Feeling beautiful during pregnancy is important, but not at the risk of the fetus. Thermage and mesotherapy are two distinct beauty treatments that work to reduce the look of fine lines, wrinkles, and body fat. Thermage involves simultaneous heating and cooling of the skin while mesotherapy uses injected chemicals and/or herbs to melt away layers of fat. Neither procedure is approved for use during pregnancy.

What is thermage?

Thermage is an FDA approved procedure that is completed in about one hour by a cosmetic surgeon. A ThermaTip is used to send radio frequencies beneath the skin. These frequencies claim to affect the strength and elasticity of collagen. As one ages, collagen begins to degrade, leaving the skin less taut than it once was. Thermage claims to return the tautness to the skin. It can take two to four months for the effects of a single thermage treatment to be visible.

What is mesotherapy?

Mesotherapy is a different type of beauty treatment. Chemicals, herbs, or “cocktails” of various medical-grade treatments are injected into the body. According to mesotherapy specialists, the treatments can reduce the look of cellulite, even out liposuction errors and remove wrinkles and scars. While the use of medications for mesotherapy injections must be approved by the FDA, herbs do not go through the same approval process. Certain herbs and “cocktails” could be harmful to the fetus.

Pregnancy precautions

Thermage has not been tested for use during pregnancy and thus is considered a procedure that should be avoided until after the baby is born. Mesotherapy involves too many risks for pregnant women and is thus not performed on expecting women or those who are breastfeeding. There is a risk of medications and herbs passing from mother to child by way of breast milk. Potential side effects of thermage and mesotherapy include redness, swelling, bumps, and skin irritation. Additional side effects for mesotherapy could include bruising, infection, or allergic reaction.