Laser hair removal and breast feeding? Strange....

[Chooster]

I recently bought the Boots i-pulse machine mainly to get rid of the hair on my legs before the summer. But I've since read in the booklet that its not recommended if you are breastfeeding, which I am - DS3 is 5 months old and I plan to feed him for as long as he wants, at least til the end of this year.

Can you think of any reason why this would be??? I was thinking perhaps just because your skin may be more sensitive? I dont mind if its a little more uncomfortable but obviously dont want to do anything that will affect DS. I honestly can't see why you cant use one of these things when feeding. Any ideas???

I think because this type of therapy has never been safety tested on pregnant/breastfeeding women as it would be unethical etc.

Your skin would also be more sensitive as I had a few hair dye reactions whilst BF-ing and never afterwards (using exactly the same product).

Ooh interesting. I am about to buy one of these and I'm BFing DS2 and plan to be for probably the next couple of years - he is only a few weeks old!

It is probably just an arse-covering exercise, I cannot imagine what effect it could possibly have on breastmilk!

As someone who is breastfeeding a much older child I'd say perhaps wait until weaning onto solids has taken shape and then I'd go for it.

I upped drinking alcohol, ceased to worry so much about any transferral of medication or substances (eg resumed sporadically bleaching teeth and using retin-a) when my daughter wasn't taking in anything like the quantity she was in the first 9 months.

I'd say in this case it is more to do with how pregnancy and the hormones relating to breastfeeding can affect your skin and your pain. I have read IPL can be used only on certain skin types, so maybe it's like pregnancy and certain hair treatments -- it can turn a bit weird

But once the feeding has gone down the hormonal effect will also (I believe) so it will have a lesser effect.

Risk of hyperpigmentation. Same reason preggo/BFing mothers tan more easily. After IPL/laser, you must wear strong sunblock etc because risk of hyperpigmentation is already higher. BFing increases the risk.