Can I get a tattoo removed while pregnant 05 2021

Can I Get a Tattoo Removed While Pregnant?

While laser tattoo removal is one of the safest methods for tattoo removal, when done by a certified professional, many still wonder if the procedure is possible for pregnant people. There are a lot of factors to consider, and because your health is our top priority, we’ll do our best to give you some answers.

Can you get laser tattoo removal if you’re pregnant?

In short, we don’t recommend getting laser tattoo removal while pregnant or breastfeeding. Although there are not currently any cases linking damage to the fetus from the laser’s energy or radiation, we always prefer to err on the side of caution.

Safety is the name of the game, and because of this, we do not treat patients that are pregnant or breastfeeding. In fact, one of our own Certified Laser Technicians was recently pregnant, and she stepped back from handling the laser or being in the treatment room during her pregnancy.

Why should I wait to do laser tattoo removal until after I give birth?

It is best to wait to do laser tattoo removal until after you give birth based on how tattoo removal works and how our bodies react to this treatment. Here’s a quick refresher if you’re unsure of how the laser actually removes your tattoo ink.

One step to successful tattoo removal is to have a qualified and trained professional using advanced equipment, but the rest of the removal process is up to your body.

Once our laser has done its job, your body must take on the rest of the work by flushing out the ink particles that were broken up by the laser.

Tattoo removal is dependent upon the body’s lymphatic system as this is what takes the ink molecules and moves them out of our body. In a sense, the lasers trigger your immune system, and that’s how our bodies begin to get rid of the ink particles.

This is another important point as we know that during pregnancy, the immune system changes so that it can protect both you and your baby. While some parts of the immune system are enhanced, others become suppressed.

Can the laser harm my developing baby?

There are currently not any studies linking laser harm to a developing baby, nor has there been research done on this. , Science doesn’t typically like to run tests on pregnant people, there likely won’t be any studies coming out.

What are the risks of removing my tattoo while pregnant?

Based on our 15 years of experience, there are a few factors of laser tattoo removal that we believe to be risks for pregnant people.

  • Photosensitivity: During pregnancy, the skin is often more sensitive to light which means there is a higher chance of side effects such as scarring or pigmentations during laser removal.
  • Ink particles: It is impossible to know if ink absorption could be harmful to your baby as there is no research that says ink particles don’t cross the fetal placental barrier. This is another reason that we also won’t treat anyone who is breastfeeding.
  • Avoid infections: While infections from laser tattoo removal are rare, it’s impossible to know how your body will react. Should you contract an infection, it would be difficult to treat as some antibiotics are not recommended for pregnant patients.

Because of the lack of research, the uncertainty of how your body may react, and the importance of preserving health during pregnancy, we recommend patients wait until after they finish breastfeeding to resume or begin any laser tattoo removal treatments.

Should you find out you are pregnant after starting laser tattoo removal, don’t worry! No chemicals are used in this treatment, and the chances are that you’d be in the earlier stages of your pregnancy when the risk is very low. You and your baby’s health are the top priority!

There’s no reason to rush the removal of unwanted ink – we’ve been in business for 15 years, and we’ll be here to treat you after you give birth. 

Additionally, giving your body extra time to heal between treatments is a good thing! It won’t hinder the removal process at all and because our pricing packages never expire we will be available to pick right up from where we left off whenever you are finished nursing.

Schedule a free consultation with MEDermis Laser Clinic

If you have a tattoo you want to fade or erase and are wanting to get pregnant or are already pregnant, we recommend still coming in for your free consultation! This way you can meet with our Certified Laser Technicians who can give you an idea of how many treatments you’ll need whenever it’s safe for you to do so.

Check out our Before and After gallery for a look at the work we’ve done in the last 15 years! The MEDermis Laser Clinic team has years of experience and is ready to answer all of your laser tattoo removal questions. Are you ready to schedule your FREE consultation? Get in touch with MEDermis Laser Clinics today by calling our Austin clinic at 512-637-5277, the San Antonio clinic at 210-402-4030, or by filling out our online contact form.

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