I’m pregnant, and I’ve heard many skin care products can’t be used. So how should I choose skin care products?
1. Many expectant mothers are afraid that the ingredients in skin care products will hurt their babies, so they “say goodbye” to most skin care products. Even some expectant mothers do not use skin care products to wash their faces.
This is a bit too much to worry about, there are not too many contraindications to skin care products during pregnancy, and there is no need to stop all previous skin care products because of pregnancy.
2. Many expectant mothers suspect that skin care products cause skin darkening after pregnancy. But the reason for darkening is not skincare products but hormones in the body.
Pregnancy hormonal changes usually cause pigmentation, stretch marks, hair changes, blood vessel changes, hyperplasia of the skin, etc. Almost 90% of women experience pigment changes during pregnancy. Don’t worry too much; some will recover after giving birth.
3. One ingredient that has a definite teratogenic effect and is to be avoided by pregnant women – Tretinoin.
Some countries stipulate that this ingredient is not allowed in skin care products, and those with it are usually pharmaceuticals. So, as long as you are buying regular skin care products, there is nothing to worry about.
4. You may have also heard that “anti-wrinkle retinol skin care product will be converted into tretinoin and can not be used.
There is no need to strictly avoid it because the concentration of retinol in skin care products is deficient, mostly between 0.1-0.5%. Therefore, the amount absorbed by the skin and then converted into tretinoin is very small.
If you continue to use retinol products with a concentration of 0.3% or less on your face for a long time, it is in line with the safety standards set by the European Union.
5. You may also have heard that “salicylic acid for acne also affects fetal development.” Still, there is not enough evidence that it affects human fetal development because there are no relevant human trials to verify its effect on fetal development due to medical ethical restrictions.
The recommendation for salicylic acid is “use with caution” rather than “disabled,” It can be used for treating acne during pregnancy; if you are unsure, ask your doctor to use it again.
6. Speaking again of sunscreen, I suggest you prefer physical sunscreen + umbrella and hat over chemical sunscreens. Because some chemical sunscreens may have Oxybenzone, camphor-like chemical sunscreen agents such as 3-(4-Methylbenzylidene)camphor, these ingredients are unsuitable for the human body. However, some countries and regions have banned them.
Suppose you are not good at reading the ingredient list. In that case, it is advisable to go straight to the ones labeled “pure physical sunscreen,” where the only sunscreen agents are Titanium dioxide and Zinc oxide, which is safer. Furthermore, if your sunscreen is only applied to the face, not the whole body, then there is no need to bother about the above problem because the amount of face is only as much as a coin and has no definite effect on the fetus.
7. With all skin care products, paying attention to the formula’s preservatives and avoiding Methylparaben and Phenoxyethanol is essential.
They can irritate the skin, and pregnant women and baby skincare products under three should avoid these ingredients.
If you are not very good at reading the ingredient list, choosing preservative-free skin care products is safest.
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