Pregnancy And Your Skin

Tis’ the season to be pregnant! I have a lot of beautiful pregnant patients at the moment so it seems like the perfect time to go over some basics of how to take care of your skin during this special time.

So first and foremost, when it comes to pregnancy I always advice women consult with their OBGYN’s. Most OB’s will have a list of oral and topical medications/ingredients they are comfortable with their patients using. This can vary from OB to OB which is why I always have you double check with them.

However, as a general rule of thumb, there are certain ingredients an/or treatments we just don’t touch when you’re growing a baby. Here is a list of some to absolute avoid along with some that can be used with clearance from your OB.

List of skin care products to avoid while pregnant:

• Retinoids
• Tetracylcine
• Hydroquinone
• Formaldehyde
• Dihydroxyacetone (DHA, found in self tanners)
• Chemical SPF like oxybenzone

List of skin care products that can be used with clearance from you OB:

• Glycolic Acid
• Salicylic Acid
• Benzoyl Peroxide
• Growth factors
• Essential oils

List of skin care products that can safely be used during pregnancy:

• Vitamin C serum
• Hyaluronic acid
• Physical SPF  like titanium dioxide and zinc oxide
• Lactic acid

The same precautions should be taken while breast feeding as well. Please be sure to let your aesthetician know as soon as you become pregnant so they can be sure to only use pregnancy-safe products on you. Many patients share their pregnancy news with me before many of their friends and family but not to worry as I am sworn to secrecy due to HIPPA (and because I would never disclose something so personal) 🙂

And congrats to all of my mommies-to-be!

xo,

Marie