Hair removal options during pregnancy

How do the options compare?

Options are compared on ACOG or MotherToBaby endorsement, size and quality of pregnancy-specific studies, dosing predictability, time-to-effect, and side-effect profile: the same axes an obstetric clinician would use.

• Shaving, waxing, and depilatory creams are the temporary hair removal methods recommended during pregnancy. 1
• Laser hair removal and electrolysis are generally not recommended during pregnancy because of a lack of safety data, and electrolysis carries an added theoretical concern since amniotic fluid conducts the galvanic current the device uses. 1
• Body hair removal procedures like waxing and hair removal creams fall under the general cosmetics category that pregnant and breastfeeding people commonly ask about. 2
• Pregnancy hormones change the hair growth cycle itself: during the second and third trimester, only about 10% of hairs sit in the resting shedding phase, which is why hair can look fuller and shed less until after delivery. 3
• Threading removes hair by trapping it in a twisted cotton thread and lifting it from the follicle, and because it is a physical, traumatic-to-the-skin method, hygiene matters: the technique has been linked to folliculitis, skin irritation, and infection risk when tools are not clean, especially on delicate areas like the eyebrows. 4

Which option makes sense?

Shaving, waxing, and depilatory cream are the pregnancy-safe standbys because they are temporary and well established. Threading is fine with a hygienic, experienced technician. Laser and electrolysis are the two methods worth saving for after delivery, since the safety data on using them during pregnancy just is not there yet.

Disclosure: Pregnancy Smart is a supplement maker. The options compared above sit outside our own product line; this page describes their pregnancy evidence on its own merits.