Skin Care Products to avoid during Pregnancy

Got the good news? Congratulations! You’re pregnant. With this, there will be a possible list of do’s and don’ts that your healthcare provider or friends and family have probably advised. You have been told to sleep, eat and drink well and do the needed exercise.

Are you expecting a child? Pregnancy is a significant time in a woman’s life and marks the transition to motherhood. But did anyone tell you about the skin care products? The products you use can have direct affect on your baby and therefore you should be aware of what skin care ingredients are a definite no at this time.

There are many ingredients that pregnant women should avoid. They are not limited to;

1. Retinoids
2. Tetracyline
3. Retinol derivatives - They are  Retinyl Acetate, Retinyl Linoleate, Retinyl Palmitate and Retinyl Proprionate used in the treatment of severe acne. There is a chance that the unborn baby may suffer from a condition called Fetal retinoid syndrome.
4. Phthalates
5. Whitening creams
6. Ammonia
7. Salicylic acid
8. Glycolic acid
9. Essential oils
10. Camphor and mint
11. Adapalene

Many of the acne cream has the combination of these chemicals which will in turn is bad for the baby. I will explain about some of them in this post.

Retinoids

They are isotretinoin, etretinate used in treatment of acne vulgaris. They binds to retinol binding protein (RBP) which late causes CNS, cranio-facial, cardiovascular and other birth defects.

Found in acne prescription and anti-aging medications, retinoids place a high risk of birth imperfections for developing babies. Doctors often warn and advise for one to not get pregnant if on or taking these medications.

Tetracyline

It is an antibiotic and is helpful to bacterial infections of the skin including acne. The research shows that this cause permanent yellow-gray-brown discoloration of the teeth and enamel hypoplasia.

The chemical is an antibiotic used to treat conditions of acne and Lyme disease. According to research, they can cause significant effect on a pregnant woman’s liver and cause discoloration in her developing baby’s teeth. However, if in any point in time during the pregnancy an antibiotic is needed, the healthcare advisor will likely prescribe a substitute such as amoxicillin or otherwise.

Phthalates

Used to make plastics more elastic or rather used in products to boost the strength of another chemical, the chemical can be found in nail polishes and perfumes. The chemical is associated to be the cause of almost everything from high blood pressure, ADHD to diabetes. Studies have shown some connections between the usages of this product leading to abnormal fetal development.

Ammonia

Present highly in hair dye formulas, this chemical can be a cause to severe skin and lung irritation. Therefore, it is highly recommended that the product is all together avoided during pregnancy. You can find many Ammonia products easily available in the market these days.

It is advised that you seek proper healthcare advice on the specified subject during your pregnancy as there are plenty of skin care products out there that have high contents of chemicals within. The chemicals may directly or indirectly effect your baby’s development. We are sure you would not want to risk that.