Being pregnant is God’s blessing and nothing can be better than this. When you are pregnant, your whole body, its hormones, and skin changes. At this time, it is necessary to know about pregnancy safe skincare routine.
Because if you will not know which products are best to use, it can damage your skin. Not only just your skin but also in your baby’s skin. This can be harmful. You have to find those products which will maintain your beautiful glow and also protect your baby from any kind of harm.
How Does Skin Change During Pregnancy?
Many of the women become victims of it. The skin of women changes a lot. This is all because of the hormones. But there are some lucky women who never face any problem. Instead, they got a milky fare and glowy complexion.
The issues women usually face are:
- Dark patches on the skin
- Dry skin
- Acne
Sometimes, there are some women who are already facing some kind of skin conditions such as eczema, psoriasis, or rosacea. There are chances that these women will face worse conditions of skin changes.
The attack of skin changing doesn’t occur on the face, but it affects the whole body in the form of stretch marks, spider veins, hair growth, acne, and hair loss.
Ingredients To Avoid In Pregnancy:
Here is the list of skincare products that are not pregnancy skincare products. All these products are listed here on evidence. They have been performed as an experiment on pregnant women and it has been proved that these products are harmful and cannot be used as pregnancy safe skincare products.
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Trusted Source wants cosmetic products to be “safe” based on their specific uses and labeling, but they don’t need FDA approval to be sold on the market.
This had arisen a question to our mind, that is these cosmetics are truly safe to use in pregnancy, or can we call them pregnancy safe skincare products? That is why there is a need to take care of yourself by knowing which product is safe to use.
Retinoids
Retinoids are basically, a form of vitamin A. When vitamin A gets absorbed into the skin, the skin converts it into retinol. Vitamin A is the main nutrient that plays a vital role in maintaining the skin, optimal skin, reduce acne, and wrinkles. Vitamin A is also necessary for immune and eye health.
It reduces the fine lines as well. Retinol balances the skin surface level and exfoliates the skin by boosting collagen production.
OTC products have lower levels of retinoids. But medicine drugs such as Retin-A (tretinoin) and Accutane (isotretinoin) contain much higher measurements. The sum of retinoids retained by topical items is likely low, but birth abandons have been connected in higher dosages. As such, all retinoids are advised against during pregnancy.
Prescribed retinoids such as Accutane pose a 20-30% risk of mild defects which are by birth or inherited. With this up to 60% of kids show neurocognitive issues with exposure in the uterus. That’s why pregnant women should take Accutane by
- using two forms of contraception
- Regular check-up
- stopping the intake of medicine before trying to become pregnant.
Salicylic acid
It is used in drugs to treat acne because it has anti-inflammatory capabilities, just like aspirin. A high dose of it should avoid during pregnancy. But a lower dose of it can be considered as a pregnancy-safe care product.
Hydroquinone
It is used to lighten the skin and reduce the pigmentation of the skin which occurs due to melasma and chloasma, which can be occurred in pregnancy.
There is no evidence that it has any side effects, but as we know that it can get absorbed into the body. So we should limit the use of it.
Phthalates
It is a chemical product found in beauty and personal care products. If it gets exceed to the limit, it can cause issues of reproduction and hormonal imbalance. Diethyl phthalate (DEP) is a common beauty product. We should take care of it at the time of pregnancy safe skincare routine.
Aluminum Chloride
This chemical is present in antiperspirants. Research says that it is severely cancer-causing and we don’t know conclusively if it passes to breastmilk.
Grapeseed Oil
It is present in face serums and body oils. This all-natural ingredient can be used topically during pregnancy and breastfeeding. But don’t take these supplements during pregnancy.
Formaldehyde
Formaldehyde is rarely used as a preservative and disinfectant in beauty products. It can increase the risk of infertility and miscarriage.
But there are formaldehyde-releasing chemicals commonly found in cosmetics that also have some side effects as formaldehyde.
- bronopol
- DMDM hydantoin
- Diazolidinyl urea
- hydroxymethyl glycinate
- imidazolidinyl urea
- quaternium-15
- 5-Bromo-5-nitro-1,3-dioxane
Oxybenzone
Research says that oxybenzone and many other chemical sunscreen filters (including avobenzone and octisalate), which are suspected endocrine disruptors and possible carcinogens. Don’t stick to mineral-based sunblocks during pregnancy and while breastfeeding. Avoid it, if possible.
Pregnancy Safe Skin Care Ingredients:
There are many other ingredients that you can use during pregnancy. For example, for acne and pigmentation, you can use glycolic acid in replacement of retinoid. But avoid the excessive quantity of it. It is also found in beauty products. Similarly, azelaic acid is also safe. They can be used to reduce wrinkles, reduce fine lines, brightening skin, and reducing pigmentation.
For anti-aging and wrinkles, Vitamin C is the best one.
Other pregnancy safe skincare antioxidants products include:
- vitamin E
- vitamin K
- vitamin B3
- green tea
For dry skin and stretch marks, coconut oil, cocoa butter, peptides, and hyaluronic acid are best. To prevent stretch marks, moisturize that area.
For Sun Protection, Mineral-based sunscreen ingredients include zinc oxide and titanium dioxide. And don’t forget that wide-brimmed hat to add some fashionable shade.
