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QUICK NOTE: I am not a doctor. I’ve been in this position before, when I was signed up to get IPl Hair removal and I was pregnant. So I made sure to ask my physician a ton of questions.
If you’re still into shaving here are 2 recommended products for all mothers or even elderly people can use. I find that using a pregnancy mirror such as this fogless shower mirror has come in handy. Sometimes I like to use a Woman’s Razor Extension Shaver. This can help with reaching those hard to reach places.
Is IPL hair removal safe during pregnancy?
Yes, it is, BUT, I think you would be very disappointed to find a doctor or physician to perform IPL hair removal on you if you are pregnant. Being that these procedures aren’t usually done on a woman while they are pregnant.
Although there are no studies showing that the lasers being used can or will affect a pregnant or non-pregnant woman. They (doctors) have conducted studies on pregnant rats and the rats had significant effects. But no signs of effects on humans since the 90’s when the lasers were approved by the US.
So, because of lack of research towards laser or IPL hair removal being performed on a pregnant woman, you’ll find most doctors or clinics would tell you that they are going to postpone the procedure for a later date, most likely until you deliver your baby.
Or some will take that risk and do the procedure but will stay away from areas such as your breast, stomach or genitals.
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If I’m pregnant can I still have IPL/laser hair removal treatments in the bikini area?
Just like the same thing I mentioned above. It’s always better to be on the safe side. So, doctors wouldn’t be too willing to perform the procedure while you are pregnant since not much is known about what would happen to you or your fetus.
And the process of the IPL destroying the hair follicles in places such as your bikini area may be too much of a risk for some technicians. It’s like going into uncharted waters.
Should I stop laser hair removal treatments while I’m planning a pregnancy?
So, let’s say you are already in the middle of a hair removal procedure, now you find out you are pregnant. It is better to just speak with your doctor or whoever is performing the treatments and they will suggest postponing it until you deliver your golden egg.
There are other methods out there in the meantime that you can use. The progress achieved from the treatments won’t be affected by your sudden postponement. Ultimately your doctor would be able to provide you with the best choice possible, whether to postpone or not. So, speak with him/her and check for different alternative hair removal methods. There is always waxing, shaving, and electrolysis that you can rely on.
Is it safe to do laser hair removal while breastfeeding?
Now you are nursing. This is a wonderful thing. Therefore, IPL or laser hair removal isn’t recommended. There is no evidence of the effects of the lasers affecting a woman while she is breastfeeding.
But I would say to be on the safe side it is best to avoid any radiation during this phase after pregnancy. There may be some side effects because of the hormones still inside the nursing mother. These lasers can cause either hyper/hypo-pigmentation because it can interfere with the women’s body production of melanin.
Also, some doctors will give their patients numbing creams for any pain. There isn’t much pain (I just want you to know that). Maybe a little stinging. But the creams that they give you, the chemicals can seep into your breast-milk by way of your bloodstream. So, I think the best choice is to postpone any more treatments till you are done breastfeeding.
I want to remove some hair on my face permanently, is it okay if I get IPl/LASER hair removal on my face?
You can get it. The light being used isn’t strong enough to go through the skin deeply. There are a lot more concerns towards your skin type and your eyes to prevent hypo/hyperpigmentation and eye damage.
You would go on a difficult journey in order to find someone who is willing to perform any treatments with a laser or intense pulsed light on a pregnant woman. A lot of doctors highly recommend not to this sort of thing. There is a huge risk of the unknown. And this can be one of them.
If you want to be technical there is far more concern with the type of medication being given either after or during the hair removal treatment. Some patients would receive an anesthetic cream before the treatment to help them cope with the pain, others may get some medication after the treatment is over. Whatever the medication is, especially with anesthetic cream, the chemicals can be absorbed by the skin or stomach (oral medicine) and that can cause a risk to your baby.
So, to end this off. IPL/Laser hair removal treatment is not really performed on the pregnant woman, it can be, but you’ll have a hard time finding a physician willing to go ahead with the treatment.
I had laser hair removal before I knew I was pregnant, can it affect my unborn baby?
No. It’s highly unlikely that it would affect your baby. I mean if you’ve already gone through 1,2, or 3 treatments already, it won’t result in any harm to your unborn baby. But you should immediately speak with your physician about your newly found condition. Although it’s highly unlikely that laser hair removal in early pregnancy will have an effect on the baby.
Once again, the IPL/laser hair removal process targets the hair bulbs pigment and nothing else. The lasers aren’t strong enough to go through your skin. Therefore, all the harm is on the surface and not beneath it. You have nothing to worry about. But I would stop immediately once you find out you are pregnant.
Does laser hair removal affect getting pregnant?
No. It does not. No studies about laser hair removal prove that IPL/Laser hair removal can or will affect you from getting pregnant. The only thing that will happen is your technician would recommend not to continue or go along with any treatments until you have delivered your baby.
A lot of healthcare professionals only want to avoid any treatments for their patients because of their own lack of knowledge of the unknown. Since there aren’t any studies about this. They wouldn’t want to risk it. Neither should you.
But you can get the treatments while you are actively trying to conceive. It might be difficult in finding a doctor to go along with the procedure.
Because doctors/dermatologist/physicians or whoever is performing the procedure are professionals. So, they are going to want to avoid liability. You may even have to fill out certain paperwork about your current medical condition. Such as at the very moment you are “not pregnant.”
No studies have been shown on the effect of lasers being used on pregnant women. The lasers aren’t powerful enough to go beneath the skin. But the question you should ask yourself is “are you sure you want to risk it?”
Let’s say you do get the hair removal treatments. Everything’s fine. Then your baby comes into the world. BAM. There’s something wrong. There’s an abnormality. He/she doesn’t come out okay. What if the condition your child came into the world was unrelated to lasers, but I guarantee you would feel guilty. So, it’s something to think about.
Found out I was pregnant after I had finish 3 Laser Sessions for the hair on my face, what can I do now?
It would probably be in your best interest to stop. Then after your pregnancy resume the treatments. But only if you are not breastfeeding. Not enough is known about lasers and their effect on pregnant women.
So, doctors are not sure what will happen, therefore, they don’t want to risk it. Your treatments after your baby should still work regardless of an increase in hair growth because of your hormones.
But 3 laser hair removal treatments are not enough for the complete process. Remember the recommended amount of treatments is 6. So, you are 3 behind. In the meantime, while you are pregnant, hair is most likely going to grow back.
You can shave the unwanted hair on your face, but I wouldn’t recommend using a depilatory cream since you are pregnant. The creams have dangerous chemicals that can penetrate the skin, into the bloodstream and may affect your fetus.
I am pregnant now, but I had laser hair removal before I was pregnant, did it go to waste?
Hair growth is something passed on through your genetics, through your lineage. Passed down from both parents to their kids. Hair growth is also determined by your age, medicine, and your hormones.
Your hair growth may vanish completely once you are done with your pregnancy. But if your current treatments weren’t enough, you can proceed with them only after you are done with breastfeeding your child (I recommend).
At times maintenance treatment will be required for after you are done with the initial treatments. Then you may address any additional concerns with your dermatologist or technician.
BOTTOM LINE: I think the only thing you would have to worry about is any topical anesthetics the doctor may give you before you do this procedure. Only because these can actually go into your bloodstream, thus, causing problems for yourself and your unborn child.
Can I have underarm laser hair removal during pregnancy?
Yeah sure. The same rule applies here as it did up above. Sometimes women will wait for their hormones levels to subside and go back to its regular self. You may even have a bad reaction due to increased hormone levels while you’re pregnant. But the answer is straight and simple. Go for it! You would have an even more difficult time trying to find a physician to perform the treatment. Since this is more like sacred territory and not too many people know anything about, the risk or effects. They may not want to do it.
A few options for getting IPL hair removal while you’re pregnant.
You can always postpone any treatments you’re taking now. only until your done breastfeeding your baby. that seems like the logical reason for you to stop it for a moment. or you can wait a few months until you’re done lactating. I believe I said this up above somewhere, but you can do other methods such as waxing, shaving, or epilating.
I would stay away from depilatory creams also, they may have the same danger with their chemicals seeping into the bloodstream through your skin contact. the same way topical anesthetic can while receiving IPL hair treatments. I’m not sure you’ve heard but, they now make IPL hair removal devices for you to use at home. They use a lot less amount of light energy than the ones used in the doctors office.
They are less painful so there isn’t a need for topical anesthetics. So no risk of complications to your baby while breastfeeding.
Can a pregnant woman be a laser hair removal technician?
Ah, the tables are turned on the other side. This is more for the employee. The person performing the treatments. Well, the answer is yes. Of course, you can be a laser hair removal technician. And while you’re at it you can perform as many hair removal treatments as you can handle. Once again, there isn’t any research done on this particular topic but the majority of salons or doctor offices will go against performing the laser hair treatments on pregnant “clients.”
So if you’re a technician, you have nothing to worry about. the thing is, with these laser hair removal devices, they all emit a low-level radio frequency field. So low that it can affect you in a way. And the laser rays that are penetrating your clients skin can only go a few millimeters deep. Although, you must remember there isn’t any research to back to this up. So, to be on the safe side you can always make sure you wear a lead apron. The bulky and heavy ones that can protect you from any electromagnetic fields.
A few factors for you to consider if you’re pregnant and planning on taking laser hair removal treatment
- The laser beams being used by the laser for the hair removal treatment has shown no negative effects on patients that are pregnant
- Sometimes the procedure is so painful that at times the patient may need some numbing cream. This can be a problem. The numbing cream can enter your bloodstream through the skin and possibly affect your baby.
- If you’re pregnant your skin may be more sensitive to the touch. So, feelings such as pain, or sensations such as irritation or redness can become heightened during this process.
- Being pregnant comes with hormonal changes. Hormonal changes can alter your hair growth, your hair regrowth time, and even the thickness of your hair. All of this can affect future laser hair removal treatments and its effectiveness
Conclusion: So, there you have it. Not much to necessarily worry about. Pregnant women can IPL or laser hair removal treatment if they like. You would have a tougher time finding a psychian to go ahead with that procedure than actually deciding to have it. Not much research here to decide not too use it. But my thing is the likelihood of something going wrong. Since their isn’t much research to decide with it or against it. Then something can go wrong. And since you’re pregnant, you wouldn’t want to risk that. I know I wouldn’t.
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