Many pregnant women know that what they put (or don’t put) in their bodies is essential to the well-being of their growing baby, whether it’s the right kind of protein, too much caffeine, or specific types of fish. But numerous pregnant women may not know that what they place on their bodies is simply as essential.
Most of us slather on oceans of lotions every day, however we don’t think of what may be passing the skin barrier and being taken in into our bodies. With a developing baby in your belly, this is a vital concern.
” Everything you eat, use, or enter into contact with might affect not only you but likewise your baby,” says Sandra Marchese Johnson, a skin specialist with Johnson Dermatology in Fort Smith, Arkansas.
” Because some topical active ingredients get taken in into the blood stream, there are some you want to avoid,” includes Leslie Baumann, a teacher of dermatology at the University of Miami and author of The Skin Type Solution (Bantam, 2006).
The more effective and targeted products get, the more we need to beware about what we have in our skin-care programs during pregnancy. While many typically used products are totally safe, there’s a handful of ingredients thought about potentially damaging to a growing baby. Below, see our overview of what to try to find when shopping the charm aisle.
If you prepare to breastfeed, adds Johnson, continue following the standards kept in mind below up until you stop nursing.
Retinoids
These effective substances, discovered in some antiaging moisturizers, are lauded for helping reduce wrinkles and enhance complexion. Retinoids are a type of vitamin A that accelerates cellular division (accelerating your skin’s renewal) and prevent skin collagen from breaking down.
However retinoids are among the skin-care active ingredients that experts, consisting of Baumann, recommend that expectant mothers keep away from. Some research studies have shown that high dosages of vitamin A during pregnancy can be hazardous to a coming child. And oral retinoids, such as isotretinoin (Accutane, an acne treatment), are known to cause birth defects.
If you’ve been using a skin cream that contains a retinoid, don’t panic. Retinoids have not been shown to cause problems in their topical form in pregnant women.
” There is no information to show these retinoids components are harmful when used on the skin– medical professionals are just being extra mindful,” describes Baumann.
On the label:
- Differin (adapelene).
- Retin-A, Renova (tretinoin).
- Retinoic acid.
- Retinol.
- Retinyl linoleate.
- Retinyl palmitate.
- Tazorac and avage (Tazarotene).
Bottom line: Best to avoid.
Salicylic acid
This mild acid is used to treat specific skin conditions, including acne, and you can find it in a number of skin products, such as cleansers and toners. It can permeate facial oils to obtain deep into pores and clean out dead skin cells. Salicylic acid is in the aspirin family, so it can also help in reducing inflammation or inflammation. BHA, or beta hydroxy acid, is a kind of salicylic acid and is used in some topical exfoliants to reverse signs of aging.
However salicylic acid is another no-no for pregnant women. High doses of the acid in its oral type have been displayed in research studies to cause abnormality and various pregnancy complications.
Again, physicians are being cautious by recommending that pregnant women avoid the topical use of salicylic acid. Small amounts applied to the skin– such as a salicylic acid-containing toner used once or twice a day– are thought about safe, states Johnson.
But the issue is stronger about face and body peels consisting of salicylic acid. “This type of ‘soaking’ in the ingredient is similar to taking one or more aspirin when pregnant,” she discusses.
” More product used equals more absorption into the bloodstream,” adds Baumann. Always contact your doctor prior to having a peel treatment. Even better, she recommends, if you must have a peel, have it done professionally at your skin doctor’s office. A skin doctor will understand how to do it securely during pregnancy.
On the label:
- Salicylic acid.
- Beta hydroxy acid.
- BHA.
Note: Alpha hydroxy acids, sometimes noted as AHAs, glycolic acid, or lactic acid, are safe.
Bottom line: Best to avoid.
Soy
Some moms-to-be look for natural components such as soy in their skin-care products, believing that they’re free from hazardous impacts. However that’s not always the case, states Baumann.
While soy-based lotions and facial products are generally safe to use, “Soy can make the ‘mask of pregnancy’ (dark splotches on facial skin) worse, as can oil of bergamot, which remains in numerous organic products,” she states.
Soy has estrogenic impacts, which can make those dark patches, also called melasma or chloasma, worse, Baumann discusses. “The ‘active soy’ discovered in some line of product is okay, nevertheless, because the estrogenic components have been secured.”
On the label:
- Lethicin.
- Phosphatidylcholine.
- Soy.
- Textured veggie protein (TVP).
Bottom line: If you have dark skin or melasma, prevent these products, or select ‘active soy’ products instead. Otherwise it’s safe to use.
Acne products
Numerous women have breakouts in the first trimester due to the fact that of altering estrogen levels, even if they’ve always had clear skin. If you’re handling pregnancy-induced acne, a skin specialist can likely give you a safe topical antibiotic, encourages Baumann. You can find a skin doctor in your area or at the American Academy of Dermatology Web site.
But if you choose to prevent yet another doctor visit, Baumann advises using a facial wash that contains no greater than 2 percent salicylic acid (look for the portion on the product label). This small amount is thought about safe.
If you wish to be twice as sure, ask your obstetrician or midwife before use. As for what to prevent when it comes to treating acne, keep away from leave-on acne lotions, gels, and creams, in addition to at-home peels, which can contain salicylic acid or retinoids, says Baumann. And, obviously, steer clear of the oral form of the retinoid Accutane.
On the label:
- Beta hydroxy acid.
- BHA.
- Differin (adapelene).
- Retin-A, Renova (tretinoin).
- Retinoic acid.
- Retinol.
- Retinyl linoleate.
- Retinyl palmitate.
- Salicylic acid.
- Tazorac and avage (Tazarotene).
- Tretinoin.
Keep in mind: Glycolic acid is an AHA, and safe to use.
Bottom line: Consult your dermatologist, or use mild over the counter cleansers just.
Hair cleaners and minimizers
Lotions that remove your hair chemically (depilatories) or that reduce hair between shaves seem like a dream become a reality when you can barely reach– not to mention see– your legs. Fortunately is that these products are considered risk-free.
” There are no specific active ingredients to avoid when it pertains to these types of products,” states Baumann. “The only risk is an allergic reaction.”
Catherine Lynch, director of the department of basic obstetrics and gynecology at the University of South Florida, says, “As long as you use [chemical hair cleaners] as directed, they should not be a problem. It’s a topical option that isn’t really taken in into your blood stream, so it cannot have any result on the baby.”
If you’ve had an allergic skin response to hair minimizers or removal creams in the past, then you ought to prevent these products during pregnancy too.
Also, some women’s skin gets extra sensitive during pregnancy, so you might have a response to these components even if you have not before. Before slathering your entire leg, do a patch test on a small piece of skin behind your knee and wait 24 hours to see if you respond.
On the label:
- Potassium Thioglycolate (depilatory).
- Calcium Thioglycolate (depilatory).
- Salt Hydroxide (minimizer).
- Sanguisorba Officinalis Root Extract (minimizer).
- Hydrolyzed Soy Protein (minimizer).
Bottom line: Safe to use.
Sunscreens
Sun blocks, including those with components that permeate the skin, are completely safe when you’ve got your own bun in the oven, states Baumann.
” [Active ingredients] that do go deep into the skin do so in such small concentrations” that they’re not worth worrying about, states Johnson. “I personally prefer titanium dioxide and zinc oxide– they are effective physical sunscreens and do not permeate the skin.”
She adds, “In addition to sun block, we advise sun-smart behaviors– avoiding the sun between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m.; using a sun hat, sunglasses and sun-protective clothes; and reapplying your sunscreen every two hours.”
And if you have melasma, includes Baumann, you can try a UV protector with a skin lightener.
On the label:
- Titanium dioxide.
- Zinc oxide.
- Avobenzone (Parsol 1789).
- Oxybenzone.
- Dioxybenzone.
- Benzophenone.
- Octyl methoxycinnamate (OMC).
- Para-aminobenzoic acid (PABA).
- Octocrylene.
Bottom line: Safe to use.
Health Tips
When you’re pregnant, Baumann says, it is necessary to talk about any product you use on your skin with your doctor.
However if you realize you have used a product that contains one of the possibly damaging ingredients noted above, do not worry, says Johnson. Just stop using the product now and choose one with known-to-be-safe components.
” Most over-the-counter products by credible brands are safe,” she says. “And if you are applying these products to less than 10 percent of your total skin surface, the threats of systemic impacts are really low.”
