It’s no secret to pregnant women that shaving is not just awkward, but quickly becomes a major hassle. Not only is it more difficult to reach key areas of the body, but some can’t even be seen without the use of a mirror. Combine this with the extra hair growth triggered by a pregnant woman’s hormone levels and it’s no wonder many pregnant women seek alternative hair removal systems. But is laser hair removal really safe during pregnancy? Unfortunately, the answer is that we just don’t know. We also know that spending a few minutes online will give a pregnant woman very different opinions as to the safety of pregnancy laser hair removal. Let’s look at what else we know.
What We Know About Laser Hair Removal
The procedure involves shooting a beam of infrared light through a laser directly into the hair follicle to destroy it while preserving the surrounding skin. The laser is attracted to the amount of melanin within the hair follicle, so ideal candidates for laser hair removal are fair skinned with darker hair. Though the laser has been designed to precisely pinpoint the hair follicle for destruction, the surrounding skin can become irritated during the procedure. This irritation is often combated with a cooling spray or gel used during treatment and subsides quickly. In extreme cases, a topical anesthetic may be used as a preventative measure.Pregnancy and Laser Hair Removal
Lasers that are effective in removing hair have essentially only been in use since 1998. Scientists have not been able to complete any of the long-term studies needed to assure the safety of the fetus during the procedure. Despite the fact that the laser only penetrates the skin and not deeper into the abdomen, the long term affects on the health of the mother and fetus just aren’t known. For that reason, many clinics refuse to treat women who are pregnant. Many practitioners feel that it is best to be cautions during pregnancy and postpone any cosmetic procedures until after the baby is born.
The main concern is the safety of the mother and of the fetus. Even if the procedure itself is safe, the stress the mother feels during the treatment may also cause harm to her baby.
There are a few clinics that will perform laser hair removal on pregnant women with some stipulations. Typically, a release note giving the patient permission to have the procedure performed is required from the women’s obstetrician. Also, many of these clinics will not use any topical anesthetics or cooling agents that may contain harmful chemicals absorbed into the bloodstream through the skin. These offices also tend to avoid treating the abdomen, bikini area, and the breasts during pregnancy.
