Complexion Class 07: Bump-Friendly Skin Care
Everyone deserves to feel confident in their skin — especially our expecting mamas!
Pregnancy naturally brings lots of change, and this applies to our skin, too — but that doesn’t mean you have to overhaul your entire skin care routine! So, what can and can’t you use during pregnancy? How can you address common pregnancy-related skin concerns like hormonal acne and melasma?
In today’s episode of Complexion Class, our Austin provider, nurse practitioner and mama-to-be Katie Zimmerman shares the products and treatments she’s loving — and skipping out on — during pregnancy.
Watch the full episode below or read on for the recap!
We follow the same guidelines as The American College of Obstetrics and Gynecologists, but we also recommend discussing any skin care treatments with your OB-GYN, too.
Are there any skin care products I shouldn’t use during pregnancy?
One great thing about Skin Pharm’s products is that they’re all pregnancy-safe, with the exception of our retinol, Night Watch (which is safe to reintroduce when breastfeeding). A good alternative to retinol or retinoids during pregnancy is a medication called azelaic acid. We can prescribe this for you in-clinic! Azelaic acid stimulates skin cell turnover, which helps smooth the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles — perfect to use during pregnancy since we can’t get Botox/Dysport.
Azelaic acid is also anti-inflammatory and antibacterial, which makes it ideal for treating melasma and acne — both of which can worsen during pregnancy due to hormonal changes.
What are your top pregnancy-safe product recommendations?
A product I’ve personally been loving during pregnancy is our Youth Serum. This blend of hyaluronic acid and peptides really hydrates and plumps the skin. Our Crystal Clear clarifying pads are also a favorite! These have pregnancy-safe levels of salicylic acid, lactic acid and glycolic acid, which can gently exfoliate the skin, combat pregnancy acne and really clean those pores. They help minimize visible signs of aging, too!
What about pregnancy-safe skin care treatments?
We have some great treatments for moms-to-be at Skin Pharm, which I’ve been doing myself — BBL photofacials, microneedling and Gold Infusions.
BBL photofacials stimulate skin cell regeneration and collagen production. This is a great option if you’re dealing with active breakouts, sun spots and unwanted redness.
Microneedling is one of the best ways to target a variety of skin concerns at once — especially melasma, scarring, fine lines and wrinkles.
A Gold Infusion offers similar benefits! This gentle stamping treatment delivers a customized blend of ingredients beneath the skin to hydrate, boost collagen and improve overall texture and tone.
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