How to prevent acne during pregnancy?

i heard not good. I'd google it to see if more recent info, but I was pregnant 2 years ago and it wasn't ok then. That and lavender- might as well stay away from them. Good luck.

hi there-
i don't know about tea tree oil. all i know is that towards the end of the 1st trimester through the 2nd, my face broke out horribly. after trying almost everything i could i went to the dermatologist. she prescribed something safe to use during the pregnancy and my face cleared up. i wish i went sooner because i was so self-conscious. i wore a hat pretty frequently during the 2nd trimester to shadow my face, i thought it was that bad.

so, i guess my advice is before you spend money on a whole bunch of remedies, the dermatologist may be the way to go. good luck!

I just checked in my Natural Pregnancy Book and it is not on the list of herbs to avoid during pregnancy. The author, Aviva Jill Romm, is both an herbalist and a midwife. This book has tons of herbal remedies for typical pregnancy complaints and the author seems very knowledgable. The references give the Americal Botanical Council (www.americanherbalist.org) as a place to get accurate information about using herbs safely.

I used tea tree oil. Just use it very sparingly, as it is very strong. You can mix it up in a bottle of water with a few little tiny drops- that is all you need. I got this roll-on thing by Desert Essence at Trader Joe's that was specifically for acne. It seemed to help dry out the pimples. Just don't use anything with salicylic acid or benzoyl peroxide- these are not supposed to be good during pregnancy.

I would use Dr. Bronner's peppermint soap, personally...a bit intense but oh-so-squeeky clean!

Although I'm no expert, I used an Daily Acne Wash by Thursday Plantation during both my pregnancies, and both children are healthy.

Have you ever heard of the Holistic Moms Network? They sound like the perfect place to ask that question. The national organization is: http://www.holisticmoms.org/. You can see if there's a local chapter from there.

T.,
Congrats on your pregnancy. Good for you to care so much that you are pursuing the natural path to health. I teach aromatherapy use in my pregnancy courses.

Tea Tree oil is fine to use topically during pregnancy. Also, lavender angustifolio (aka English Lavender) and Calendula are also helpful with acne. In one particular study, Tea Tree was proven to be as beneficial as Benzoil Peroxide. Make sure to dilute properly, no more than 10-12 drops per an ounce of fluid carrier.

Herbs to avoid:
French Lavender aka Lavender Stoechia
Juniper Berries
Sage
Licorice
Agave
Ginseng
Marjoram
Golden Seal Root
Blue Cohosh
Cotton Root

Hope this helps! I wish you well with your pregnancy and delivery.

I have used Tea Tree Oil products while pregnant with no problems. I also asked my doctors (at 2 different practices, we moved when I was 8 months preg) about other acne medications like Proactive and they looked at me a little funny and said there's nothing to worry about with non-prescription topical medications. The only reason I had even asked them is because my sister inlaw works at a derma spa and they told her not to use anything like Proactive.
My skin has been horrible since getting pregnant, especially this time (number 2) if you find something that helps, send me a message:-)

I don't see why you couldn't use Tea Tree items, since its more natural than a lot of other things. Most topical things should be ok to use while pregnant.

I didn't have a problem when I was pregnant, but I have acne so bad after, I went to a dermatologist. He gave a Rx, which helped, but not to the extent I would have liked. I started using Proactive Solutions, works great! I hardly have any issues now, and when I do, it only lasts a few days rather than a week or more.

Try Witch Hazel and Rose Water.. both are great and no chemicals.. works great on oily skin.. and a great refresher for the skin.. it feels wonderful.. good luck

I'd stay far away, and try my favorite product (no, I am in no way affiliated with the company) - I use Lush Coalface soap and my acne is completely gone. It worked better than tea tree oil for me (tea tree oil gave me an Id reaction all over my body) and really cleared up my skin. Lush in available in a lot of cities and online.

Hi T.,

I'm not sure about Tea Tree Oil soap, but I know that Tea Tree Oil can be extremely toxic to toddlers and infants if ingested, and the scent of it can cause very scary respiratory effects if the essential oil is used too close to a baby's nose (scary as in stops breathing.) I know that you aren't nursing yet, but i would advise you find something safer now so that it isn't still in the house when the baby is born.

For a more professional opinion you could contact the American Botanical Council at ###-###-#### or www.herbalgram.org or the American Herbalists guild at ###-###-#### or americanherbalistsguild.com

Hope this hepls!