Pregnancy is an exciting time, and one we love sharing with our expectant clients! Electrolysis during pregnancy is indeed considered safe – when the right method is used. This post will fill you in on permanent hair removal do’s and don’ts when you’re expecting.
Which type of electrolysis is considered safe during pregnancy?
There are three common electrolysis methods: thermolysis, galvanic, and “blend” (a combination of the two). The method considered safe during pregnancy – also the kind we practice at Nios – is thermolysis. It’s important to note that even the concerns with the other methods are purely hypothetical – electrolysis has been around for about 150 years and there have been no reports of any adverse effects. Concerns are mostly psychological.
How thermolysis works
Thermolysis – also called “short-wave” – works by using a thin filament to deliver heat into each hair follicle, thereby impeding its ability to produce more hair. The follicle either gets immediately destroyed or progressively weaker as treatment progresses, until it stops producing hair altogether. The key difference that makes this the preferred method of unwanted hair removal during pregnancy is that the galvanic method forms an electric circuit through the body, but thermolysis does not.
Pregnancy and hair growth
The topic of electrolysis during pregnancy is especially popular because of the increased hair growth that expectant mothers commonly experience. During pregnancy, androgens stimulate hair growth both in places where hair already grows and, sometimes, in places where there was not previously any significant hair growth. Regular waxing, shaving, etc. is particularly inconvenient while pregnant, so many mothers-to-be turn to electrolysis to keep hormonal hair growth at bay. Many women find that this growth subsides within six months or so postpartum, but for some, hair just sticks around.
Which is where we come in!