Why Should You Pay Attention to Skin Care During Pregnancy?
Many women notice the effects their pregnancy has on their skin, not to mention the accelerated skin aging that takes place after giving birth. Due to all the physical and psychological changes in the woman’s body and, of course, all the hormones released during labour, take their toll on the skin. Women can experience rough skin, dryness, pigmentation and the appearance of streaks. This is why it’s so important to pay attention to your skin during these 9 months. If you choose to skip this, you could end up looking 13 years older after giving birth.
Women and their babies are connected directly – this means that any chemicals or substances the mother uses on herself can potentially affect her baby. Doctors and skincare experts warn that most products contain chemicals such as lead, mercury, etc. If these come in contact with the fetus, it can lead to fetal malformation and even mental retardation after birth. The ingredients in most common skincare products have also been linked with the formation of chloasma and many other negative effects during pregnancy. It is extremely important, therefore, to pick skincare products specifically designed for pregnant women.
How To Take Care Of Your Skin During Pregnancy?
1-Moisture Replenishment
To combat dry skin, you should apply moisturizing lotion or cream in the morning after you wake up and just before going to bed in the night. If the room you are sleeping in doesn’t have ventilation, then you should invest in a humidifier or place a basin of water to keep enough humidity in the air and help keep your skin tender. It’s also important to remember that your skin needs fresh air too, so spend some time in a well-ventilated area.
2-Eat More Fruits and Vegetables
Vitamins C and B6 are extremely useful for regenerating and reconstructing your skin. It’s a good thing, too, that these vitamins can be found in many fruits and vegetables. You should definitely add these to your diet – not only do they help your skin, but they provide valuable nutrition as well. If your skin feels especially dry, then you need more foods that contain unsaturated fatty acids and linoleic acid. Vegetables and various kinds of fish are ideal for this.
You should note, however, that consuming vitamin C and B6 supplements during pregnancy is a really bad idea. You should only receive medication only if you have consulted with your doctor.
3-Take Care of Your Sensitive Skin
You should skip frosted or alcohol-flavored products. Do not use oily lotions and creams, as these kinds of skincare products can irritate your skin.
4-Choose a Less Irritating Bath Lotion
When choosing a bath lotion, make sure to pick one that will not cause any irritation and apply it by slowly rubbing it on your skin. You may also choose to bathe without a lotion if you don’t want to risk it.
5-Comfortable Clothes
Mothers-to-be such as yourself can find it comfortable to wear loose and breathable clothes. Synthetic materials do not allow air to flow through them, so you should instead pick clothes made from cotton. In addition, remember that silk stockings can cause dryness because they don’t allow air to come into contact with your legs. To help keep your skin fresh, stay away from silk stockings.
6-UV-Resistant
Ultraviolet rays coming from the sun cause damage to the skin, even during winter. Pregnant women should avoid exposure to these rays in order to prevent the creation of excessive melanin in the skin. UV damage can also be increased if you are using skincare products that contain alcohol or spices, which are already harmful to the pregnant woman’s skin.
Not all skincare products are created equal. Some of them contain substances harmful to both the mother and the unborn baby.
It’s time to learn how to pick products that do not contain these ingredients.
How to Select Skin Care Products for Pregnant Women？
1-Safety
Nowadays, a lot of skincare products contain several ingredients that can be quite harmful to pregnant women and their babies. For example, lead can cause problems with the fetus’s physical and mental growth and mercury can cause edema in the baby’s brain. Pregnant women should, therefore, go for products that are safe and contain more natural substances. Women with sensitive skin should pay even closer attention to the products they are buying.
2-The Right Kind Of Product
Because baby skincare products are made with safe and non-toxic ingredients, many women believe that these products will also work for them. While the glycerin contained in these products works great for the baby’s skin, it cannot do the same to a pregnant woman’s skin. This is why you should choose skincare products made especially for pregnant women.
3-Natural
As experts point out, after giving birth, women tend to age faster. If you fail to take care of your skin throughout the pregnancy, your skin will end up feeling less smooth and tender. If you plan to breastfeed, it is important to use products in small quantities to prevent the passing of unwanted chemicals to the baby.
4-Specialized Skin Care Brand for Pregnant Women
Most common skincare brands are made with certain ingredients that are unsuitable for pregnant women. When choosing your next skincare products, you have to seek out reputable brands that offer 100% safe products.
5-Skin Type
Every woman purchases products according to her skin type. What most women don’t realize, however, is that their skin changes after the pregnancy. For example, if you always had dry skin, it might surprise you to find out that after giving birth, due to all the hormones released during that time, your skin becomes oily. Without knowing this, many women continue using the wrong kind of products.
What are Skincare Taboos in Pregnancy?
Chemical Ingredients
Pregnant women should be careful when using products containing:
• Hydroquinone
• Retin-A and Tetracycline
• Retinoid and Salicylic Acid
• Dihydroxyacetone
• Retinols
• Phthalates
Beauty project
Massage
Getting a massage during pregnancy is an amazing way of relaxing your mind and your body. Just be mindful of a few things. The person giving you a massage needs to use proper technique, use moderate amounts of strength and must, by all means, avoid the belly area so as to not cause harm to the woman and her fetus.
Aromatherapy
Due to all the essential oils in aromatherapy products and their potentially harmful effects during pregnancy, aromatherapy, doctors suggest, should be avoided.
Hair removal
During pregnancy, hair growth is accelerated because of the sudden increase in estrogen and progesterone. However, ointments useful in removing this excess hair have certain chemical substances in them that are far from ideal for a pregnant woman’s body. Similarly, electroacupuncture should also be avoided because the electric stimulation can harm the baby. If you want to depilate, you should do so using special depilation knives.
Lipstick
Normal lipsticks contain grease, dyes, and spices. Instead of natural grease, like in lip balms, lipsticks use Lanolin which attracts dust and bacteria from the air. Moreover, the dyes are made from certain chemicals that can pass on to the mother’s saliva and then onto the baby. If you need to use lipstick, choose one that has a mild scent. Even better, you should buy lipstick designed specifically for pregnant women.
Perfume
Like many other cosmetic products, perfumes should be avoided during pregnancy. Perfumes typically contain synthetic fragrances and musk, which help give the perfume a long-lasting effect. This combination is not healthy for pregnant women.
Hair dye
The ingredients in hair dyes are known to cause skin allergies, but more significantly, they may cause chromosomal aberration in the fetus’s cells. It’s best for women to skip dying or perming their hair.
Nail enamel
Phthalate ester, a substance found in nail polish, gives it its pungent taste and if absorbed, it can lead to serious complications during pregnancy, including fetal malformation and even abruptly terminate the pregnancy.
Essential oils
To treat dry skin, many pregnant women will use products such as essential oils. However, the eucalyptus oil, which is one part of these oils, when absorbed can harm the baby’s growth.
Whitening, wrinkle removing and acne removing products
Women should avoid these products. Not only highly irritating, but they also contain lead and mercury which are catastrophic to the fetus’s well-being.
Others
Products containing vitamin K, vitamin A acid and vitamin A derivatives should be avoided.
How to Deal with Common Skin Problems During Pregnancy？
Removing Spots
Pregnant women stop producing a lot of melanin because of the estrogen and progesterone in their bodies. As a result, spots may appear. Unfortunately, all the products on the market are not safe for women in their pregnancy. Doctors suggest that women should take precautions to avoid this problem instead of trying to solve it. Mothers-to-be should stay away from sunlight as much as possible with the help of sunglasses, sunscreen, umbrellas, and proper clothing.
Striae Gravidarum
If you want to avoid these horrible stretch marks, you should massage your abdomen, thighs, and breasts and rub pregnancy cream. You need to always remember that slimming products should never be used during pregnancy. Since these products are applied on the belly which is very close to the fetus, doctors warn that the absorption of these chemicals will have adverse effects. Another thing to note is that weight gain is also a factor in the appearance of these stretch marks. Pay attention to your daily diet – avoid foods high in calories and fats. Some mild exercising can also help increase your skin toughness and eliminate these marks.
Q&A
Q: Is it be safe to replace skincare products with baby skincare products?
A: Baby skincare products are indeed safe, but they cannot help with a pregnant woman’s needs. Baby products cannot help with skin aging and wrinkles and they do not supply the skin with much-needed collagen, so women should go for products designed specifically for pregnant women.
Q: Can pregnant women use cosmetics?
A: Of course they can. A little bit of makeup will go a long way to make you feel beautiful. However, due to the many harmful ingredients used in the production of these cosmetics, pregnant women should look out for cosmetic products that do not contain these chemicals. These special products will not cause skin irritation and also ensure the fetus’s well-being. Moreover, women in their pregnancy should avoid using lipstick at all costs. If you have to use it, remember to wipe it off before eating, so as not to ingest it and cause problems for the baby. Also, remember to remove all makeup thoroughly and make good use of skincare products to maintain a beautiful skin.
