Acne Treatment Pregnancy Guidelines - Keeping a Mother-to-Be and Her Unborn Child Safe

Acne treatment pregnancy tips will always tell women that the first thing they've got to do is to consult a doctor or visit a dermatology clinic before taking any medication for pimples. It's not just the woman's health that is at stake here, but also the unborn child inside her womb, and taking medications without the advice of a doctor might endanger the health and even the lives of both.

What causes acne during pregnancy?

It is quite common for some pregnant women to have zits. It doesn't matter if she had never experienced a single pimple in her entire life, being pregnant is a different matter altogether. During pregnancy, a woman's body produces more androgens than usual which cause increased production of sebum or the oily substance in the skin.

Acne during pregnancy often comes at the first trimester. After this period, most women will experience improved condition or their pimples will just disappear. However, there are instances when it will remain until her last weeks of pregnancy. The thing that pregnant women need to remember is that most of the time, acne just disappears after the first trimester of after she had given birth to her child.

Medications that should be avoided

If the acne is severe, or the mother cannot ignore it or wait until it disappears on its own, then she should know what drugs or remedies she should avoid to keep herself and her baby safe. First, Isotretinoin or Accutane. This medication has the potential to cause birth defects in babies. Physicians have also warned that the drug can increase the chances of miscarriage.

Another that should never be used by a woman while she is pregnant is Tretinoin or Retin-A. Although this is a topical remedy, a certain percentage of Tretinoin can pass through the mother's blood stream and can be absorbed by the fetus, potentially causing harm to the unborn baby.

Tetracycline, on the other hand, has been known to cause bone growth problems and teeth discoloration in babies. It is an oral antibiotic commonly used for acne and even for respiratory infections. Medications with salicylic acid and vitamin A derivatives are also not recommended to pregnant women. Products that market themselves as natural or organic should also be avoided unless recommended by a doctor. Some natural products do contain ingredients that can harm the fetus, despite their claims for being all-natural.

The first acne treatment pregnancy advice that a mother should remember is to always keep the baby inside her safe before getting overly concerned about her looks. Most of the time, the zits will just disappear after the first three months. A pregnant woman can prevent the condition from getting worse by regularly washing her face with clean water and mild soap or facial wash and avoiding rubbing or scratching her face.