Can You Get Laser Hair Removal While Pregnant?

Pregnancy is an experience like no other. Some women positively glow, but it can be an awkward time for many others. Pregnant bodies go through all kinds of changes, including surprising hair growth in new places.

It makes sense to wonder if you can get laser hair removal while pregnant. Unfortunately, the answer is no.

Lack of safety research means pregnant people shouldn’t get elective laser treatments. In this post, we’ll explain this in more detail and cover everything else you may want to know about laser hair removal and pregnancy.

How Does Pregnancy Affect Hair Growth?

Pregnancy often causes an increase in hair growth from head to toe, due to a surge in estrogen and progesterone.

Hair grows denser and thicker, and many women experience hirsutism (i.e., facial hair growth).

The higher hormone levels cause many hair follicles to get stuck in the anagen phase, which is the growth phase of the hair’s lifecycle. This means that more of your hair follicles produce hair all at once.

After pregnancy, as hormone levels stabilize, the hair follicles move into the shedding phase. It leads to something called “telogen effluvium” which is when a lot of hair sheds all at once a few months after childbirth.

It can be scary to lose so much hair at once, but as hormones reach a new equilibrium, hair growth eventually goes back to normal.

Can You Have Laser Hair Removal During Pregnancy?

The short answer is no. Responsible laser hair removal providers do not treat anyone during pregnancy.

There is not enough evidence to establish the safety of laser hair removal for pregnant people, so dermatologists and clinical researchers agree that treatment is best avoided.

To establish safety, there would have to be a human trial where pregnant people actually receive treatment. The standards for conducting clinical studies on pregnant patients are high, and researchers must demonstrate the research’s necessity.

Aesthetic treatments simply do not meet the threshold. It’s not worth the risk, even if the chances of side effects or complications are extremely low.

Risks and Side Effects of Laser Hair Removal During Pregnancy

Because of the lack of research, there are actually no documented risks or side effects of getting laser hair removal during pregnancy.

We can still make some educated guesses based on the way pregnancy hormones impact the skin.

Increased Skin Sensitivity

The skin becomes more reactive during pregnancy, especially if you already have inflammatory conditions like eczema. Inflammation is a common but short-occurring side effect of laser hair removal, but it stands to reason it might be more pronounced if one is treated while pregnant.

Some women also find that they’re more sensitive to pain during pregnancy, so the treatment might also be more painful.

Risk of Hyperpigmentation

Additionally, it’s very common to experience increased hyperpigmentation (especially melasma) during pregnancy, due to the increase in estrogen. As hyperpigmentation is a potential side effect of laser hair removal, it’s reasonable that the risk of it will be greater if you’re getting treated while pregnant.

Unpredictable Results

“We find that results are more predictable and consistent when our clients’ hormones have had a chance to stabilize,” explains Jaclyn Bueno, RN and Aesthetic Lead at SEV.

The hormonal surges during pregnancy mean that your results from a treatment will be unpredictable. Even without the safety concerns, it’s still worth waiting.

After childbirth, your body actually goes through even more hormonal changes. Much of the excess hair growth your body experienced during pregnancy could disappear without intervention.

What If I Had Laser Hair Removal Before I Knew I Was Pregnant?

If you had laser hair removal before you knew you were pregnant, don’t worry. This happens more often than you think, with no reported cases of negative outcomes for mother or fetus.

That said, do let your doctor know at your next checkup, as it’s their job to monitor your pregnancy and make sure that both you and the baby are healthy and safe.

Laser hair removal only affects the hair follicles, delivering heat just a few millimeters beneath the skin surface. While there is no safety data, there are also no major known risks to you or your baby.

Even the minor risks we mentioned earlier, like sensitive skin and hyperpigmentation, are purely theoretical.

Bottom Line on Pregnancy and Laser 

There is a lot of uncertainty when it comes to pregnancy and laser hair removal. 

At SEV, we prioritize your health and well-being above all else, which is why we don’t perform laser hair removal or other elective treatments on clients who are pregnant, nursing, or trying to become pregnant. It’s always better to be safe than sorry. 

Once you’re no longer pregnant, it’s fair game! We pride ourselves on providing safe and effective hair removal using the Candela GentleMax Pro and Cynosure Elite IQ lasers. Our expert nurses and laser technicians will guide you through a personalized treatment plan, so you can achieve hair-free skin quickly and in comfort. 

If you think laser hair removal will help you feel more at home in your post-pregnancy body, you’re invited to book your treatment at any of our med spas. If you’re new to SEV Laser, you can get your first session for free with code HELLOSMOOTH.