If you’re pregnant, it doesn’t mean that you can’t take care of your skin. As a matter of fact, there can be a lot of changes in your skin when you’re pregnant. But it’s important to use the right products and avoid certain products for a safe pregnancy and for beautiful skin.
Most skin care products are safe to use when you’re pregnant. It’s important to wash your face and apply moisturizer twice daily and use sunscreen every day. In addition, you can also use antioxidants and certain other products.
The two most common concerns about the skin in pregnant women are acne breakouts and melasma. These both occur from the levels of hormones in your body that change when you’re pregnant. To address acne, it’s important to wash your face at least twice daily and make sure you don’t sleep with makeup on. Also wash your face after exercising, especially if you sweat a lot. These things will clog your pores and lead to breakouts. You can also exfoliate your skin with certain products like glycolic acid and lactic acid. Be sure to avoid products that contain salicylic acid or willow bark extract (which contains salicylic acid). This is because salicylic acid is a derivative of aspirin (acetyl salicylic acid) which can thin your blood and lead to bleeding. Although salicylic acid is perfect for people with oily or acne-prone skin, it is not safe when you’re pregnant. So try alternatives such as glycolic and lactic acids; they will work well.
Melasma is a common condition characterized by the appearance of dark patches on the skin. You may see it on your cheeks, on your forehead, and on the skin above your upper lip. Products such as hydroquinone and retin-A are the best treatments for melasma in terms of skin care products. However, it’s important not to use them when pregnant. Although hydroquinone itself is safe during pregnancy, it is usually mixed with steroids such as hydrocortisone, which you want to avoid when you’re pregnant. Also, do not use retinoids such as retin-A, Tazorac, adapalene, or retinol because these can cause fetal heart abnormalities. Instead, look for products with other ingredients such as kojic acid, licorice extract, alpha-arbutin, bearberry extract, green tea extract, vitamin C, and vitamin E.
Although you may see a number of changes in your skin when you’re pregnant, it’s important to know which products are safe and which products are best to use after you’re done breast feeding.
Dr. Alex has performed over 10,000 cosmetic treatments with many satisfied patients. Contact us to schedule an appointment for a free consultation with Dr. Alex in our Encino, CA office.