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3 pregnancy-safe skin treatments you should know about

Not everyone will sport an enviable pregnancy glow, and while many treatments are off limits we found 3 that aren't

You might be familiar with the term ‘pregnancy glow’, but if your skin experience during pregnancy is far from illuminating, know that you are not alone.

In fact, due to drastic fluctuations in hormone levels, for many, pregnancy can cause skin to go haywire in a number of different ways, particularly when it comes to dullness, breakouts and pigmentation.

However, trying to find safe treatments to alleviate skin issues while pregnant is no mean feat. “The question of safety when it comes to cosmetic procedures during pregnancy is in itself a complicated issue as there tends not to be enough safety data around use of specific treatments. It’s a catch 22, because ethically we can’t conduct research trials on pregnant patients, but without testing we can't know if they are safe,” explains Dr Emmaline Ashley, EV expert and Ashley Aesthetic Founder.

The good news is, there are a number of glow-boosting options available that are pregnancy safe. Read on to discover our top 3…

Exfoliating facial

While in-clinic peels are usually considered one of the most effective ways to achieve clear, glowing skin, due to high concentrations of common powerful active ingredients not deemed safe for pregnancy, such as salicylic acid, trichloracetic acid and retinol, most skin peels are off limits.

However, if your skin is looking dull or has become more prone to breakouts during pregnancy, an exfoliating facial that harnesses low concentrations of pregnancy-safe chemical exfoliants could do the trick. “Azelaic, mandelic, lactic and glycolic acid are all considered pregnancy-safe ingredients and can be incorporated into exfoliating skin treatments,” shares EV expert and founder of DermRefine Skin Clinic, Mayfair, Balsam Alabassi.

At her clinic Alabassi offers the iS Clinical Fire and Ice Skin Resurfacing Facial, for pregnant patients and non pregnant patients alike. Although she does advise that even light acid peels during pregnancy should only be applied with caution from an experienced clinician.

“Nestling between a facial and a chemical peel it offers impressive results, working to rapidly and safely resurface the skin, reduce fine lines and encourage cellular renewal,” adds Alabassi.

Hydrating facial

Skin feeling dry and sensitive during your pregnancy? There’s a high chance it’s down to hormones. “As anyone who has experienced pregnancy will know, the skin can be very sensitive due to the influx of hormones during this time,” says Ashley.

However, with many traditional skin-soothing, hydrating facials containing strong actives and off-limits ‘mind-soothing’ essential oils – it can be difficult to find a thirst quenching treatment for your skin.

“Facials with essential oils can be highly irritating for sensitive pregnancy skin, even causing contact dermatitis. In addition to that, they should also be avoided due to the lack of data around the safety of those ingredients for your baby,” adds Ashley.

Luckily, we’ve found a soothing and hydrating  pregnancy friendly treatment that works without the need for such ingredients. “Epionce Pregnancy Facial, focuses on hydrating and protecting the skin barrier,” says Ashley. “It has a low concentration of azelaic acid to quell acne and rosacea. Importantly, it also includes a massage with a hydrating, non-comedogenic face oil to aid lymphatic drainage - working to gently restore skin and leave it glowing.”

Illuminating Light Treatment

LED light therapy is a painless, non-invasive skin treatment whereby a person’s face (or in some cases other parts of the body) is exposed to an array of varying wavelengths of light – most commonly ranging from red and blue to yellow, and green. Each colour works in different ways to boost the skin, targeting everything from acne, rosacea, and pigmentation, to collagen degradation.

And while it sounds incredibly high tech it’s not high risk, making it safe if you are pregnant or breastfeeding. Even NASA has studied this tech extensively to use for plant growth in space, and the success of these studies led them to trail Red LED light on wound healing specifically in cancer patients too.

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