Laser Hair Removal On Face While Pregnant?
Laser hair removal on the face while pregnant?
The answer is no; however, the main issue is security. The laser hair removal in the field of cosmetic procedure, it is still a very new procedure. Lasers have been used for hair removal effectively since 1998. Although many studies have been conducted on all aspects of hair removal, lasers in pregnancy have not yet produced a definitive answer as to whether or not the procedure is correct. If you are a future mother, it will always be advisable to wait as a precaution.
But beware, it is entirely false that stopping laser treatment during pregnancy ruins your treatment. After having your child, you can continue with your laser hair removal without problems, and the progress made in terms of hair removal will continue to be active. Once the hair follicle is destroyed, the hair does not regrow.
Although there is nothing to prevent laser hair removal treatments during pregnancy, most recommend stopping the procedure until the baby is born.
However, we advise you to consult your doctor or gynecologist before making any decision that may affect pregnancy and lactation.
Even though birth control pills and laser hair removal are compatible, during pregnancy, a woman suffers significant hormonal changes, such as an increase in progesterone, a female hormone that promotes fertility. Sometimes, this hormone surge can cause hirsutism, that is, abundant hair growth in areas where you didn’t have it before; don’t be alarmed, because this hair usually disappears on its own after pregnancy.
You must bear in mind that the laser does not produce any damage in the fetus’s formation and development since it only acts on the most superficial layers of the skin and does not affect the embryonic development.
However, it is not advisable to undergo this type of hair removal. It is not suitable for future mothers to be exposed to the light of any kind during pregnancy, as it could cause rejection by the body due to the hormonal change that can produce skin reactions.
However, it is not recommended to undergo this type of hair removal. It is not suitable for future mothers to be exposed to the light of any kind during pregnancy since it could cause body rejection due to the hormonal change that can cause skin reactions.
It is also true that laser hair removal is not the only hair removal system that doctors advise against during pregnancy; the waxes and depilatory creams can cause allergic reactions during use due to the constant hormonal changes that women are subjected to during their pregnancy.
That is why we believe and advise that the safest method of hair removal that pregnant women can resort to is a razor blade. However, that does not mean that after giving birth, you can resume or start your laser hair removal treatment with complete normality.
Likewise, while breastfeeding, there is also some restriction. If the mother is breastfeeding her child and wishes to have laser hair removal treatment, she can do it without any problem in any area of the body, except the area of the chest, areola, and armpits.
It’s a waxing forever.
All experts agree that body hair does disappear with the laser system. However, on the face, the results may not be permanent. “On the face, the effect is more variable because facial hair is very subject to hormonal influence,” says Dr. Josefina Royo de la Torre, deputy director of the Madrid Laser Medical Institute. According to Adriana Ribé, this facial hair “will be much less and finer than before treatment.”
It is impossible to know in advance how many sessions you will need.
“Yes, you can have an approximate idea,” replies Dr. Josefina Royo de la Torre of the Laser Medical Institute. “Thanks to our experience of more than 20 years, we know that the half legs shave very well with a maximum of 6 or 7 sessions and that the English usually requires between 6 and 8 sessions to be impeccable. The armpits are somewhat more resistant, and we may need some more sessions from the eighth, but it would be annual”. Estela Martel, from Centros Único, adds that, as a general rule, “men will need a greater number of sessions than women.”
Side effects of laser hair removal
Some side effects may occur, as in any other technique applied to the skin or hair. For this reason, its use is also not recommended during pregnancy or lactation.
The following side effects are the most common after laser hair removal:
- Erythema or redness of the area.
- Edema or inflammation of the peripheral region.
- Pain during laser application.
Much less frequent are the following symptoms or side effects: suffering hyper or hypopigmentation, folliculitis, scabs, scars and edema of the eyelids around the eyes, or developing photosensitivity.
Laser hair removal must be carried out by expert professionals. An action protocol must be followed to avoid both side effects and non-professional personnel applying this technique to people in whom it is contraindicated, such as pregnant women or nursing mothers. Therefore, the aesthetic doctor’s advice is advised before any type of laser or pulsed light hair removal.
The laser can damage eyesight.
Yes. This is how Dr. Josefina Royo explains how to avoid the risk: “To do body laser hair removal, the patient should be treated with special protective glasses and, in the case of facial hair removal, the glasses that we put on are even more defensive. “
It is dangerous to use laser hair removal on specific areas of the face.
For a reason explained above, “for eye safety, we recommend not to laser treat the lower edge of the eyebrows, since the light must not hit the retina,” continues Josefina Royo de la Torre. This does not remove so that the upper edge of the eyebrows or the frown area, as well as the rest of the face, can be laser depilated.
It is dangerous to shave your whole body in the same session.
“No. The only limitation for not doing all the treatment on the same day is that the patient may require more than one tube of anesthetic cream, in which case it is mandatory to split the treatment in two because the recommended dose must be respected,” they tell us. from the Laser Medical Institute.
The laser is harmful to sensitive skin.
Not only does it not harm sensitive skin, but in many of these cases, it is the best option for hair removal. “With the laser, the irritative response than conventional waxing produces, such as wax or a razor, does not appear,” says Dr. Royo de la Torre. “Of course, you always need to do a little tolerance test before starting treatment.”
There is a better type of laser than the others.
It cannot be said that a laser is ‘the best’ in an absolute way, but it can be for a type of hair and skin, as detailed by the doctor of the Laser Medical Institute. “The Alexandrite laser safely plucks phototypes I to III (the lightest), as well as beautiful hair and thick hair, provided it is dark hair; Diode lasers safely depilate phototypes IV to VI of thick hair, and the ICE Soprano in its Alexandrite IN Motion modality allows working on dark skin with beautiful hair, “he enumerates to make clear why laser hair removal has such a good reputation today: there is a suitable system for everyone.
We hope we have cleared all your doubts about laser hair removal and pregnancy.
References:
- Hair Facts, https://www.hairfacts.com/
- U.S. Food and Drug Administration, https://www.fda.gov/
- American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. (2018). Presidential task force on redefining the postpartum visit.
- acog.org/Clinical-Guidance-and-Publications/Committee-Opinions/Committee-on-Obstetric-Practice/Optimizing-Postpartum-Care
- American Academy of Dermatology. (2018). Hair today, gone tomorrow: Dermatologists debunk common misconceptions about laser hair removal [Press release].
- aad.org/media/news-releases/common-misconceptions-about-laser-hair
