Although laser hair removal is generally safe for pregnant women, there may be rare side effects like skin irritation, darker or lighter spots of skin and scarring. Safer alternatives for removing unwanted hair include tweezing, shaving and depilatory creams.
Many doctors advise pregnant women to wait until after delivery to undergo laser hair removal treatments, since hormones may reduce its efficacy.
Risks
Pregnancy brings many changes to a woman’s body, including increased hair growth due to fluctuating hormone levels. Many pregnant women want to remove extra hair to feel more comfortable during their gestation period; however, experts advise against laser hair removal during gestation as its effects have not yet been tested in clinical trials and this practice cannot be guaranteed to have no negative side effects on an unborn baby.
Pregnancy is also a time when it is best to refrain from shaving, tweezing and plucking unwanted hairs as this can increase the risk of infections such as toxoplasmosis and listeriosis. Instead, let them grow out naturally or wait until after birth before engaging these practices.
Waxing or depilatory creams may provide less-invasive alternatives that offer long-term hair reduction; however, laser hair removal offers permanent hair reduction in treatment areas.
Though laser hair removal during pregnancy has yet to be proven safe, most experts consider it relatively safe for most patients. Before receiving treatments while expecting, however, be sure to discuss it with your physician first.
Laser hair removal can cause side effects, including hyperpigmentation or hypopigmentation. This may happen if an inappropriate laser is used on patients with darker skin tones, or the settings are incorrect; in addition, some individuals may experience laser burns which lead to blisters and other undesirable symptoms.
Laser hair removal during pregnancy may cause swelling due to increased skin sensitivity during gestation. You may also notice hair falling out during treatment; though some of it could reappear afterward.
Wait until after childbirth to consider laser hair removal or electrolysis; this will give your body enough time to readjust its levels of hormones and recover from childbirth.
Benefits
Laser hair removal is generally safe as it only targets the surface of the skin and emits only low levels of radiation that do not penetrate into the body and cannot harm an unborn baby. However, experts still prefer erring on the side of caution and recommend that women who plan to become pregnant postpone laser treatments until after gestation has ended.
Waxing and shaving should also be avoided while pregnant due to increased hormones that can wreak havoc with your skin, leaving it sensitive and tender. Furthermore, hair growth tends to speed up during gestation due to extra levels of androgens produced by your body in order to support baby’s development – meaning your normal methods for hair removal may no longer work effectively.
There are various hair removal methods considered safe for pregnant women, such as tweezing, plucking and shaving (provided it doesn’t irritate the skin). Furthermore, depilatory creams have proven highly effective at eliminating unwanted hair while pregnant.
Electrolysis is another effective solution for eliminating unwanted hair while pregnant, using an experienced technician who inserts a thin wire into each follicle under the skin’s surface and sending an electric current through this wire into it to destroy it. Some experts maintain that electrolysis should not be undertaken during gestation as its use could expose an unborn baby to potential electric current risks.
Laser hair removal may not always be the answer when it comes to unwanted pregnancy hair; other ways include tweezing, plucking, shaving and waxing (provided it does not irritate the skin). Note that any hair removal on your lower abdomen or just above the pubic bone prior to your due date should be avoided in order to reduce risk for c-section and avoid damaging hair follicles.
Side Effects
Pregnant women typically experience an increase in hair growth during pregnancy due to an increase in androgen production by both genders, although some pregnant women may continue to notice excessive body hair due to pregnancy-induced hormone fluctuations. While temporary methods such as shaving, waxing and depilatory creams are considered safe during gestation, laser hair removal may offer more permanent solutions than just temporary ones.
Laser hair removal involves having a doctor or laser technician direct a beam of light at the area in need of treatment, where melanin in your skin absorbs this light and sends signals to hair follicles to stop producing new hair growth. While this procedure is quick and relatively painless, some individuals may experience temporary side effects like redness or swelling around treated areas.
No evidence indicates that laser hair removal during pregnancy poses any danger to fetuses; however, most physicians suggest deferring laser treatments until after giving birth due to various elective cosmetic treatments which could potentially alter fetal development and create complications for their mother.
Laser hair removal is generally considered safe for pregnant women and their unborn child, however it’s essential that you discuss its risks and benefits with your healthcare provider prior to proceeding with this treatment. A consultation can help your physician ascertain if laser hair removal is safe during gestation and help determine whether laser hair removal should proceed or not.
Note that no long-term studies have been conducted to examine the long-term effects of laser hair removal on unborn children. Although no definitive proof exists that laser hair removal could harm pregnant women or their fetuses, it would still be wiser to postpone such treatment until after delivery has taken place.
Precautions
Laser hair removal or electrolysis hasn’t been thoroughly studied as to their impact on miscarriage rates; however, most experts agree they should not be performed during pregnancy due to using electric currents to destroy roots of hair follicles; both treatments could pose risks to an unborn child and be particularly uncomfortable during gestation due to stretched and irritated skin conditions.
FDA has approved some home laser hair removal devices, but these should not be used during pregnancy. Instead, shaving, waxing and clippers can help to get rid of extra pregnancy hair that sprouts during gestation; just remember that it will reappear once your baby arrives!
Avoid hair removal creams as there’s little scientific proof regarding their safety for pregnant women. Furthermore, it would be prudent to avoid getting your nails done, dying your hair, and tanning during your pregnancy; there’s no evidence to prove these treatments are safe for both mother and baby – not only that but these procedures could even alter the color or pigmentation of your skin significantly, potentially altering its quality during the gestation period and possibly changing its hue permanently.
Laser hair removal should not be undertaken during pregnancy as it could result in skin burns that could harm both you and your baby. Furthermore, due to higher hormone levels during gestation, treatments might not be as successful compared with postpartum care.
Another consideration with treatment is how it may make your skin sensitive to sunlight; be especially vigilant with exposure after treatment and avoid products like sunless tanning that could potentially be hazardous for both you and your unborn baby.
Laser hair removal can be very effective for eliminating unwanted hair, but multiple sessions may be needed to reach all active hair follicles in their growth phase. Lasers can be used on many body areas including face, back, arms chest and bikini line and for some it may produce permanent reduction. It’s wise to discuss all available options with an aesthetic medicine provider or dermatologist prior to opting for laser removal.
