Pregnancy and Skin Care Products

           In light of my sister recently having a baby and making me an aunty for the first time, I though this would be the perfect topic of conversation J During pregnancy there are safety considerations regarding skin care products worth taking note of for the health and stability of the fetus. The body does a good job of protecting the fetus by filtering bacteria and germs through the placenta but there are some ingredients in our products that can make their way through to a developing fetus.

What does this even mean and why is it important? Using certain products like retinols and glycolics can ultimately enter into the bloodstream and potentially hinder the development of the fetus. I recently just started doing research regarding this matter because I wanted to make sure my sister was using appropriate skin care products throughout her pregnancy.  It turns out that certain products take nutrients that should be going to the development of the fetus and use them to nourish your skin instead.

Here is just a quick list of product to avoid during pregnancy:

-                Salicylic Acid (BHA or Beta Hydroxy Acid): often found in acne products, exfoliants and anti-aging products.

-                Retinol A: this is a form of Vitamin A that is commonly used to treat acne and is anti-aging. High doses of Vitamin A have been proven to be harmful to a baby.

-                Parabens: Used as a preservative. While it is an ingredient worth avoiding for all of us research is beginning to show a link from parabens to an adverse effect on the reproductive system of baby boys. Once again more research is needed but as a mom-to-be why risk it.

-                Essential oils: Not all essential oils are harmful but there are certain ones worth avoiding. Here is a list of SAFE essential oil that can be used in moderation during pregnancy: Bergamot, Calendula, Virginia Cedar, Roman and Moroccan Chamomile, Elemi, Fir, Frankincense - Boswelia Carterii,  Helichrysum, Lavender Angustifolia,  Neroli,  Sweet Myrrh – Oppapanax, Patchouli, Rosewood, Sandalwood, Spruce, Ylang Ylang. Anything else I wouldn’t touch.

-                Benzoyl Peroxide: Again another product most commonly used to treat acne, can be harmful to the baby.

Here is a useful link that has a more in-depth list of ingredients to avoid and why: http://www.natural-living-for-women.com/avoid-during-pregnancy.html

Dermal Fillers

What are dermal fillers you ask? Dermal fillers are injected into your skin to fill lines and restore lost volume, enhancing your facial contours. At my spa we use a non-animal, non-allergenic, standardized hyaluronic acid. Hyaluronic acid naturally occurs in our bodies, so when we use fillers such as these, the body accepts them without allergic reaction and are slowly broken down over time. As part of the skins natural aging process, we experience loss of elasticity and dermal collagen. There are many contributing factors including sun, stress and life style choice.

The most common areas treated include lip enhancement, smile lines, eye contour, chin and jaw line contouring, pitted scarring and non-surgical nose job. When used in conjunction with Botox, you can get some amazing results and it tends to last longer too. This is a great alternative to surgery with minimal to no down time. Some people pop into get these treatments done on their lunch breaks and are good to head straight back to the office without anyone noticing anything different except for maybe looking more refreshed, well rested and youthful ;) 

There is a great article from Forbes.com that I’ll attach a link to if anyone is interested in reading more on this topic  http://www.forbes.com/2009/05/26/dermal-filler-cosmetic-forbes-woman-well-being-facelift.html

UV Damage

     The number one contributing factor for aging skin is the Sun (UV damage). Now I hate to have to tell you this but majority of the damage is done before the age of 18. That doesn’t mean there isn’t anything we can do about it though. It’s not about pushing the stop button on your skins age (this is impossible), it’s about aging gracefully.

     The number one thing I recommend is wear an SPF Daily! Rain, sun, clouds, snow, I don’t care what the weather is like outside, SPF is a must. There are three types of rays UVA (age), UVB (burn), and UVC (these rays do not penetrate the atmosphere’s ozone layer, therefore do not effect the skin).

            UVA are longer rays, therefore penetrate deeper into the dermis. They are responsible for breaking down collagen and elastin, leading to premature aging. It may take years before you see the visible damage of UVA rays. Another thing to mention about UVA is that they penetrate through windows. So when you’re driving be sure that you apply a sunscreen to your ‘driving arm’ as well as your daily SPF on your face, neck and décolleté.   

            UVB are shorter rays that only reach the surface of the skin. They are responsible for most cases of sunburns, although UVA do contribute to sunburns, just at a deeper level. As nice as a tanned skin looks, remember that it is your body’s way of protecting itself from UV damage.

            I personally prefer wearing an SPF on my face in the form of a powder, like a mineral makeup. The fewer steps for me to do in the morning the better and it’s also much nicer to reapply a powder throughout the day rather then glopping on a heavy sun cream. My favorite mineral makeup brand is called Colorescience. The pressed powders are a full coverage foundation and an SPF which is great for skin (like mine) that gets congested easily when using to many products, not to mention it gives your skin a radiant, youthful glow. This line was founded and created by Diane Ranger (who discovered mineral makeup). She is known to the industry as the mother of mineral makeup with over 30 years of experience in developing a wide variety of mineral products. Diane Ranger is my idol.

http://www.colorescience.com/