After pregnancy, women often notice extra hair growth in certain areas that is unsightly and unsought-for. Understandably they want it gone as soon as possible.
Women often question if laser hair removal and breastfeeding can co-exist safely, and whether any anesthetic cream used during laser treatment could potentially enter breast milk.
How Does It Work?
Laser Hair removal works by emitting a beam of highly concentrated light that targets specific hair follicles. As this light absorbs pigment from within these follicles and converts into heat energy that destroys them, this treatment process leaves surrounding skin undisturbed – making it safe during pregnancy. As melanin absorbs much more light than light haired individuals and therefore makes darker-haired people the ideal candidates for Laser Hair removal.
Laser treatments do not appear to pose any potential harm for pregnant and breastfeeding mothers; however, it would still be wiser for any potential cosmetic treatments during this sensitive time to wait until after giving birth before receiving treatments of any sort. According to professional women’s health and wellness advisors.
Women who have recently given birth can worry if they can continue with their normal routines, such as taking care of themselves and taking beauty treatments like laser hair removal. One such beauty treatment that often gets brought up in these conversations is laser hair removal; it reduces and removes unwanted body hair while simultaneously breastfeeding, however many new moms question if this process can still take place during breastfeeding.
Many women fear the process might alter their milk or harm the baby, while others worry it might trigger an allergic reaction to the topical anesthetic used for treatment. Breastfeeding mothers might also fear their hormone-driven hair growth will speed up and they won’t have enough time to complete treatment before giving birth.
Laser hair removal and breastfeeding are entirely compatible. The treatment does not affect any hormones related to breastfeeding such as prolactin or oxytocin that impact lactation. Furthermore, laser treatment does not harm mammary glands or reduce quality of milk produced.
Additionally, laser treatments offer a safer alternative to waxing and shaving for hair removal. The procedure itself is relatively painless, and more effective than other hair removal methods; its only drawback lies in temporary side effects like redness, swelling and irritation in treated areas; it’s essential that you consult a licensed and certified laser technician in order to ensure safe treatment of your skin.
Preparation
Pregnancy brings many changes to a woman’s body, one being an increase in hormones that causes hair growth. Women often find this unsightly hair growth unattractive and want it to stop; unfortunately traditional methods such as shaving, waxing, and creams are painful, time-consuming, nonpermanent solutions with side effects that could potentially cause skin irritation. Laser hair removal offers an effective and quick solution to permanently reduce unwanted hair.
Before undertaking laser treatment, it is vital that you consult with an experienced provider and discuss your medical history. They must know if there have been any skin disorders, medications taken or other factors which may interfere with results from the procedure. Furthermore, it’s also essential they know if breastfeeding so they can take precautions that ensure both mom and baby remain safe during treatment.
As it remains unknown what long-term effects laser treatments might have on an unborn baby, most reputable clinics advise waiting until after giving birth before undertaking any treatments with them.
After giving birth, both hair growth and hormone levels should return to normal. To allow time for recovery and ensure maximum effectiveness of laser treatments without changing results due to hormone fluctuations. It is often suggested to wait at least 3-6 weeks after vaginal delivery or 8-12 weeks post C-section before beginning laser treatments – giving your body time to recuperate fully before commencing laser treatments.
Before beginning laser treatment, make sure that the area in which you will be taking place is clean and dry. Also avoid any sunless tanning or using hair removal creams prior to the session as these could potentially cause bleeding; additionally any medication such as aspirin or anti-inflammatory medicines could potentially do just as much harm.
Patients will wear protective goggles during laser hair removal treatment to shield their eyes from laser light, which may feel similar to rubber band snapping against skin or sunburn-like sensation. As the laser heats up hair follicles and destroys them, most patients require multiple visits at regular intervals in order to achieve the best results.
Side Effects
Laser hair removal can be an effective way to eliminate unwanted hair. But it’s essential that women breastfeeding refrain from having this treatment because medications and anesthetics used during laser hair removal could transfer through breast milk into infant’s system, potentially causing irritation or even harming health.
If you decide to undergo laser hair removal while breastfeeding, it’s imperative that you select a clinic with skilled technicians experienced working on pregnant women. A pregnant woman’s immune system becomes compromised during gestation and could lead to more serious reactions during the laser treatments – including more difficult skin burns that could leave scarring behind.
Women’s hormone levels change during gestation and this may impact how sensitive her skin is, leading to extra hair in certain areas. Many mothers want to get rid of this extra hair during breastfeeding; however, waxing or laser hair removal treatments might be off-putting for some mothers.
Good news is that there have been no studies that link Laser Hair Removal and breastfeeding negatively; however, most experts advise waiting until after giving birth before scheduling your procedure to stay on the safe side.
Side effects associated with Laser Hair Removal typically include redness, swelling and irritation that usually subside within several hours if treated properly with ice packs or cool bath. It is possible that there may also be minor skin crusting after Laser Hair Removal but this typically resolves itself quickly.
Note that laser hair removal treatments typically take multiple sessions before any visible results appear, typically four to six weeks apart. Furthermore, you might require annual touch-up sessions as part of maintenance; but the benefits can make the time spent and expense worthwhile as you’ll have more time for family and your newborn child once unwanted hair has vanished.
Results
Pregnancy hormones often lead to unwanted hair growth in areas like the chin, neck, armpits and breasts (particularly around nipples), leading to extra hair in areas like the chin, neck, armpits and breasts (often around the nipples). Most times it will dissipate once your baby is born; however, laser treatment could be an ideal way to permanently reduce or manage this new growth in specific spots.
Laser hair removal and breastfeeding is one of the most frequently asked questions at our center, and most experts agree it would be wiser to wait until postpartum to begin or resume laser hair removal treatments, since your body needs time to recover and return back to its regular state of hormone levels.
At this point, we suggest temporary methods of hair removal like shaving, waxing or threading instead of laser treatment as certain medications and anesthetics used in laser treatment could potentially pass into your bloodstream and be passed along to your unborn infant.
As for laser hair removal itself, it’s advisable to wait until after giving birth as its light does not penetrate breast tissue and therefore shouldn’t have any significant impact on milk production. Many lactating mothers find selective photothermolysis (the process that laser hair removal uses) perfectly compatible with breastfeeding.
However, if you decide to pursue laser hair removal after giving birth, it’s important to remember that sessions should only take place when the sun is out rather than during winter months – this is because UV rays from sunlight can actually inhibit results of treatment. Furthermore, you should only need 4-6 treatments at most for best results and maintenance visits every few months can maintain those results gradually reducing hair growth over time without worry that it’ll come back as quickly or thickly.
