Can you get laser hair removal while on chemotherapy?
A cancer diagnosis is significant for any person and their family. Moving forward, fighting cancer is the primary focal point. Whatever methods safely and effectively help combat the illness will be used.
And in many cases, this means turning to chemotherapy. Choosing chemo means your main objective is getting rid of the cancer. But it also comes with its fair share of side effects. The road to getting your health back can be met with mental and physical hurdles.
To that end, those undergoing chemotherapy treatments may look for ways to return to normal routines. Perhaps a daily walk. Maybe cooking dinner a few nights a week.
And that may include self-care, too. A manicure and pedicure? A massage?
How about laser hair removal? So many people choose the popular service to get hair-free for good. But is it okay for someone undergoing chemotherapy to get laser hair removal during their cancer treatment? Read on to find out.
What is chemotherapy?
Chemotherapy is a type of cancer treatment that uses powerful chemicals to kill rapidly growing cells in your body. It’s most often used to treat cancer because cancer cells grow much more quickly than most cells in the body.
Is it okay to get laser hair removal while on chemo?
While on chemotherapy? No.
The reason for this is that clients should not receive laser hair removal if their chemo treatment is for active cancer. The key word here is “active.” Some people can be on chemotherapy drugs for maintenance therapy for other conditions like an overactive immune system, lupus, rheumatoid arthritis, or warts, to name a few. Another example is lifelong cancer maintenance following “active” treatment.
Laser hair removal might be okay for people not treated for active cancer. Be sure to consult with your doctor to make sure your laser hair removal experience is safe.
… significant thought needs to be put into the safest hair removal option.
Aside from shaving, is there a safe hair removal method to use while on chemo?
Whenever someone is fighting cancer, significant thought needs to be put into the safest hair removal option.
This is because many hair removal methods use heat or friction to remove hair. The problem is those methods can cause infection, especially for someone undergoing cancer recovery. These hair-removal methods are often painful, especially if someone has compromised skin and is under the care of a laser hair removal professional who is not familiar with the treatment of a cancer patient.
How soon after chemotherapy can I get laser hair removal?
Doctors suggest waiting three to six months after chemotherapy to start any laser hair removal treatment. The reason is to let the immune system and metabolism completely recover to get the safest results. It also helps in terms of avoiding any potential post-laser hair removal infections.