Is Laser Hair Removal Safe During Pregnancy >If you have undesired hair but don’t want to spend time shaving or waxing, laser hair removal treatments may be the answer. Laser hair removal is an option for many women of childbearing age, despite some worries about its safety during pregnancy. Each laser treatment clinic has its own rules about pregnancy and when patients can return for further treatment. If you are pregnant or breastfeeding, you should consult your doctor before undergoing any laser treatment.
Laser hair removal is one of the most popular options for permanent hair reduction. The procedure can be used to remove any part of the body, including the face or bikini area. Lather known for being safe during pregnancy, is it safe for women to undergo laser hair removal pre-pregnancy or post-pregnancy? This article reviews the information available on laser hair during pregnancy and what a pregnant woman should know about laser hair removal , Read on to learn more on can laser hair removal cause miscarriage/laser hair removal while trying to conceive.
Is Laser Hair Removal Safe During Pregnancy
If you’re pregnant or trying to conceive, the question of whether or not something is safe may be a frequent flyer in your mind. And just like the murky, pregnancy-safe waters where things like tea tree oil reside, when it comes to getting laser hair removal while pregnant, there’s just not enough research to definitively confirm its safety one way or the other.3
Whenever you’re faced with a conundrum such as this, the best course of action is usually to practice an abundance of caution—just in case—and speak with your healthcare provider. Every pregnancy is different. Be sure to consult with a healthcare provider about your circumstances if you have any questions about getting laser hair removal while pregnant.
Why You Should Not Get Laser Hair Removal While Pregnant?
The most important things to keep top of mind while you’re pregnant are you and your little one’s health and safety. When we said there hasn’t been enough research on getting laser hair removal while pregnant, we admit, we were being generous. In fact, there have been no studies on the topic—zilch.3
It may not have any effect on your baby. But, then again, it might. No one knows. And, just like you wouldn’t walk around blindfolded while pregnant, nor should you venture into a treatment when the science behind it lives in the dark.
Risks of Getting Laser Hair Removal While Pregnant
Although there’s no research into getting laser hair removal specifically while pregnant, there are potential risks that being pregnant can make you more susceptible to. Dr. Nazarian lets us in on why it is strongly discouraged.
“There are risks of complications, specifically skin burns, and given the altered hormonal state in pregnancy, this risk may be theoretically increased,” she shares. “There is also potential for the laser treatments to be less effective during pregnancy.” She stresses that the benefits are far outweighed by the risk of complications.
Other reasons to avoid getting laser hair removal while pregnant also involve the aforementioned pregnancy hormones. “If a burn occurs, you heal slower when pregnant and are more likely to hyper-pigment,” cautions Dr. Lupo. The latter makes sense seeing as how conditions like melasma (a.k.a. the pregnancy mask) tend to arise in pregnant people, as well as those who get hormone replacement therapy or take birth control pills.4
The additional hormones flowing through their systems cause telltale signs of melasma to appear—grayish-brown or brown patches on the face.5 And anything that irritates your skin, like lasers or even harsh skincare products, can also leave dark marks.4
If a burn occurs, you heal slower when pregnant and are more likely to hyper-pigment.
Can Laser Hair Removal Cause Miscarriage
If you had laser hair removal or electrolysis before knowing you’re pregnant, don’t worry. It’s best to be cautious, since it’s unknown whether these treatments can affect pregnancy, but they’re likely not a danger to you or your baby.
Laser hair removal is exactly what it sounds like—removing hair with a laser. Most commonly, people get this noninvasive treatment on their face, armpits, legs, pubic area, and trunk.1
And it’s pretty popular. Prior to the pandemic, over one million people got laser hair removal in 2019. (That number dropped slightly due to nationwide COVID-19 lockdowns that occurred in 2020.)2 It works by using highly concentrated light, or lasers, to remove hair.1
“The pigment in the [hair] follicle is targeted,” says Mary P. Lupo, MD, a board-certified dermatologist at the Lupo Center for Aesthetic & General Dermatology in New Orleans. ”When it absorbs the laser’s energy, it generates heat that permanently reduces the follicle.” This inhibits hair from growing, decreasing or eliminating it in the treated area.
However, it’s not a one-and-done kind of treatment. It only affects hairs that are in an active stage of growth. Rachel Nazarian, MD, a board-certified dermatologist at the Schweiger Dermatology Group in NYC explains, “It requires multiple treatments, and works best on darker, thicker hairs.” When the hair grows back, it will be lighter, thinner, and sparser.
Laser hair removal also slows down hair growth, but it’s not necessarily a permanent solution. Some people require maintenance treatments periodically.1
Laser Hair Removal While Trying To Conceive
Feel free to continue your normal laser hair removal treatments while you are trying to conceive, but since laser hair removal while pregnant isn’t recommended, please let us know as soon as you find out the good news.
Alternatives to laser hair removal while pregnant are fairly simple—back to the basic tried-and-true techniques that have been around for millennia. Both Dr. Lupo and Dr. Nazarian recommend shaving, waxing, or plucking as your go-tos to get rid of unwanted hair.
If you’re still in the pregnancy-planning phase, however, you could try this proactive, strategic approach. “[People] should consider initiation of laser treatment before pregnancy to make grooming and styling habits easier when they’re pregnant.”
Get ahead of the pregnancy curve and start laser hair removal before you become pregnant, if you can. Just remember to give plenty of leeway as you’ll need multiple sessions. The time you need between each one varies on the area being treated, but it is generally a four-to-six week period.6 So, give yourself a healthy buffer, and start a few months before you expect to become pregnant.
The answer to whether or not you can safely get laser hair removal while pregnant is an elusive one. Though it’s a popular cosmetic treatment to give yourself smooth, hair-free skin, there’s been no research on the subject in pregnant people. When in doubt, skip it. And always speak to your healthcare provider about any questions or concerns you may have.