skin care during pregnancy

Most pregnant women know that what they put (or don't put) in their bodies is important to the well-being of their growing baby, whether it's the right kind of protein, too much caffeine, or certain types of fish. But many pregnant women might not know that what they put on their bodies is just as important.

Most of us slather on oceans of lotions every day, but we don't think about what might be passing the skin barrier and being absorbed into our bodies. With a developing baby in your belly, this is a vital concern.

"Everything you eat, apply, or come into contact with may affect not only you but also your baby," says Sandra Marchese Johnson, a dermatologist with Johnson Dermatology in Fort Smith, Arkansas.

"Because some topical ingredients get absorbed into the bloodstream, there are some you want to avoid," adds Leslie Baumann, a professor of dermatology at the University of Miami and author of The Skin Type Solution (Bantam, 2006).

The more powerful and targeted products get, the more we need to be careful about what we have in our skin-care regimens during pregnancy. While most commonly used products are completely safe, there's a handful of ingredients considered potentially harmful to a growing baby. Below, see our guide to what to look for when shopping the beauty aisle.

If you plan to breastfeed, adds Johnson, continue following the guidelines noted below until you stop nursing.

Retinoids

These powerful substances, found in some antiaging moisturizers, are lauded for helping reduce wrinkles and improve skin tone. Retinoids are a type of vitamin A that speeds up cell division (quickening your skin's renewal) and prevent skin collagen from breaking down.

But retinoids are one of the skin-care ingredients that experts, including Baumann, recommend that expectant moms stay away from. Some studies have shown that high doses of vitamin A during pregnancy can be harmful to an unborn child. And oral retinoids, such as isotretinoin (Accutane, an acne treatment), are known to cause birth defects.

If you've been using a skin cream that contains a retinoid, don't panic. Retinoids have not been shown to cause problems in their topical form in pregnant women.

"There is no data to show these retinoids ingredients are harmful when used on the skin — doctors are just being extra cautious," explains Baumann.