Embracing Pregnancy Changes
The gift of pregnancy brings about many changes in a woman’s body. I am constantly in awe of how our bodies can rapidly create, adapt, and change to accommodate the growth of a whole new human. Some changes are positive, such as the lovely pregnancy glow and bump we can’t wait to show off, and some are not so fun (hello to nausea and swollen ankles).
During this time, our skincare routines and treatments tend to take a back seat as we are advised not to use active ingredients such as retinols, and of course, we need to cease any cosmetic treatments due to the risk to our unborn babies.
However, future mamas can rejoice, as there are still plenty of options to help maintain their skin during this amazing time. I will quickly discuss how I’ve been maintaining my skin in and outside of the clinic.
Safe At-Home Skincare During Pregnancy
Let’s first discuss home care! Due to Vitamin A being a risk for causing birth defects, removing all retinols, retinals, tretinoins, or any other Vitamin A products from your skincare routine is very important. In lieu of this, you can use any product with Bakuchiol extract. Bakuchiol is nature’s answer to retinol. It is plant-derived, high in antioxidants, increases skin cell turnover, smooths fine lines and wrinkles, and best of all, is 100% safe to use during pregnancy.
My Pregnancy Skincare Routine
I have been using Medik8’s Bakuchiol Peptides as my serum morning and night. As this divine product is oil-based, I have found my skin soaking it all up and being so nourished before I have even put on my SPF or Medik8 Advanced Night Restore over the top. Other products I have been loving during this time include Natasha Cook’s Concentrated Illuminator for its brightening and hydrating properties, as well as AirDay Clear as Day SPF 50 to help keep pregnancy melasma at bay.
Professional Pregnancy-Safe Treatments
In the clinic, there are no more aesthetic treatments until breastfeeding is finished, as there are no studies on these medications during pregnancy and breastfeeding for very good ethical reasons. However, we can still maintain our skin by using treatments such as Tixel and Dermapen Needling.
Advanced Treatment Options
Our amazing dermal therapist, Brooke, has been doing monthly Tixel treatments using the open channeling settings to allow Clinical Grade Pigmentation Serum to penetrate deeper to help fight pregnancy pigmentation and help with the overall health of the skin, as these products are high in Vitamin C.
Not only does this brighten skin, but the heat also encourages collagen and elastin synthesis, which are important factors in maintaining skin health when your body is focusing on other jobs rather than worrying about your wrinkles!
Expert Support for Your Pregnancy Journey
I hope this gives some insight into how to maintain your skin during this exciting time. If you need any more information, please just call us here at the clinic so we can answer any of your questions!
All the best, Nikki