It’s a hot topic and one of controversy, is pregnancy a contraindication to waxing? Everyone has an opinion. Opinions are one thing, facts are another. First and foremost, knowing if your client is pregnant is important for any waxing or skin care service. This question should be included in the consultation and within the release or waiver form. While pregnancy, obstetrics and gynecology concerns are not within our scope of practice, knowing if a client is pregnant helps us to know which products to use or not to use.
Once you learn that a client is indeed pregnant, can you proceed with her scheduled Brazilian wax? To keep it simple, yes. Pregnancy is not a contraindication to waxing. However, some waxing contraindications may come with pregnancy. The skin is the largest organ of the body; our goal is to keep it healthy. If you are unsure if it’s safe to proceed with any skin care or waxing services, you can certainly have the client get the green light from their doctor and this is especially important with pregnancy.
Depending on the demographic of your clientele and the area that your business resides in, pregnant clients may be a rare occurrence. But if you are in an area with a high density of newly married young professionals, you might have many clients who are expecting a new addition to their family.
Pregnancy Contraindications
Not every pregnant client will want to brave a Brazilian wax during this time, but many do. In the same vein, while some clients choose to continue their waxing routine throughout their pregnancy, others may opt for their first time Brazilian wax, as it gets harder to see and reach the area to shave as the pregnancy progresses. Laser hair removal and depilatory creams are not permitted during pregnancy, leaving few options. Additionally, with frequent doctor visits that come with pregnancy, wanting to keep up with hair removal maintenance for the bikini area becomes a priority.
It’s important to know what to look for when deciding if you can proceed with a waxing appointment and to determine that no contraindications are present. As a refresher, a contraindication is any condition that is present that makes a service or procedure inadvisable. For waxing, this may be skin conditions, products or medication being used, recent procedures and other health issues. Some contraindications or conditions may be present specifically with pregnancy.
Here are some things to look out for. Let’s delve in.
Related: #10Things To Consider For Pregnant Clients
Hormone Changes
Obviously, pregnancy can wreak havoc on the body. Late night cravings, nausea and lack of energy are common, but there are more issues that may arise during pregnancy, especially with the skin. Melasma is one issue that can be caused by hormonal changes. Melasma appears as brown patches or hyperpigmentation on the face around the cheeks, nose and forehead. Linea nigra is a dark line, or hyperpigmentation that runs down the center of the abdomen caused by hormonal changes. It typically appears in the first trimester and will fade in the weeks and months post-partum. While hyperpigmentation isn’t a contraindication, waxing over the darker pigment can cause further issues. Avoid waxing any area of hyperpigmentation to avoid post-inflammatory pigmentation, which could intensify the issue.
It’s common to have sensitive skin during pregnancy. This is due to increased hormone levels. The skin might be red or swollen, itchy, irritated, tight or tender. Skin conditions you had before you were pregnant, such as eczema, may become worse. Eczema is a contraindication to waxing for the area being waxed, but if the skin on the bikini area is not compromised you can offer the Brazilian waxing service.
Continue reading about waxing expecting clients in our July Digital Magazine...
Cali VanAelst, L.E. has been a licensed and practicing cosmetologist and esthetician since graduating from Pivot Point in 1989. She is currently the training director for Cirépil by Perron Rigot. She was selected by New City as the “Best Waxer in Chicago” and has been featured in both Allure and Chicago magazines as one of Chicago’s best.
