Pregnant women have all sorts of questions about what is safe and unsafe for them to do while carrying a baby. There are questions about what food to eat and not to eat, activities to do and not to do, medications to take and not to take, etc. And then there are questions about hair removal too.
Since a lot of women find that hair growth actually increases during pregnancy – speed of growth or thickness or both – finding a safe and effective method of hair removal becomes important.
Is waxing during pregnancy safe?
According to most experts, waxing is quite safe to do during pregnancy. However it is advisable to use products that do not contain tea tree oil – this is known to be unsafe for pregnancy.
While waxing is safe, there may be some other points of concern. Skin is typically more sensitive during pregnancy; so waxing may be more painful at this time. Skin could get irritated and there could be some swelling. And if you plan to get a bikini wax, then that could be even more painful than usual.
Also since the blood circulation increases during pregnancy, waxing could cause tiny blood vessels to become visible beneath the skin’s surface after waxing. As your pregnancy progresses, you may quite simply find it difficult if not impossible to wax; particularly your legs which may be rather inaccessible.
Nearing the end of the pregnancy, it may be a good idea to get a full treatment from a salon that has some experience with pregnant clients. Get a haircut, manicure and pedicure, waxing and so on. This should last for a while after the arrival of the baby as well, when you will be a lot busier!
If you plan to go to a salon for waxing, you should pay particular attention to their hygiene standards. Do they use disposable strips, what sort of wax do they use, and do they sterilize their implements?
Shaving and using depilatory creams, are also safe hair removal methods in pregnancy. But just to be sure, you can double check with the pharmacist about any doubts you may have about the safety of the brand you use.
Hair removal treatments to avoid
Permanent or long term methods of hair removal such as electrolysis and laser hair removal are best avoided during these nine months. This is mainly because the safety of these procedures during pregnancy, have not been well established.