Salicyclic Acid and Safe Skin Treatments - Acne During Pregnancy

There are several acne treatments that are safe for pregnant women, some of them natural and or homemade. There are others that are manufactured which also have been deemed safe for use during pregnancy.

Of course there are some that are not to be used during pregnancy. Before we discuss any of these products remember that before you use any acne treatment consult with your obstetrician.

Benzoyl peroxide, an ingredient in some over the counter acne treatments, has been tested and deemed safe for use by pregnant women.

However salicylic acid, which is also used in some non-prescription acne fighting products, has not been tested on pregnant women and is not recommended for use by them.

Most acne breakouts in pregnant women occur during the first three months of the pregnancy while hormone levels are increasing, causing increased oil production in you skin which causes acne flare-ups. By the second trimester the acne begins to clear up.

Salicyclic acid, taken orally, has been known to cause complications of pregnancy and birth defects. However again there has been no testing of topical use.

Some “natural” remedies you can try are: keep your skin clean. After washing rinse your skin with luke-warm water to remove any remaining soap. Don’t pick at your pimples or pop them, this can cause scarring.

Some products that are safe to use on your skin are tea tree oil, lavender essential oil and Echinacea to name just a few.

There are safe acne treatments, that reportedly work, as close at hand as your kitchen. A mask of lukewarm cooked oatmeal applied once a day for 15-20 minutes, is said to begin clearing your acne in a matter of days.

A halved lemon applied to each blemish is another. Garlic, mashed tomatoes, uncooked natural oatmeal, warm sugar water and olive oil are all natural acne treatments that are safe for use during pregnancy. If you are allergic to any of these items of course don’t apply them to your skin.

A diet rich in fruits and vegetables may prevent or reduce many acne outbreaks. Apples and blueberries are said to be particularly good to prevent acne outbreaks.

If you do a web search for natural acne treatments, you will get several links to natural acne skin treatments that can’t all be mentioned here.

In addition to the salicylic acid some others that doctors want their patients to stay away from are: retinoid, a form of vitamin A. High doses of vitamin A can be harmful to unborn children and oral retinoid, like Accutane(an acne treatment), have been reported as causing birth defects.

While there is no evidence that retinoid applied to the skin causes damage to an unborn child, there is also no certainty that they are safe. The same is true of salicylic acid, no proof either way. Most physicians prefer to err on the side of caution.

If you are pregnant, whether you are interested in natural or manufactured acne treatments, you should consult with your obstetrician or dermatologist before beginning any acne treatment regimen.

As you can see, according to current information, salicylic acid and safe skin treatments of acne during pregnancy are incompatible.

Posted by:

Nina Romanov

Nina is an expert freelance writer. She has been a cake decorator for the most part of her life in Europe, Australia, and North America. Later on she graduated from NHC Montreal as a certified naturopath. Presently she is happily RV-ing with her husband. Pregnancy Articles thanks..

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