These chemicals form a normal part of dietary intake and use on the skin would not be expected to cause any alteration to levels in the body. Therefore, hair removal creams are safe to use in pregnancy.
Your skin will only absorb small amounts of the cream, so there is no risk to your baby in using a hair removal cream during pregnancy . Hair removal creams often contain strong-smelling chemicals, and try to mask these with even stronger fragrances (Brennan 2021, Shenenberger 2022).
Yes, pregnant women can use Nair™ products as long as all warnings and directions are followed. If you are unsure, please consult your physician before using Nair™.
Evidence suggests there is minimal systemic absorption of hair products, so personal use by pregnant women 3 to 4 times throughout pregnancy is not considered to be of concern.
Skip keratin hair-straightening treatments during pregnancy. They contain harmful formaldehyde. You shouldn't need to change your shampoo, conditioner, hair spray, gel, mousse, or blow-dry and curling-iron routine while you're expecting, unless you use prescription dandruff shampoo.
MYTH: Hair removal creams can't be used on the bikini line.
You can use Veet hair removal creams around your bikini line, but take care not to make contact with your intimate areas. Applying the product too close to the genital area can result in adverse reactions.
Pubic or perineal shaving is a procedure performed before birth in order to lessen the risk of infection if there is a spontaneous perineal tear or if an episiotomy is performed.
There are no studies that evaluate the safety of laser hair removal during pregnancy. Many health care providers recommend avoiding laser hair removal during pregnancy because of the lack of information about the effect on the fetus.
Most research shows that it's safe to dye or colour your hair while pregnant. Although the chemicals in permanent and semi-permanent hair dyes may cause harm, this is only in very high doses. When you use hair dye, you are only exposed to very low amounts of these chemicals.
In a video that has more than 3.7 million views on TikTok, Grant Buechner, who is also a registered nurse and lactation consultant, explains that grooming is not recommended beyond 36 weeks gestation. “Shaving pubic hair can INCREASE risk of infection at the time of birth, even with Cesarean birth,” she wrote.
But, aside from a bit of razor rash, shaving down there often has little-to-no risk – unless you're pregnant, that is. Yep, as it turns out, if you're expecting a bébé you really shouldn't be shaving your vagina, as one nurse explained in a now-viral clip on TikTok.
Pregnant people should avoid the following chemicals when pregnant: aluminum, BHAs, DEAs, DHA, formaldehyde, hydroquinone, parabens, phthalates, retinoids, thioglycolic acid, toluene, triclosan, and chemical sunscreens with oxybenzone. These chemicals can cause birth defects and labor issues such as pre-term delivery.
Generally, it is safe for pregnant women to get haircuts, hair coloring, or perms at the salon. There is currently no medical evidence to suggest that the chemicals in hair dye or perm solutions, absorbed through the scalp, have any harmful effects on the baby.
If you're a fan of Nad's depilatory creams, you can also continue to use these during pregnancy. In fact, if you find your skin a little too sensitive for waxing, you may find a Nad's depilatory cream a suitable, pain-free alternative.
Overall, hair treatments are generally considered safe to use during pregnancy. However, you may also consider getting highlights or using pure vegetable dyes. Regardless, your safest option is to wait at least until after the first trimester, if not until after pregnancy.
Worrying about hair "down there"
We don't care if you shave, trim or wax before your appointment. It doesn't obscure anything we need to see or get in our way at all.
This practice may result in adverse health consequences, including genital burns from waxing, severe skin irritation leading to post inflammatory hyperpigmentation, vulvar and vaginal irritation and infection, and the spread or transmission of sexually transmitted infections (STI).
Vaginal delivery: For perineal stitches : These will heal in 3-4 weeks on their own, they do not need to be removed. Showers for the first 2-3 weeks, if you have no shower, take a sponge bath or a tub bath but do not add bubble bath to the water or shave during the bath.
Most depilatory creams can be used during pregnancy, but be sure to consult your doctor before you buy the hair removal cream.
Don't use this product on sensitive areas such as the face, head, breast or genital or perianal area. For external use only. Don't use the product for any purpose other than depilation.
Both methods remove hair at the skin's surface. Compared to shaving, depilatory creams don't irritate the skin and leave fewer skin lesions or papules. The irritation from hair removal cream usually fades faster than the small nicks and cuts you may get from a blade.