If you are pregnant then you already know that what you do or don’t put in your body affects your unborn baby. That is why when you are a pregnant mother who is dealing with acne, it is important to educate yourself on the different types of treatment you should use and the ones that you should try and avoid. If you are treating your acne with topical medications then there is a chance that they may be being absorbed into your bloodstream. The more powerful the product, the more we need to be cautious about using it as it could harm the baby.
While you will probably be safe still treating your acne with the most commonly used products, there are still a few ingredients that are considered harmful to your developing baby.
Acne Treatments/Medications to avoid
Although this product is mild acid it can still harm your baby as it has been proven to cause birth defects and pregnancy complications. Salicylic acid is found in a number of different skin products, mostly toners and cleansers. When reading the labels on your medications look for the following names: Salicylic acid, Beta hydroxy acid, BHA. You want to avoid all of these, unless you are using less than 2% of Salicylic acid as it has been shown to be safe for pregnant women. Salicylic acid in the oral form of medication however should be avoided at all costs as it has been shown to harm developing babies.
These powerful substances are often found in moisturizers. Retinoids are a type of vitamin that help speed up cell division and prevent the breakdown of skin collagen. The use of retinoids should be avoided by pregnant women as it could lead to birth defects. When reading the labels on your medications look for the following names: Differin (adapelen), Retin-A, Renova (tretonoin), Retinic acid, Retinol, Retinyl linoleate, Retinyl palmitate, Tazorac and avage (tazorotene).
Some pregnant mothers think that treating their acne with natural products such as soy is harmless. However this is not the case. Soy can be very harmful to your unborn child and can also sometimes make skin problems worse. When reading the labels on your medications look for the following names: Lethicin, Phosphatidylcholine, Soy, and Textured vegetable protein (TVP).
Other medications/treatments to avoid
If you are a pregnant mother treating acne you will also want to avoid all of the acne products listed above on the label. For treating acne it is recommended that pregnant mothers use a facial wash that has no more than 2% salicylic acid, as this small amount is considered safe for you and baby.
Acne treatments/Medications that are safe to use
If you are pregnant but still wish to treat acne there are a few topical acne medications that have been considered safe for women to use during pregnancy. Products containing the ingredient Benzoyl Peroxide for instance will work just fine and are safe. Treatment medications containing Benzoyl Peroxide come in a variety of different forms such as gels, creams, ointments, soaps, wash pads, etc.
One thing to consider when taking medications that contain Benzoyl Peroxide is that sometimes they may also still contain medications that are unsafe to use during pregnancy, such as the medications listed above like Retinoids, etc. This is why it is so important to educate yourself on which medications and treatments are safe for the baby and which are not. Memorizing the names can prove to be quite helpful as well.
For acne cases that seem to be resistant to other medications or do not seem to be clearing up acne, a dermatologist may prescribe the topical medication Erythromycin plus a prescription of Benzoyl Peroxide. Sometimes the Erythromycin may already have the Benzoyl Peroxide added to it. Both of these medications have been proven to be very effective on clearing up acne.
Something to consider before you begin using acne medications while pregnant is that sometimes the hormonal changes during pregnancy can bring on acne. So if you didn’t have acne before you became pregnant, maybe waiting it out would help. Many times after the baby is born the mother’s acne will disappear. If you have the baby and it still doesn’t disappear then it would be best to make an appointment with a dermatologist so that they can diagnose your acne and find the proper treatment for you.
