Is It Safe To Wear Makeup During Pregnancy?

As you get a positive pregnancy test, you find yourself checking on the toxicity and safety aspects of all the elements surrounding you. One such thing that could add to your apprehensions is using make-up during pregnancy. If you are someone who loves applying cosmetic and other make-up products, you may have to rethink before continuing its use while pregnant. Reportedly, certain toxic chemicals can pose risks to the cognitive development of the fetus (1). Want to know more about the possible risks and safety aspects of using make-up while expecting? Keep reading as we discuss all this and more about wearing make-up when pregnant.

In This Article

Skin Changes Due To Pregnancy

The hormonal, vascular, metabolical, and immunological changes during pregnancy can affect your skin health. Here are the five most common skin conditions among pregnant women (2):

Physiological skin changes in pregnancy
Skin disorders unique to pregnancy
Skin tumors of importance in pregnancy
Skin infections of perinatal importance
DermatosesⁱXA term used to describe any abnormality on the skin (such as a lesion or allergic reaction) affected by pregnancy

Image: Shutterstock

Therefore, it is natural that women resort to cosmetics, to mask these skin changes in pregnancy to look beautiful and feel better. Even otherwise, wearing makeup during pregnancy is a usual routine for most women.

Point to consider

The skin usually becomes more sensitive during pregnancy. Thus, it may react to cosmetics and personal care products and cause rashes (8).

Cosmetics And Chemicals In Pregnancy

There are contradictory theories on the use of cosmetics and chemical exposure during pregnancy.

Theory 1:

Hydroquinone, a popular skin-lightening agent, does not cause any fetal malformation. However, as it has a relatively high systemic absorption rate into the blood, it is best to minimize exposure to this chemical during pregnancy (3).

Theory 2:

Though the amount of absorption of Tretinoin is low, its topical use may lead to birth defects as per a few medical reports. (2) Phthalates, a chemical found in most makeup products like lipstick, hairspray, and nail polish, interfere with hormones during pregnancy. A study indicates, a prenatal exposure to the chemical can lower the IQ level of the child by more than six points. (3) Babies of mothers exposed to high levels of phthalates during pregnancy had up to 78 percent higher risk of developing asthma by the age of 11 in comparison to other children (4).

Image: Shutterstock

Theory 3:

Topical application of clindamycin and erythromycin for acne does not have any teratogenicⁱXAbility of certain toxic substances to cause congenital abnormalities in the developing fetus effect on the fetus. The skin poorly absorbs salicylic acid, a key ingredient in anti-acne products, and Dihydroxyacetone, a color additive in self-tanning products. Therefore, these two chemicals do not pose any threat to the unborn baby. Sodium, calcium, and potassium hydroxide in depilatory creams too are harmless while expecting. In fact, sunscreens protect the skin from harmful UV rays and help prevent melasma. Hence, a majority of people feel that women can look their best by using cosmetics without compromising the health of the unborn child (5).

Risk Factor

Can pregnant women wear makeup? Well, most cosmetics in the markets are not subject to any regulation. So the toxicity of the chemicals in cosmetics or the safety of their use while expecting is still ambiguous.

Presence of chemicals in cosmetics, Make-up during pregnancy

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Cosmetic Ingredients To Avoid During Pregnancy

For your safety in pregnancy, watch out for these ingredients in any of your cosmetic products and stay away from it. You can consult your dermatologist to suggest specific alternatives for each of them.

Vitamin A: An oral intake of sufficient amounts of vitamin A can work wonders for your skin. Creams and pills that contain retinoids, a synthetic form of vitamin A, help fight acne and psoriasisⁱXA skin condition characterized by thick, scaly patches, dryness, and itchiness and treat skin disorders, premature aging, and warts. However, the use of retinoids during pregnancy can adversely affect fetal development.

Vitamin K: Vitamin K, is one of the major ingredients in any skin lightening cream. It also aids the clotting of blood. During pregnancy, you are prone to developing clots. Hence, it is advisable to not let the vitamin K in cosmetic products penetrate the skin and reach the bloodstream and cause fetal complications.

Avoid vitamin K in cosmetic products that penetrate the skin

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Centella Asiatica: It is an effective treatment for stretch marks. However, Centella AsiaticaⁱXA medicinal plant used to treat certain health conditions, including skin ailments increases sensitivity to the sun rays and can cause a rash in pregnant women. Its oral intake has a narcotic-like effect and can even result in miscarriage.

Be watchful

Some cosmetics may contain heavy metals, such as lead (lipsticks and lip glosses), mercury (eye shadows), arsenic, and cadmium which may adversely affect the baby (8).

A Word of Caution

If you love to look glamorous during pregnancy by using cosmetics, please remember the following points:

Protect your growing fetus by limiting your exposure to chemicals like lead and mercury, especially in the first trimester.

Nail polish, hair dyes, artificial nails and hair permanents all contain harmful chemicals. Though there are no conclusive evidences on the ill effects of these chemicals on the fetus, it is wise to either completely avoid the use of chemicals during pregnancy or use it in well-ventilated rooms.

Quick tip

Use a single cream, such as a BB or CC cream, instead of multiple products to reduce chemical exposure during pregnancy.

Avoid the use of chemicals and make-up during pregnancy

Image: Shutterstock

Frequently Asked Questions

1. What makeup should I avoid when pregnant?

Avoid mineral makeup during pregnancy as it contains traces of heavy metals. Apart from this, you should also avoid other makeup products containing chemicals, such as parabens, phthalates, or triclosan, which would adversely affect your baby’s development (6) (7).

2. What should I look for while buying makeup products during pregnancy?

If you are buying makeup products during pregnancy (6) (7)

Make sure you read the labels carefully
Do not believe in natural products as they may contain chemicals
Research well as some natural products also hinder the endocrine functions
Choose products that contain minimum chemicals
If you are not sure about the products, use apps to determine their safety

Pregnancy entails a lot of hormonal changes in the body throughout the nine months, and that eventually affects your skin as well. Therefore, use natural make-up products and follow a healthy, balanced diet to maintain your radiance during and even after your pregnancy. While using make-up during pregnancy, it is advised that you check the ingredients used in the products. Also, avoid using products that might contain potentially harmful ingredients such as vitamin A and Centella Asiatica as they contain harmful chemicals that might harm the baby or increase the risks of miscarriage.

Infographic: Cosmetic Ingredients To Avoid During Pregnancy

Everyone uses personal care and cosmetic products. However, when used during pregnancy, additional care must be taken because some ingredients could be potentially harmful to the mother and the developing baby. To learn more about these substances, have a look at this infographic.

avoid these cosmetic ingredients when pregnant (infographic)

Get high-quality PDF version by clicking below.

Download Infographic

Key Takeaways

Pregnancy increases skin sensitivity, making it more susceptible to reactions from cosmetics and personal care items.
Pregnant women should avoid cosmetic components that have a formulation of vitamin A, vitamin K, and Centella Asiatica.
Some cosmetics could include heavy metals such as lead and mercury, which may harm the developing fetus.
Chemicals such as hydroquinone and tretinoin should be avoided during pregnancy.

References:

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