Face Skin Care During Pregnancy

I've had ups and downs with my skin as well, especially during pregnancy. My first advice that I got from a girlfriend was to switch to mineral make-up instead of the "regular." I was skeptical but tried it and it actually helped a lot.

Second, I tried the Arbonne line of acne treatment products - it included a wash, a toner/astringent, and then a topical cream (plus some vitamins which I didn't take while pregnant). Supposedly, their products are safe and "natural," but I'm not sure about salycic acid. (My doctor had a long list of things to avoid during pregnancy and that wasn't on the list, so I never paid attention.) Anyway, this was the first product line that I ever tried that really worked (and I've used Clinique, Mary Kay, and all sorts of over-the-counter stuff). And no, I don't sell it, if that's what you're automatically thinking. :) I'm sure you could look up sellers on the internet or probably buy the products right off Ebay for cheaper.

Also, there's a website where you can enter a medication and it gives you a "grade" of how safe or dangerous a medication is during pregnancy. It's www.safefetus.com. Sometimes you have to try different names for medications (generic and/or prescription), but it's usually fairly thorough.
Wish you the best!

I wouldn't worry about using small amounts of salicylic acid. I used the acne prone line from BeautiControl and it worked WONDERS for my skin during (and after) my pregnancies! It does contain salicylic acid, but it's encapsulated and when used in small amounts (and not ingested - yuck), it's not harmful. Retinol, on the other hand, is the one to avoid. Good Luck!

This sounds crazy but it works - Milk of Magnesia, put it on your face with a cotton ball right after cleansing. Let it dry, rinse with cold water. I am 38, have had acne problems all my life and I have tried everything under the sun. I read about Milk of Magnesia in the paper, thought I'd give it a try and my face has never been clearer or smoother!! I have been using it for almost a year now and not only does it keep my acne under control, it also keeps the greasiness under control. I use it 7 days a week because I am so oily, but the article I read said to use it about 4 days a week because it can be so drying for some people. I seriously cannot say enough about it, wish I had known about it in my teen years!!

Clarins Toner, my friend...If you go in and buy it (nordstrom) they'll show you how to use it properly...and (at least my nordy's) will schedule you for a free facial!!! I think the toner is about $25. This line of products is amazing...you can read about it online! Good luck and CONGRATS!

Bzzzymom,

Please do yourself a favor and check out Enfuselle, Anti-Aging Skin Care.
http://S..myshaklee.com/us/en/category.php?main_cat=Beauty

This product line has been proven clinically to be safe and effective.
so you won't have to worry about any unsafe ingredients and it will always work - OR you get your money back, GUARANTEED!

you can also hear about it on You Tube
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t4cOyNSTFkM

Feel free to call me if you have questions, S. R.

I used Proactiv during my pregnancy. I spoke with my doctor about it and she said it was fine. My skin looked great and my son is just fine. It was safe to use during breastfeeding too....if that matters to you. Good luck!
~K.

Black seed oil from sweetsunnah.com. Yes, its an oil, but it won't make your skin break out, and it will prevent future break outs. Its a pure and natural moistirizer' antimicrobial, antinacterial, and mild topical pain reliever. It heals my acne and relieves my dry skin areas. I recommend the oil from sweet sunnah because its pure and of a very good quality. Best of luck!

Hate to say it, but there really aren't any products that can prevent your hormones from causing break outs.

During my first pregnancy, I started using Kiehl's non-detergent foaming cleanser. I'm acne prone anyhow and had been on both oral/topical antibiotics to control my breakouts but had to stop both when becoming pregnant.

The best thing is to find a good 10% benxyl peroxide solution. I like J&J's PersaGel10.

Your hormones will settle down in the next few weeks, and the break outs won't be as bad......be prepared, though, because the same thing will happen postpartum.

Dermatologists recommend Purpose soap or Cetaphil lotion...both are very mild. Ours recommends Clinique products. I've used Clinique since I was 11ish and I've had great skin all my life. I swear by it.

I'm not sure if the acne wash has the salicylic acid or not...if so...it is certainly not in the same quantity of an Rx.

I would buy Aveno Cream. It works well as is made from the Alvara Plant.
It is not what I call expensive and it is a very nice smooth cream. Being from a plant extract it shouldn't harm you. If not sure ask you pharmacist what you can/not put on your face.
Take care and congratulations!!

I didn't know that about salicylic acid (aspirin), but sure enough I found this:
"Studies with topical salicylic acid have not been done in humans. However, studies in animals have shown that salicylic acid causes birth defects when given orally in doses about six times the highest dose recommended for topical use in humans.".
I suppose over dosing in anything is a bad idea, but six times the amount given orally seems a lot different than a face cream, and if it's a face cream you wash off after it's been on for a little while, it wouldn't seem like a problem to worry about too much. Still, it can't hurt to be careful.

http://www.babycenter.com/0_safe-skin-care-during-pregnan...

This is a pretty good article that should help answer some of your questions. My skin ALWAYS freaks out in my first trimester. Such a pain! I use bar soap, I know terrible right?, and a super mosturizer. I figure bar soap is safe to clean the rest of my body with while pregnant, why not my face too. But, if you mosturize at least twice a day, your skin will feel and look great. You can't control little stubborn blemishes, but you can tame the majority of your acne if it's anything like mine.
It's natural so don't get too frustrated, and Good Luck!

Same thing happens to me, although mine carries through the entire pregnancy it seems. I tried a cleanser by Belli, with shipping the bottle came to about $30 and last about 2-3 months. It did seem to help. And the product was developed by a doctor for his pregnant wife so the products are safe!