Being pregnant was a milestone that I will never forget. Your body and mood changes, you have dietary restrictions that you need to comply with, your skin becomes sensitive to products you may have never been sensitive to before! When you’re pregnant, you crave different foods and you get treated differently by others; the general public is usually kinder to you. There are so many life and body changes mentally and physically during this time as your body creates another human being. My son is now five years old and throughout his physical and mental growth, I have changed in a number of ways. Pregnancy is truly a miracle and I believe being a mother is the biggest blessing in my life. 

With the COVID-19 pandemic in full effect, one can only assume an increase in pregnancies to occur this year given the amount of free time spouses are sharing together at home ;) . I thought the topic of Pregnancy Skin Care may be useful to those expecting mothers. Congratulations if you are reading this and expecting a baby! Get ready because there is a lot to learn, my friends. 
Many expecting mothers have asked me what kinds of skin treatments and products are safe to use. While there has not been many clinical trials done on pregnant women, there are some active ingredients that can seep into the systemic system from topical application. When I was pregnant, I found it was very important to know what I could and couldn’t do and what could potentially harm the fetus. To summarize, here are some of the beauty treatments and ingredients that should be avoided. 

Skin Lightening Agents
Hydroquinone, a well known skin lightening agent, has a 35-45% absorption rate into the body when applied topically. While there was a clinical study done on pregnant women with this drug that stated the link to birth defects and harm to the baby were negligible, the sample size was small. Since there is a high absorption rate, we don’t recommend use of this product on pregnant women.  This medicated ingredient should be avoided by pregnant and lactating women until further studies are done. 

Vitamin A/Retinoids/Retinols
Vitamin A and forms of retinol are used to accelerate cell turnover of the skin to reduce fine lines and wrinkles, treat hyperpigmentation and acneic skin. However, as a safety measure, if you are pregnant, you should avoid taking vitamin A or any form of retinol during pregnancy. While there are clinicals done on topical retinoids that found that the harm of taking a topical retinoid was negligible, there have also been some clinical studies that have said there is an association of birth defects in some cases with the use of topical retinoid use, resulting in retinoid embryopathy (growth and development abnormalities). 

Laser Hair Removal and IPL Photofacials
There is no concrete evidence to provide recommendations for pregnant and lactating women. Therefore, as a precaution, it is advisable to refrain from laser treatments until pregnancy and breastfeeding stages have been completed. 

Cosmetic Injections with Botox & Dysport and Dermal Fillers
There is no evidence that states cosmetic injectables are harmful to the fetus. There is currently no clinical studies on dermal fillers and its association and risks to pregnancy. Botulinum Toxin A is shown to stay local at the site of injection for months in the muscle, so it is unlikely to harm the fetus or baby. Ongoing studies of Botulinum Toxin A are currently being done but as a precaution, it is recommended to hold off on Botulinum Toxin A and dermal fillers until you have completed pregnancy and breastfeeding. 

Chemical Peels
Chemical peels provide for great exfoliation and deep cleansing to the face. During pregnancy, some women will develop “gestational acne”. Treatment for this includes lactic acid which has been proven safe for pregnant women. However, other types of chemical peels should be avoided completely. Trichloroacetic Acid (TCA) peels, Salicylic Acid Peels, Jessner Peels (contains salicylic acid) are known chemical peels that could adversely affect the pregnancy. Salicylic acid peels tend to have higher dermal penetration into the skin. TCA peels have been used in clinical studies, showing an association to fetal growth retardation.  During the TCA clinicals, the TCA itself was found in the maternal mother’s urine which indicates its higher absorption rate into the body. At Monaco, if you are pregnant, we strongly recommend consulting with your physician prior to doing a chemical peel treatment. 

What Facial Treatments can I do at Monaco?

If you’ve never had a facial before, we do recommend our Signature Monaco Facial which is gentle and includes steam, extractions of blackheads as an option, a hydrating face mask, application of serums, moisturizers and SPF. 

Dermaplaning Facial which involves the use of using a scalpel and a delicate touch, to simply abrades the surface of the skin using light feathering strokes. This is a great treatment to offer to patients who are pregnant or nursing who want a deep exfoliation. It is also a first choice for patients who have excess vellus hair on the skin. This hair often causes a buildup of dirt and oils in the follicles, so removing the hair gives the patient healthier looking skin.This gives a radiant glow to the skin leaving your skin smooth as a baby’s bottom. 

Eyelash Extensions are a fabulous treatment to do. Many women get this service done during their pregnancy so that there is less daily maintenance of applying makeup everyday. In addition, we see a lot of pregnant women having this service done right before they give birth so they can look fabulous when the photos are taken in labour and delivery!

PRP Vampire Facial is a very popular and safe treatment to do during pregnancy as it helps with melasma and chloasma as well as preventing acne breakouts. PRP (platelet rich plasma) is a key ingredient in your blood that is extracted and concentrated to use directly on your skin. This is also a great way to target those fine lines and wrinkles on the face. Lidocaine numbing cream is not recommended to be used during pregnancy or breastfeeding because the drug can cross the placental barrier. While there are no studies or clinical trails to prove harm to fetus, it is advisable to avoid lidocaine numbing cream while doing PRP Vampire facials. 

What skin care products contain hydroquinone and retinoid at Monaco?

Products to avoid while pregnant and breastfeeding include Alumier Lightening Lotion 2% which contains hydroquinone. Other products to avoid during pregnancy and breastfeeding include: Alumier Retinol Eye Gel, Alumier Resurfacing Serum, Alumier Hydralight, Alumier Neck and Decollete Firming Cream, and Obagi Retinol Cream 1%.

Treatments to avoid include The Alumier BHA/Salicylic Acid Peel, the Alumier Glow Peel, Laser Treatments (laser hair removal and IPL photofacials, Dysport and Botox Injections, and Dermal Fillers. 

While there are many precautions pregnant and breastfeeding women have to take, there are always treatment options to do to make you look and feel youthful and beautiful in these important life stages.