While pregnant, your body experiences dramatic transformations – this includes thickening of hair in certain places like around your nipples and areolas.
After giving birth, hormone levels usually return to their usual levels and your extra hair growth typically subsides; this condition is known as Telogen Effluvium.
Many pregnant women want to know if and when laser hair removal treatments can be performed during gestation.
Risks
Pregnancy can bring numerous changes for women. Even simple things, like shaving her legs, become harder as gestation progresses, prompting some women to seek laser hair removal as an answer – though some risks make this procedure unadvisable during gestation or breastfeeding.
Laser treatments require a distinct contrast between your skin color and that of the hair you want to remove, making pregnancy an optimal time to undergo laser hair removal treatments. Unfortunately, hormonal fluctuations tend to darken skin tone making laser treatments less effective as well as increasing risk for burns; additionally, pregnancy compromises immunity leaving one more vulnerable to infection and hyperpigmentation should a burn occur.
Laser treatments use medications which may pass directly onto breast milk, leading many salons to forbid them. Thus, women breastfeeding while receiving laser treatment will often not be permitted.
Laser treatments are generally considered safe procedures for most people. The most frequently reported side effect is mild stinging or irritation during treatment; this typically lasts no more than an hour or two and usually passes quickly. Some women may also experience light erythema post-treatment – this indicates that laser has successfully worked to curb unwanted hair growth.
Depilatory creams and waxing treatments should be avoided during pregnancy as they contain chemicals like thioglycolic acid and barium sulphide, which have been known to irritate skin and potentially cause long-term or short-term harm.
At this stage, it’s crucial that you discuss with your obstetrician the best ways for you and your baby to remain safe during this period. They will advise on which hair removal methods are safe; when hormone levels have returned to normal and when you can safely resume laser hair removal sessions. Playing it safe is always better than neglecting signs that your body might need help.
Side Effects
Laser hair removal employs selective photothermolysis, where laser light is used to heat and destroy skin follicles that produce hair when active follicles become active, targeting only active ones for destruction. Because only active hair follicles produce hair during treatment sessions, multiple visits may be needed in order to keep hair from returning too rapidly once hormone levels return to normal.
Although no studies have demonstrated negative side effects associated with laser hair removal treatments on pregnant women, most doctors advise waiting until after you’ve given birth before beginning any laser hair treatments.
Women often notice an increase in hair growth during pregnancy, particularly during the third trimester. This is often the result of elevated levels of androgen and estrogen associated with gestation, and it’s completely normal. Most of the extra hairs will shed once your hormones return to normal; however, some may remain annoyingly and become an inconvenience; therefore it would be wise to wait until after postpartum before considering laser hair removal treatment as ongoing hair growth may prove too much to handle.
Keep in mind that topical anesthetics used prior to laser hair removal treatments could potentially have adverse side effects for both mother and child, so if you decide to undergo one while breastfeeding be sure to use an anesthetic cream that is suitable for babies such as lidocaine.
Some pregnant women have successfully used laser hair removal during their pregnancies; however, it’s generally advised that you wait until after giving birth before returning for further treatments. Once the baby arrives, hormone levels will need to adjust again; so to protect all your hard work put into laser treatments it would be prudent to utilize other forms of hair removal such as shaving, waxing or plucking until then.
Time to Wait
Pregnancy hormone changes often result in unexpected hair growth. You might notice it everywhere or have trouble reaching to shave legs due to your bump – either way it could leave you questioning whether laser treatment would help.
Pregnant women generally should avoid laser hair removal treatments as a safety measure during their gestation period, although there has yet to be definitive proof that they pose a threat to both mother and baby. Many opt instead for traditional methods of hair removal like shaving or waxing during this time.
Laser treatments should also be postponed because they may lead to temporary hyperpigmentation, which decreases effectiveness since laser treatment works best when there is a strong contrast between skin color and hair color.
If you decide to undergo laser hair removal while breastfeeding, make sure that an experienced and certified laser technician performs the procedure. Also be mindful that any numbing creams could potentially pass through into your breast milk and have negative impacts on the baby.
After giving birth, it is often best to wait approximately six months before engaging in laser treatment sessions again. This gives your hormones time to regulate before beginning another round.
Some individuals opt to begin laser treatments before they become pregnant, in which case you should research a clinic with extensive experience performing them on pregnant women. Speak to friends or family members, read online reviews, and ensure the technician who performs them is certified – this way you will feel secure that the results of your laser treatments can be trusted.
Recommendations
Pregnant women should postpone laser hair removal until after giving birth, preferring traditional methods like shaving or waxing during this time instead. Hormonal changes during gestation can increase unwanted hair growth and cause complications if laser treatment occurs after giving birth, including allergic reactions due to topical anesthesia used during procedures.
Pregnancy hormones also delay the final phase of hair growth, causing you to see hair sprouting where it normally wouldn’t. While most of this extra hair growth should subside once your hormones have balanced out after giving birth and you return to a more regular cycle, some will remain after pregnancy and become part of your permanent hair texture if it remains. If this occurs for you too, take steps immediately after giving birth and beyond to get rid of it before it becomes permanent!
If you decide to pursue laser hair removal while pregnant, it is essential that a trained technician who understands its unique risks is chosen to conduct treatment. Common side effects of treatment can include minor pain, swelling and redness around the treatment area as well as temporary darkening due to contrast between your skin color and that of the hair color.
Many women are often curious as to the impact of laser treatments on breastfeeding mothers and infants, with no definitive answers yet from clinical evidence that shows they could cause any negative impacts to either mother or fetus in any way. Still, most reputable clinics will err on the side of caution by not treating pregnant women due to unknown long-term side effects from laser therapy on fetuses under development.
