So…you’re pregnant! Congratulations! But you may be wondering, what does this change about your regular beauty routine? Are there ingredients you should avoid? What about botox?
We all need to be careful about what we’re putting into and on our bodies, but this is doubly true for pregnant women. Pay attention to your personal hygiene products and make sure they’re formulated without petroleates, parabens, silicones, phthalates, sulfates or other toxins and endocrine disruptors. At least one study found a link between exposure to hormonal disruptors in utero and childhood obesity.
Other research shows that these disruptors aversely affect the development of male genitalia in the fetus and may lead to premature delivery.
Terrifying stuff, right? What’s crazy is that these dangerous hormone disruptors can be found on the shelves of any US drug or grocery store. They’re in conventional shampoos, body washes, moisturizers, etc., which is why it’s always critical—but now especially!—to read labels.
For many of us, our daily beauty routine includes make-up, and this can be problematic, too. Conventional make-up is formulated with a variety of toxins, ranging from heavy metals to petroleum-based carcinogens (found in synthetic colors and banned throughout the European Union), to formaldehyde. Not to mention that mysterious word “fragrance.” What does that word mean? We don’t know, because companies don’t have to tell us. That leaves the door open for any number of scary ingredients. Often it’s hard to find ingredient lists for make-up products, short of actually calling the manufacturer and asking. Sometimes this database helps clear up safety questions.
What about botox and fillers? The best advice is to avoid both until you’re done breast-feeding. There isn’t enough research out there to know how these procedures may affect a baby, and it’s always better to be safe than sorry.
PRP Facials fall under that same “not enough research” category. However, with any sort of invasive procedure, there is a risk of infection, which means you’ll need to wait awhile on this one, too.
Sometimes our skin is extra-sensitive during pregnancy, so your favorite exfoliating products may irritate your skin. If your skin is up for it, you can safely use an exfoliating brush or a salt or sugar scrub. It’s best to avoid any product containing a beta hydroxy acid, including salicylic acid, which means no chemical peels until your baby is weened.
Retinoids may cause severe birth defects and should absolutely be avoided.
Soy-based products and mild alpha hydroxy acids (lactic acid, glycolic acid) are safe, as is benzoyl peroxide, if you develop that oh-so-common first trimester acne.
And an over-30 SPF mineral-based sunscreen is a MUST! Protecting your skin from sun damage is more important than ever, since pregnancy hormones make us extra vulnerable to hyper-pigmentation.
Pregnancy can be an amazing, exciting time, where you are flying on anticipation and fun hormones. But it can also be a super-stressful time, when you’re full of questions about the future and fear about the delivery. You have a lot of decisions to make right now. Hopefully we just made some of your aesthetic choices easier.
If you still have questions, give us a call or schedule a consultation. We offer plenty of facials and other integrative aesthetics procedures that are benefcial to you and safe for your baby!