"When pregnant, pregnant women should not carelessly choose cosmetic products and choose cosmetics that are safe for pregnant women. This is important to note because some of the ingredients in these products can affect fetal growth and development."
Cosmetics can help pregnant women's skin look brighter, especially with weight gain and hormonal changes that affect the condition of their skin. However, apart from being absorbed by the body, some ingredients in cosmetics can also enter the fetus' body.
Therefore, in order not to be wrong when using cosmetics and keep it safe for the fetus, let's see more about how to choose cosmetics that are safe for pregnant women below.
Carefully Choose Cosmetics that are Safe for Pregnant Women
Seeing the risks that can be caused, it is important for pregnant women to ensure that there are no harmful ingredients in the cosmetics used. Well, here are some guidelines for choosing cosmetics that are safe for pregnant women:
1. Anti-acne products
Sometimes hormonal changes in pregnant women cause skin problems on the face, such as acne. However, pregnant women need to be wary of anti-acne products that contain retinol. This is because these substances can harm the growth and development of the fetus, so there is a risk of triggering congenital abnormalities when the baby is born.
Products with salicylic acid should also be avoided, as they can cause peeling of the skin. If used in high concentrations, it is considered a risk to the fetus. However, if pregnant women still want to use it, you should choose a salicylic acid product with a low concentration, which is 1%.
If the appearance of acne is very disturbing, pregnant women are advised to consult a dermatologist to find out which cosmetic products are safe for pregnant women to treat acne
2. Anti-aging products
Products that work to treat aging problems usually also contain vitamin A or retinol. Based on studies, this ingredient can increase the risk of congenital abnormalities in the fetus or the condition of the baby being born with defects.
If you want to use anti-aging products, pregnant women can use cosmetic ingredients that are safe for pregnant women, such as vitamin B3, vitamin C, vitamin K, or green tea.
3. Skin lightening products
In addition to anti-acne and anti-aging products, pregnant women are also advised to avoid using products made from hydroquinone. This ingredient is often found in skin lightening products to treat discoloration of the skin.
Even so, the use of hydroquinone can increase the risk of the baby having birth defects. Generally, the problem of skin discoloration or skin pigmentation during pregnancy will improve after delivery.
However, if the skin is prone to pigmentation, pregnant women can use a number of cosmetic ingredients that are safe for pregnant women, such as glycolic acid and azaleic acid.
4. Sunscreen
Pregnant women are also advised to avoid sunscreen products that contain parabens and oxybenzone. Research reveals that these two substances can affect hormones in the body of pregnant women and fetal brain development.
Instead, pregnant women can use sunscreen from titanium dioxide and zinc oxide. Both of these substances include cosmetic ingredients that are safe for pregnant women and can protect the skin from the sun.
In addition, some of the following cosmetic products should also be avoided by pregnant women, such as nail dyes containing phthalates and hair dyes containing ammonia.
By looking at the guidelines for choosing safe cosmetic products for pregnant women above, it is hoped that pregnant women will be more careful in choosing and using cosmetic products during pregnancy. Pregnant women are also advised to consult a doctor before using certain cosmetic products.