Laser therapy is a popular method for removing unwanted hair, but is it safe to have laser hair removal during pregnancy? The answer is no. Most providers recommend avoiding laser hair removal during pregnancy due to a lack of information about the effect it could have on the fetus. Laser hair removal and electrolysis are not safe during pregnancy, so it's best to wait until your baby is born to begin these treatments. During pregnancy, hormone levels change and excessive hair growth is typical.
This is mainly due to a sharp increase in hormones, which can trigger new hair growth and prevent hair from falling out as it normally would. Unfortunately, there isn't enough research to definitively confirm the safety of laser hair removal during pregnancy. If you've noticed that you have more hair than usual since you became pregnant and you're looking for a way to get rid of that extra body hair, there are safe pregnancy hair removal methods you can use, such as shaving, waxing, or using hair clippers. To understand how pregnancy affects hair growth, it's essential to know how the hair growth cycle works.
A doctor or laser technician simply points a beam of light at the area you want to treat, which sends heat down the hair shaft and directly to the follicle, destroying the follicle or damaging it. Even if you don't have a C-section planned, it's best not to remove hair from your lower abdomen or just above your pubic bone near your due date, in case a C-section is necessary. One thing to keep in mind with waxing during pregnancy is tight and sensitive skin. The final result? Laser hair removal IS safe when performed by experienced, licensed and certified technicians.
However, when it comes to laser hair removal during pregnancy, there isn't enough research to know if it's safe for an unborn baby. Therefore, doctors generally take precautions and advise against the procedure. When the hair is fully grown, it enters a resting stage called telogen, pregnancy hormones delay this stage, so the hair appears thicker. If you need a C-section and any hair needs to be removed from the pubic area for surgery, the medical team will use a hair clipper (which does not alter the follicle itself) in the area around where the incision would be made.
