Pregnant women and acne

By: De Anna Sheffield

Palm Harbor, Florida — For some pregnant women, the nine month journey shows up on their face with a healthy glow. But for others, they feel a return to the days of a teenager, with acne. Before you grab that acne ointment out of the medicine cabinet—nurse practioner Bev Chawk says: wait.

Bev Chawk, M.S., ARNP Advanced Dermatology & Cosmetic Surgery

“Many medications that used to be prescription not long ago have now been approved for over-the-counter and for most people it's not a safety issue. But we advise pregnant patients if they're taking anything to get approval from their obgyn. ”

The reason: the ingredients could be harmful to your baby's health. And Chawk says that goes for prescription medications too, like Retin-A. According to the American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology Practice advisory bulletin, Retin-A falls in 'category C', which means studies reveal it may have an adverse affect on the fetus, i.e. spina bifida, cleft lips or retardation, and it could possible increase the rate of losing the pregnancy. Although there have been no controlled studies, Dr. Jill Hechtman, an obgyn in Brandon says it's not worth the risk, and advises her patients not to use it, even if they're trying to get pregnant later.

So what do you do to try and keep a healthy outlook about the clear complexion that seems to have escaped you? It may sound strange, but Chawk says, refrain from looking in the mirror too closely, you're likely to be more critical.

Some other tips from doctors and dermatology experts:

• Use a benzoyl peroxide wash sparingly
• Use gentle cleanser or soap
• Wash off make-up before going to bed
• Use light moisturizer with sunscreen to reduce the blemishes from sun exposure.