serious facial treatment while pregant

[Anonymous]

Nothing like a pro job, I'm sure, but I use Neutrogena's microdermabrasion kit at home (both before and during pregnancy), and I find it really helps me. Sometimes I just use the dermabrasion cream mixed with my Cetaphil cleanser to exfoliate by hand. Works wonders, especially during a hot shower. I use 2-3x a week, but your skin tolerance will vary.

A little tweaze and extraction afterward, plus a good lotion (I like Curel's fragrance free Continuous Comfort), and I look like a new person the next morning. (I shower at night.) I always start breaking out when I skip this routine.

Good luck!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:PP here - I've read a lot of research on salicylic acid and pregnancy, and really it's the products that you leave on your skin, like spot treatments and lotions, that should be avoided. 1% in a face wash is really not a lot of exposure.

FWIW the recommendation to avoid salicylic acid during pregnancy is based on aspirin intake, which at high doses has been linked to increased risk of miscarriage and birth defects. Since there are no clinical studies showing the effects of topical salicylic acid use during pregnancy, most medical professionals will stick to the party line and tell you not to use them. Of course we should all do what we're comfortable with! I was just wildly uncomfortable looking like a teenager, and after reading the research I was able to make an informed decision.

I definitely agree on the research, but I disagree that you should avoid ALL treatments left on the skin. Considering that the amounts absorbed when applied topically are TINY, I personally felt comfortable with continuing my 2% BHA once-daily lotion (Neutrogena Oil Free Acne Stress Control 3-in-1 Hydrating Acne Treatment -- love it). I would not use a BHA peel or prescription-strength formula, however (but I think even this is an abundance of caution).

On the other hand, I also don't bother with the face washes containing BHA, because if the amount absorbed topically when left ON is tiny, 1% in a wash-off product that is washed OFF your skin after ~30 seconds might as well be 0%--there's not enough time for it to actually do anything useful OR harmful.

Then again, I also eat blue cheese and raw sushi, and don't believe pregnant women should be treated like museum artifacts. This blog post pretty much sums up how I feel about it all: http://www.alphamom.com/smackdown/2008/03/skincare_safety_during_pregnan.php

[Anonymous]

(BHA=salicylic acid)

[Anonymous]

I'm 6 weeks and get monthly facials with microderm. Just got one yesterday. My aesthetician said it's perfectly safe.
People need to stop stressing so much and just LIVE during pregnancy!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:
I'm 6 weeks and get monthly facials with microderm. Just got one yesterday. My aesthetician said it's perfectly safe.
People need to stop stressing so much and just LIVE during pregnancy!

Um, this is the OP. You must have missed the part where I said that microdermabrasion isn't bad for the fetus but can cause or exacerbate the mask of pregnancy, something I am prone to. It doesn't make sense to have a skin improving procedure during pregnancy that makes your skin worse. If it doesn't cause you problems, great, but six weeks is too early to know because the mask comes later.