Waxing During Pregnancy: When Should You Avoid & Precautions to Take

While, the hormonal changes during pregnancy may bring about wonderful changes in your complexion, skin, hair, it can also promote undesirable and unnecessary hair growth in surprising places like stomach, upper lip, armpits, chin and pubic area. The excess hair is not damaging in any way but can make a woman feel self-conscious. Hence hair removal may become crucial

Is it Safe to Wax When Pregnant?

Many pregnant women usually wonder, can waxing be done during pregnancy. There is no substantial proof available which establishes that getting waxed is unsafe during pregnancy. However, it may be fruitful to bear a few things in mind either while waxing at home or getting it done at a salon. This may be done to ensure that you are not exposed to any risk of getting infected. Also, it is always sensible to conduct a patch test on your skin before getting waxed, when pregnant.

When Should You Avoid Waxing in Pregnancy?

Waxing during pregnancy is usually believed to be harmless. But there may be certain skin conditions when waxing can be avoided especially in pregnancy:

• Melasma or the mask of pregnancy, a kind of skin condition, causes brown patches to appear on the face of a pregnant woman. It is advisable to avoid waxing in such a condition as waxing can further irritate the skin and worsen the condition.
• Skin tends to get particularly itchy or irritable during pregnancy. It is best to avoid waxing if this happens as this may lead to breakouts or under skin growth.
• Waxing may also be evaded during pregnancy if the skin has rashes or scarred tissues as this may cause eruptions, acne.
• Refrain from waxing, if a pregnant woman develops varicose veins, during pregnancy.
• Avoid waxing, if the skin has moles or warts, pimples, lumps as this may lead to broken skin, which can get infected.
• Waxing sunburnt skin is also not recommended as it can flare-up the skin.

Precautions to Be Taken

Certain precautions can be taken by pregnant women while waxing during pregnancy:

• While using home kits, carefully handle the hot wax to prevent any instance of burning or scalding yourself, which can develop infection later.
• It is sensible to check the hygiene and cleanliness of the salon before selecting it for waxing.
• You may like to make sure that the spatula being used to spread wax is clean or unshared, the wax strips or wax is not reused among clients, and the technician is wearing gloves.
• It is strongly recommended to perform a patch test on a small part of the skin to assess for possible reaction or irritation.
• Also, it is advisable to determine that the technician at the salon is a trained and an experienced person who can use the correct technique and choose a suitable wax for you.

Will Waxing Be Painful?

The fluctuating hormone levels during pregnancy may produce more hair which is not only thicker but also regrows faster. The ever-changing hormones may also lead to retaining of fluid in the body, causing swelling of legs, feet, face and hands. This may make the skin extra sensitive and irritable. Therefore, some expecting women may experience more pain than usual while getting waxed when pregnant. But it varies from person to person as everyone has a different threshold for enduring pain. Moreover, when hair starts to regrow, because it was removed with force, it may cause painful breakouts and possible infection. It is always prudent to consult your doctor if doubt persists.

Can You Get a Bikini Wax in Pregnancy?

Most pregnant women are quite apprehensive when it comes to getting their bikini line waxed. If you do opt for a bikini wax, during pregnancy, keep in mind that it may not be as comfortable as before. This is because, the enhanced blood flow to the skin may make regrowth and removal of hair in the pelvic area, more hurtful. It may be essential to take regular breaks while waxing to contain the stress and pain levels. Also, waxing may not be altogether advisable in certain cases. Waxing can lead to possible breakage of small blood vessels which can get infected with bacteria or germs. Moreover, many hospitals offer to clean the pubic area at the time of delivery.

Skin Care After Waxing

To reduce possible irritation or inflammation, you may apply a soothing pregnancy-safe lotion or Aloe Vera gel, after waxing. Some Aloe Vera lotions are anaesthetic which may provide some relief from the pain of waxing. For some time, you may like to avoid using dyes or perfumes and products containing chemicals. Also, avoid exposure to direct sunlight, straight after waxing. It may be a good idea to apply a pregnancy-safe antiseptic cream, in case of breakouts, to soothe the skin after consulting the doctor.

Pregnancy is a beautiful chapter of life. It may present certain challenges, but nothing should stop you from enjoying this phase- Certainly, not a few extra hairs. So revel in your pregnancy glow, rather than worrying about things that can easily be tackled.