Blogging Pregnancy

Is It Ok To Use Wrinkle Cream During Pregnancy?

No one wants to look older than they feel. Many women feel quite young and vivacious during pregnancy thanks to the increased blood flowing through their body. I can tell you from personal experience however, that having children more often than not is likely to contribute a few wrinkles and gray hairs to your face and skin. Having children is hard work. My husband’s mother always used to say, “the worrying never stops”… well its true.

That said having children is one of the biggest delights in life. Those gray hairs and wrinkles are well worth it!

Most women find they do not need wrinkle cream during pregnancy. Truthfully speaking, during pregnancy increasing volumes of blood pumping through your skin compounded by fluid retention often create that pregnancy “glow”. This glow helps reduce the look and appearance of wrinkles naturally because it makes your skin appear fuller.

You’ll find as your pregnancy progresses your wrinkles look more filled in naturally. This is fortunately one of the best side effects of pregnancy.

Nonetheless, you may still want to use a good moisturizer throughout your pregnancy to help prevent flaking and drying. Some wrinkle creams are not safe during pregnancy. Many wrinkle creams contain ingredients that may be harmful for a developing fetus.

Ingredients to look out for include high levels of vitamin A, acids or other harsh chemicals that may react poorly to your skin when pregnant. Keep in mind when pregnant your skin is more sensitive than normal, so products that work by abrading the skin may react harshly during pregnancy.

Wrinkle products containing excessive levels of vitamin A are dangerous for your baby and may result in birth defects, so stay away from them.

Natural Skin Softeners During Pregnancy
There are some more natural products you can try during pregnancy. These are gentler on your skin and can help improve the look and feel of your skin simply by adding more moisture to your skin.

Look for products that contain all natural ingredients minus the vitamin A. These include products with cocoa butter, milk or vitamin E.

It is also a good idea to use a moisturizer containing sun block during pregnancy. During pregnancy your skin is more susceptible to sunburn and color changes including melasma during pregnancy. It is important you use a product containing an SPF 15 or higher during pregnancy to help prevent excessive discoloration and also to help prevent skin damage from the sun during pregnancy, which over time can result in more wrinkles.

Drinking water is another simply way to help soften your skin and improve the appearance of wrinkles during pregnancy. Be sure you drink at least 8-10, 8 ounce glasses of water every day. This will help you look and feel your best throughout your pregnancy!

Is Microdermabrasion Safe During Pregnancy?
It is best you avoid microdermabrasion and other abrasive techniques for softening skin during pregnancy. Microdermabrasion is a new technology that can help reduce the appearance of wrinkles.

It works by sloughing off the outer layer of skin. You can have this procedure done at a dermatologist’s office. There are also home kits including one made by Neutrogena that offer a gentler form of microdermabrasion. While this procedure works relatively well for reducing the appearance of fine lines, it is too harsh for use during pregnancy. You may find your skin ends up looking too blotchy if you use it during pregnancy. You may also damage your skin.

Remember; take advantage of the natural pregnancy glow that happens during pregnancy. Often this is all you need to help reduce the appearance of fine lines during pregnancy!