I used an IPL hair remover before I knew I was pregnant and I'm really scared a could have damaged the embryo

[kyzz1231]

Has anyone used an IPL hair remover on or near their tummy during early pregnancy and had a completely healthy baby or had any issues? I (used to, not anymore) use an IPL hair remover on my tummy to lessen the hair growth on my 'snail trail'. I used it the day before I found out I was pregnant... I actually took a test the day after I used the IPL hair remover on my tummy because I had black clots come out of me which was very unusual which is why I decided to take a test and it was positive. I'm so scared that I could have damaged the embryo but the doctor I saw said there was no way and it was just a coincidence and my partner doesn't think it could be the case either. I'm only 5 weeks and haven't had a scan yet to see if everything is developing normally. I would have been 4 weeks when I used the hair remover. Please sharing any experiences other people have had similar to this would be really appreciated.

In the nicest possible way, you’re being daft.

There’s no way this could have harmed the embryo. Don’t give it another thought!

I can see why you might feel anxious. Apparently IPL has no safety studies to support its use in pregnancy but also no known risk so doctor's err on the side of caution and advise against. Seems like it's no big deal but I hope you can just try to focus on doing good things for you and your future baby from this point forward. No use worrying when in all likelihood your embryo is just fine. Good luck x

Thanks for your replies. I'm sure I'll feel better once I have my first scan and can see if everything looks normal.

Hey OP

I used an IPL machine on my legs when I was pregnant, obviously didn’t know I was pregnant at the time. That little surprise bean is now a very lively 2 year old.