Pregnant or Breastfeeding: Should You Wait on Laser Treatment?

Why waiting is the usual advice in pregnancy

Maybe you just found out you are pregnant halfway through a removal plan, or you have wanted a tattoo gone for years and finally have time while on leave. Either way, it is natural to wonder whether a few laser sessions could hurt. The short answer is that nobody can say for sure, and that uncertainty is the reason for waiting.

Tattoo removal and most scar treatments are elective. They can usually be done later, so there is little reason to accept even an unknown risk now. The American Academy of Dermatology (AAD) says people who are pregnant or breastfeeding should not be treated with laser tattoo removal. Laser Eraser's candidacy quiz asks about pregnancy and breastfeeding and notes that pregnancy means waiting.

What the research does and does not show

Researchers have not found controlled trials of cosmetic laser treatment in pregnancy. A 2017 systematic review of cosmetic procedures in pregnancy and breastfeeding had to rely on case reports and case series because no controlled trials existed. Its authors concluded that no concrete recommendations can be made for using lasers for cosmetic procedures.

A 2022 review of skin procedures in pregnancy put it more directly. It said the general advice is to postpone all aesthetic procedures in pregnancy, and that because satisfactory safety data are lacking, cosmetic lasers should be avoided until after delivery. The same review noted that lasers are sometimes used in pregnancy for medical needs, such as removing warts, where treatment cannot wait.

A lack of evidence is not proof of harm. It also is not proof of safety. Because tattoo removal also involves numbing products, healing skin and sometimes several sessions, many providers simply schedule it for later.

Breastfeeding: what the sources say

Breastfeeding raises a different question: whether anything used during treatment could reach your baby through milk. NIH's LactMed database says lidocaine, a common numbing medicine, reaches only low levels in breast milk and is poorly absorbed by the infant. It says lidocaine is not expected to cause adverse effects in breastfed infants and that no special precautions are required.

That answers one question about one medicine. It does not cover every numbing product, which can contain other ingredients, and it does not address the laser itself. The AAD's guidance on laser tattoo removal still groups breastfeeding with pregnancy as a time not to be treated. Many providers follow that and wait until you have finished breastfeeding.

If you are breastfeeding and want to start sooner, talk it through with your provider and the doctor who cares for you or your baby. Bring the names of any numbing creams the office uses so they can check them.

If you become pregnant partway through treatment

Tattoo removal usually takes several sessions spaced weeks apart, so it is common for life to change mid-plan. If you find out you are pregnant, tell your laser provider before your next appointment and pause further sessions. If you had a session before you knew, mention it to your obstetric provider, who is the right person for questions about the pregnancy itself.

Keep caring for any skin that is still healing from your last session. The AAD's general aftercare advice is to keep the area moisturized and covered until it heals and to protect treated skin from the sun for 3 months. Ask the office how a pause works with your plan, so you know what to expect when you come back.

When you return, your provider will look at the tattoo again and plan the next steps from where it is then. Your skin may look different after pregnancy, with new dark patches or stretch marks nearby, which is one more reason for a fresh assessment before the laser restarts.

Skin changes that show up in pregnancy

Pregnancy often brings its own skin changes, and some people look into laser treatment for them. It helps to know which ones tend to settle on their own.

• Dark patches (melasma). The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) says these come from an increase in melanin and usually fade on their own after birth, though some last for years. ACOG advises daily sunscreen and a wide-brimmed hat outdoors. Read more on our melasma page.
• Stretch marks. ACOG says they form when skin stretches quickly, that there is no proof creams prevent them, and that most fade after birth but may never disappear completely. The AAD says treatments work better on newer marks and have little effect on mature ones. See our stretch mark treatment page and our guide comparing stretch mark treatments.
• Products to check first. The AAD advises checking with your doctor before treating stretch marks while pregnant or breastfeeding, because some products contain retinol, which can be harmful to a baby.
• Raised scars. Laser Eraser treats keloids with injections into the scar. The 2022 review says steroid injections into scars are not recommended in pregnancy unless the benefits outweigh the risks.

Planning treatment for after pregnancy

Waiting does not have to mean losing time. You can use these months to plan, protect your skin and see how pregnancy-related changes settle before deciding what to treat.

Keep the tattoo or scar out of the sun, since a tan can delay treatment later. Take a few clear photos so you can compare how melasma or stretch marks change after birth. When you are no longer pregnant or breastfeeding, a free consultation lets a provider assess the skin as it is then and give you an exact quote.

If you are planning a pregnancy in the next year or two, say so at your consultation. Removal takes several sessions over months, so knowing about a likely pause helps you and your provider set a realistic timeline and decide where to start.

Pregnancy is one of several temporary reasons to hold off. Our guide on when to wait before tattoo removal covers the others, such as a tan, a healing tattoo or an infection.