Is It Safe to Have Laser Hair Removal in Pregnancy?

The inflated tummy, increased weight and mood swings are not the only things that a woman needs to face once she gets pregnant. All the multiple body changes that happen internally within the body, especially the boost in hormones such as estrogen, progesterone and HCG, can cause visible changes outside our body, too. Bodily hair suddenly seems to get a boost with facial hair also seeming more than before. This makes most women worry about their self-image and shaving it off can get difficult in this condition. So is laser hair removal the answer?

Can You Have Laser Hair Removal While Pregnant?

Most doctors and laser hair removal clinics themselves recommend staying away from laser hair removal procedures while you are pregnant. This has been concluded after research conducted on pregnant rats exposed to lasers, although the same hasn’t been approved officially. In such cases, it is better to err on the side of caution and avoid laser exposure altogether.

How Does Laser Hair Removal Work?

If shaving simply takes care of the hair present outside, laser hair removal can be considered as a method that goes deeper within. The clinic professionals make use of a small instrument that is outfitted to be able to emit concentrated light beams. These target the hair follicles present in the skin, which are exposed to these powerful rays, and end up being destroyed. The dark hair pigments undergo a thermal destruction, causing the follicles themselves to get damaged, and removing excessive hair. Using such method for permanent hair removal is still a matter of debate.

How Much Time Does Laser Hair Treatment Take To Complete?

Since laser hair removal is usually opted to get rid of hair permanently, the entire treatment process could take anywhere from 6 months to about 2 years. A number of factors govern the time duration such as the rate of hair growth, the hair constitution, previous sessions, etc. In the initial stages, most professionals recommend a minimum of 6 laser removal sessions to be able to see progress. Once the initial phase is completed, a repeat treatment is required once in 6 weeks to fully remove any trace of excessive hair. Even after that, minimal hair regrowth is possible which might deem the requirement of another session.

How Effective Is Laser Hair Removal?

Laser hair removal is one of the most effective ways to reduce body hair. It is highly recommended for women who have a lot of coarse body hair that is dark. Permanent hair removal is a possibility yet to be guaranteed. However, laser sessions could also reduce the darkness of the hair colour, morph the texture, or postpone the regrowth of hair.

Concerns Of Laser Hair Removal While Pregnant

Although laser hair removal might be the most obvious choice earlier in life, during pregnancy, there are a ton of aspects you ought to understand before making a decision.

• A basic laser hair removal treatment can take anywhere from 6 months to a year. This would mean that the sessions will continue in the later stages of your pregnancy as well. Not only will your body have trouble moving around and staying in a position that is required for the treatment, but the sensitivity of your skin and other areas of the body will be higher, too. This could cause you irritation or discomfort during the treatment.

• Undergoing laser removal in the major areas of breasts and bikini regions can be irritating during pregnancy since these are the most sensitive areas at this time. Some redness or swelling could also occur due to the treatment.
• Since the laser rays are powerful to be able to destroy hair follicles, their administration in the areas of lower abdomens and thighs could induce cramps and make it quite painful to continue.
• The changed hormone levels lead to an excessive production of melanin. This darkens the skin further, making it more sensitive, which ends up making the laser treatment painful and not as effective as before.

• The sessions of the laser treatment are spaced out in accordance with the time duration taken for hair to regrow. Given the fact that a woman’s body undergoes a bunch of internal changes in pregnancy, the hormone levels end up shortening the growth cycle duration and even activate previously inactive follicles. This could result in quicker hair growth than before.

• Due to the higher sensitivity of the skin, there is a risk that you could suffer from skin-related problems due to constant irritation from the exposure to laser rays.

• Many clinics recommend using a numbing cream since pregnant women tend to face more pain than others during the treatment. However, this cream is easily absorbed into the body and it may not be safe for you or the baby.

• The radiation from the laser is not harmful since it is non-ionising and does not penetrate deep into the body. However, the tissues that surround the area of impact could end up absorbing some of the radiation. This poses a question whether it might impact the baby, but there hasn’t been a conclusive answer yet.

Can Laser Hair Removal Treatment Affect Your Baby?

Just as there is no conclusive evidence that can denote the harmful effects laser hair removal has on pregnancy, there is no evidence supporting the opposite as well. The absence of information is what makes laser hair removal a dicey choice while you’re pregnant. This is why it is best to avoid undertaking a procedure whose effects are yet unknown.

Can We Get Laser Hair Removal Done At The Bikini Area During Pregnancy?

The bikini area for a woman is usually the region around the breast as well as around the vagina. Both of these areas play a key role in pregnancy – for a healthy delivery as well as for growth of the baby. Since the exposure to laser rays itself is in doubt, it is better to avoid laser hair removal of any kind when you’re pregnant.

Should You Postpone Laser Hair Removal Sessions Till Completion Of Pregnancy?

If you are at the end of your treatment cycle, most doctors or professionals will consider going ahead with the final sessions even if you’re pregnant. However, if you have just begun your treatment or in the middle of one, it is best to postpone further treatment sessions until you have completed your pregnancy. Laser hair removal is not a cumulative effect so any interruption in the schedule will not take away the benefits of the previous treatment sessions. Once the delivery has been successfully completed and the baby is good enough to be a bit independent by himself, you can resume your treatment sessions. Until then, opting for alternative hair removal techniques is a possibility after getting a recommendation from your doctor.

Alternative Methods Of Hair Removal

Apart from laser hair removal, there are a bunch of traditional techniques and a few professional techniques that can take care of excessive body hair. These are:

1. Hair Removal By Electrolysis

The description of this hair removal method itself can make many people turn away from it. The method used for removing hair is quite painful. Therefore, this is even more dangerous to be undertaken when you’re pregnant. Similar to laser removal, electrolysis targets the hair follicles by damaging them using electricity. A process called galvanic electrolysis is undertaken that emits small amounts of electric current and destroy the hair follicle. This should be highly avoided since the electric current can reach the baby, thanks to the conducting properties of the amniotic fluid surrounding the child.

2. Hair Removal By Waxing

Most women are used to waxing and quite well-versed in carrying it out by themselves, too. It is rather efficient and easier to be done at home itself, saving you a trip outside and the costs associated with it. However, waxing is brutal for the skin and, during pregnancy, the sensitive skin can react strongly to it. Be extremely careful since waxing could leave bruise marks on your body in such a case.

3. Hair Removal Using Creams

Certain creams in the market make use of chemicals and other elements to destroy the hair and remove them. Some of the major constituents in such creams are the powder of barium sulphide and calcium thioglycolic acid. Applying cream on the skin at the risk of absorption of this chemicals is tricky since their safety or harmful nature has not been defined for pregnant women. However, the strong odour that accompanies the creams and their chemical reactions to the sensitive skin can deem them unsuitable for use.

4. Hair Removal Using A Shaver

The basic technique of them all. It is cheap, it is convenient, and it is extremely safe for a pregnant woman. Be careful with your skin as you could very easily cut yourself with a razor. Let your partner help you out in reaching difficult areas below the abdomen.

Laser hair removal during early pregnancy and their effects have not been established but it is best to avoid it when pregnancy sets in. The entire duration of pregnancy is barely 9 months and it is better to opt for standard ways of hair removal using shavers or wax strips, instead of techniques involving chemicals, electrolytes, and lasers. Do everything you can to keep you and your baby safe and the hair can be taken care of any other time.