Pregnancy Skincare Tips with Alex
With pregnancy comes a number of changes, and your skin is no exception. Whether you’re experiencing hormonal breakouts, melasma, or dryness, there are SAFE and effective approaches you can take to manage your skin’s evolving needs.
For more information on pregnancy safe skincare, we tapped medical aesthetician and future mama- to- be, Alex Defeo, with our most commonly received questions.
Here’s what she had to say:
What are some common concerns patients notice with their skin during pregnancy?
AD: During pregnancy patients can experience a variety of conditions including hyperpigmentation, dehydration, and breakouts. The influx of hormonal changes coupled with potential changes to diet and lifestyle all play a factor.
With regard to hyperpigmentation, some patients develop a skin condition called melasma, which is often caused by the significant hormonal change experienced during pregnancy. With this condition patients notice shadows of pigmentation on their face, most often on the upper lip and/or jawline. The appearance of this condition is exacerbated by heat and sun exposure. The best treatment for melasma during pregnancy is to use products with high quality vitamin C or even Kojic acid. Both of these ingredients are pregnancy safe and help to promote a more even skin tone.
Dehydration can also wreak havoc on the skin. Unfortunately, this is a very common experience for women early in their pregnancy, especially if they are struggling with morning sickness. Making sure to utilize a quality hyaluronic acid alongside a moisturizer can help to lock in hydration and balance a patient’s complexion.
As if dehydration weren’t enough, hormonal changes, morning sickness, and food aversions can also significantly affect a patient’s diet. This in turn can lead to an increase in breakouts. Being diligent about cleansing your skin morning and night with a gentle, medical-grade product and exfoliating regularly can help to keep the pores free and clear of buildup and dead skin.
What are some ingredients patients should be avoiding?
Some important ingredients to avoid during pregnancy would be tretinoin (commonly known as retinol), glycolic and salicylic acid, benzoyl peroxide, hydroquinone, and chemical sunscreens. We also recommend checking in with your OBGYN before adding any new products into your regimen.
What are some ingredients / products you especially recommend during pregnancy?
My top 3 pregnancy-safe ingredients are hyaluronic acid, vitamin C, and lactic acid.
Our ProBLUE MD line offers a number of my personal favorites including the ProBLUE MD Signature Hydra Serum, which is a great hyaluronic acid that helps to draw water and moisture to the skin, the ProBLUE MD C E Super Antioxidant Serum, which is a gentle vitamin C that helps to promote brightening, lightening, and tightening, and finally the ProBLUEMD Skin Renewal Serum which is a uniquely gentle product that utilizes lactic acid to exfoliate AND hydrate the skin. This product is especially great because it can be used to help patients struggling with active acne, post inflammatory hyperpigmentation, and even rosacea.
To learn more about or to shop our medical-grade skincare products, check out our online store. To schedule a skincare consultation with Alex, click here.
