Overview

Many people turn to laser hair removal to reduce hair and hair growth. Laser hair removal is often used on the face, leg, armpit and bikini areas. 

According to the American Pregnancy Association, many physicians prefer not having laser hair removal during pregnancy because there are not enough studies to prove that it is safe for the fetus. 

However, is there any chance that a pregnant woman can use laser hair removal to remove the hair while she is pregnant ?

How does laser hair removal work ?

A doctor or laser technician points a beam of light at the region you wish to treat. The light targets the dark pigments in the hair and sends heat into the hair shaft and follicles. When the heat destroys the follicle, it does not produce hair. If the hair follicle is damaged, the hair grows back, but is much finer and lighter.

Most people need between five and ten laser sessions to obtain complete hair removal depending on the area treated, skin type and skin color. Since body hair grows in cycles, the treatment must be spread over at least eight weeks. After the correct treatment, all hairs in the treated area must be removed.

What do the experts say ?

Experts say lasers can be used in pregnant women to treat diseases such as kidney stones and genital warts, but there is no safety data to support the use of lasers as a cosmetic procedure, especially laser hair removal. 

Although it is generally considered safe, some doctors and dermatologists advise women to avoid it because there are no studies to prove it is safer for both mother and child.

Most doctors and medical professionals do not recommend the use of laser hair removal treatments during pregnancy, not only out of concern for the safety of the unborn baby, but also because they offer a low risk of permanent pigmentation and skin damage. Although some doctors, particularly Dr. Kelly Jago, an OB-GYN in St. Augustine, Florida advises pregnant patients not to go ahead with the procedure and take a cautious approach, as there are not enough studies to prove that it is safe for mothers and their unborn babies.

“My best advice would be that if one could hold off on this elective procedure until after the pregnancy, I would recommend doing so.” Dr. Kelly says.

Why should pregnant women wait ?

In the absence of research and information on the negative effects of the procedure on pregnant women as they grow, most doctors and clinicians suggest stylistically postponing laser hair removal until after childbirth. Since lasers can be used to treat diseases such as kidney stones and genital warts in pregnant women, it is recommended that you wait until the baby is born before taking part in cosmetic laser treatments.

The laser treatment during pregnancy is not recommended because of its unknown effects on the developing fetus and mother as mentioned above. During pregnancy laser treatments can cause thermal damage to hair follicles and risk affecting both the woman and the baby, especially in sensitive areas such as the bikini area.

What damage can the hair removal cause to pregnant women ?

In laser treatment, non-ionizing rays are used to send concentrated light rays into the unwanted hair follicles. Laser treatment targets the dark pigments in the hair follicle and releases light energy to inhibit the follicle. Laser treatment during pregnancy causes thermal damage to hair follicles and theoretically there is always a risk for the woman and her child, especially in sensitive areas such as the bikini area.

When pregnant women can start laser hair removal  treatment ?

Since hormones can affect hair growth, it is advisable to wait until you stopped breastfeeding before undergoing or resuming laser treatment. This ensures that you achieve the best laser results during pregnancy and that hormones do not affect your treatment plan.

The hormonal changes associated with pregnancy and breastfeeding tend to increase hair growth therefore waiting until after birth and before the baby starts treatment will have no effect on results.

Your body changes during pregnancy, and pregnant women have a hormone surge that can cause changes in hair growth. Changes in hormone levels during pregnancy can shorten the hair growth cycle and stimulate dormant hair follicles. Pregnancy hormones do not affect whether hair sprouts or how much hair you are dealing with, but they can alter the growth cycle of your hair.

In the 3-6 months after giving birth, your hormones normalize and you switch from telogen to effluvium, and the extra hairs fall out. When you have a baby, the hormones are no longer in the body and many dark hairs fall out. 

What are the alternatives to laser hair removal for pregnant women ?

If you are concerned about the appearance of excess hair and want to remove it without waxing, shaving or pulling threads, there are safe options for hair removal for pregnant women. If the oestrogen-induced hair growth is accompanied by the increasing difficulty of reaching parts of the body while growing your belly, you may wonder if you should make an appointment for laser hair removal as an alternative to shaving, waxing or the use of depilatory creams. 

However, the lack of scientific and medical research on the safety of laser hair removal during pregnancy means we can't say with certainty if it is a beauty treatment that has no impact on fetal health and development. In any case, pregnancy-related hair growth usually dissolves by itself within three months of the baby's birth, making treatment unnecessary.

While depilatory creams during pregnancy were considered safe in the past, there are no studies to prove that chemicals such as barium sulfide powder and thioglycolic acid are entirely harmless to mothers and babies. Temporary methods such as shaving, waxing and thread forceps are also considered safe during pregnancy. If your body shape and size change, you may need help removing unwanted hair. If you decide to get help from a cosmetic surgeon or dermatologist, make sure that the facility has a cleaning technician licensed to perform the desired service.

The takeaway

Pregnancy can cause many changes in your body, including the sudden appearance of hair spots and hairs that were not there before. Most of these changes will dissipate in the months following delivery of your child.

If you want to reduce the number of hairs on your face, arms, stomach, legs or bikini area, it is safe to shave, thread, pluck or grow according to the size of the area concerned. After giving birth, talk to your doctor about resuming laser hair removal in areas where unwanted hair does not disappear.