Should I have IPL before pregnancy or just wait until after?

Question

I have heard that pregnancy can promote hair growth. I have plenty of time to do it before I plan to fall pregnant, however I'm wondering if I'm wasting my time and money.

Brian S. Biesman, MD · Answer

Hair removal can be performed prior to pregnancy.  I would not recommend treatment with IPL or any device while you are pregnant.  Pregnancy is more likely to produce changes in blood vessels such as spider veins than to induce hair growth.

J. Jason Wendel, MD, FACS · Answer

Thank you for your question.Either way is okay.  Whether or not it is a waste of time and money is a matter of opinion since it would be considered preventative.The need for touch up treatments later is the rule and not the exception.

To be sure, see two or more licensed
and board-certified providers in your area for a complete evaluation to make
sure you are a good candidate and that it is safe for you to have these
treatments.

I hope this helps.

Jason Emer, MD · Answer

My suggestion is if you dont have hair, you have no reason to remove it.  Plus IPL is the worst treatment avlb for hair removal, I suggest better hair removal options.  Best, Dr. Emer.

Michael H. Gold, MD · Answer

You can safely have
IPL or any laser treatment before you become pregnant but we definitely do not
recommend having these treatments when you are pregnant. Since you cannot have
the procedures while pregnant, you might want to consider having your treatments
now – feeling good about yourself during pregnancy is sometimes a great idea.

Daniel P. Friedmann, MD · Answer

Pregnancy can promote clinically apparent hair growth by keeping a greater percentage of hairs in a growing phase. That is why many women notice a sudden loss of hair (called telogen effluvium) immediately after pregnancy. It is perfectly reasonable to start IPL treatments before pregnancy, since this is targeting the root of the hair.

F. Victor Rueckl, MD (in memoriam) · Answer

You can do it either way. Hair follicles will continue to develop over your lifetime which is why laser hair removal needs to be a continual treatment process with maintenance treatments every so often. So you can do the bulk of your treatments before your pregnancy and then do maintenance treatments after, or you can do the full initial series after, and then continue to do maintenance treatments. Whichever you would like is just fine. "This answer has been solicited without seeing this patient and 
cannot be held as true medical advice, but only opinion. Seek in-person 
treatment with a trained medical professional for appropriate care."

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