You’re pregnant – congratulations! But are you feeling a little hairier than normal?

Don’t panic! During pregnancy it’s really common to find downy (peach fuzz) light hair growing in unexpected places such as your belly, boobs, face or neck. This is actually a side effect of hormones and is experienced by many women during pregnancy due to higher levels of androgen in your body. And if you think your body hair in general is looking darker, it’s most likely down to increased levels of melanin.

In the majority of cases, downy or darker hair generally goes away around six months after you’ve given birth. By then your hormones will have normalised and you may well experience something called ‘telogen effluvium’ – this just refers to when any extra hair grown during pregnancy suddenly falls out. It’s all perfectly normal.

However, if you’re sensitive about your body hair and as your bump grows bigger and some areas of the body are harder to reach for waxing or shaving, you may be tempted to have laser hair removal to get rid of unwanted hair.

Unfortunately it’s a no-no.

Why can’t I have laser hair removal in pregnancy?

When you’re pregnant, the skin’s pigmentation can change because of the androgen hormones in your body. This means that laser hair removal poses a slight risk of permanent pigmentation damage to the skin.

And although there is no clinical evidence that laser hair removal has an effect on unborn babies, medical practitioners are likely to err on the side of caution and advise against it. Reputable laser hair removal clinics simply won’t treat you if you’re pregnant – they’re not being difficult, it’s because they care about you and your baby.

Pregnant women are beautiful! But if you really want to remove unwanted hair you can fall back on shaving, waxing, tweezing or threading. Although the results won’t last for long, they will tide you over until you have given birth and your hormones have settled down. We do recommend avoiding use of hair removal creams if you’re pregnant. They use chemicals that could be harmful to your baby.

Help – I booked a course of laser hair removal sessions before I found out I was pregnant!

This should not be a problem. Many women find out they’re pregnant after they’ve started a course of laser hair removal. Talk to your clinic as soon as you find out. Every clinic will have their own policy but you should be able to postpone your course of treatment until after you have given birth.

If you’re thinking about getting pregnant or even trying to, make sure of the clinic’s policy before you book your course of treatments.

It is always best to choose a clinic that has transparent policies with regard to booking sessions and what happens if you need to postpone them.

How long after giving birth can I restart the treatments?

There are no medical guidelines on exactly when laser hair removal can be started following birth, but we recommend waiting six months. This allows your body plenty of time to recover and your hormones to regulate. You may need longer especially if this is your first baby – a young baby is a lot of work. It’s wise to restart only when you feel ready.

If you gave birth to your baby by C-section or had an episiotomy, you will need to avoid having your bikini line treated until the scars completely heal. This is just to avoid any complications.

Can I have laser hair removal whilst breastfeeding?

It’s a clinic-by-clinic decision. Although you can have treatments while you are breastfeeding, your hormones won’t settle until you finish. This may affect the hair growth and make the treatments less effective.

Brigstock Skin & Laser and pregnancy

Our own policy is to stop treating you as soon as you tell us you are pregnant. We will advise you to have your baby, finish breastfeeding and come back to resume your course of treatments after this.

If you have had a baby and would like to talk to us about when to start or restart hair removal treatment simply call now on 020 3820 4822 for free advice.

And if you would like to check out Brigstock Skin & Laser’s testimonials which explain why our clients are happy with the service we provide please click here