnancy during treatment then speak with your clinic as they should have clear policies outlining how they handle such cases.
Women looking to address unwanted hair growth during their pregnancies do have other options available to them – shaving, waxing and the use of depilatory creams are all safe solutions that may work as alternatives to laser hair removal – though they might not be as effective.
Electrolysis should also be avoided during gestation as its electrical current can travel through your uterus to cause harm. Therefore, you must receive approval from both your obstetrician and clinic for their practice to take place safely.
Pregnant women frequently discover that unwanted hair grows more rapidly during their gestation. This can happen anywhere on their body, including their faces, chins and breasts (typically around their nipples). Sometimes this hair will go away once hormone levels normalize after birth – although sometimes it remains and could even become permanent features.
Even though most doctors consider laser hair removal generally safe after women give birth, to be absolutely certain, it’s wise to consult your physician. In order to understand how hormone fluctuations and skin sensitivity may impact results of treatments as well as whether you are healthy enough for it, consult with your healthcare provider about this decision. In most instances, waiting until after giving birth gives a more accurate assessment of whether hormone levels have returned to their pre-pregnancy levels before beginning treatments again.
Pregnancy and At Home Laser Hair Removal
Pregnancy can bring many changes, including unexpected hair growth in places you didn’t expect it. While this is often considered a healthy sign of pregnancy, it may still be embarrassing and annoying; especially when hair appears on areas like your face, belly, or breasts. Extra body hair due to hormonal changes usually disapears post birth; for laser hair removal during gestation purposes it is advisable to consult your physician first.
Pregnant women should avoid any cosmetic treatments or medications while pregnant due to no long-term studies on their effects, particularly laser hair removal treatments which have yet to be studied extensively on unborn babies. Most reputable clinics do not treat pregnant women for laser hair removal during this time.
depilatory creams and waxing should also not be used during pregnancy due to no studies that examine their impact on unborn babies, while these products contain chemicals which could cause painful skin reactions in pregnant women. Electrolysis should also not be performed, since this involves passing electricity across your skin in order to destroy hair follicles.
Even if a clinic offers laser hair removal during pregnancy, it’s wise to wait until after giving birth before beginning treatments. You may use shaving, tweezing and threading instead – bearing in mind your hormones could still be shifting postpartum and only resume treatments once your body returns to its regular state.
Lasers have long been used to treat medical conditions such as kidney stones and genital warts in pregnant women, yet its safety in cosmetic applications hasn’t been thoroughly researched. Therefore, doctors and dermatologists generally advise women waiting until after delivery before beginning laser hair removal treatments for hair removal; any complications could harm both mother and baby; for instance if skin burns occur they could take longer to heal which increases infection risks; additionally any extra hair growth during treatments could make the results of laser less effective than anticipated.
