Just how important are topical products during pregnancy?

Due to our access to the internet and the wealth of information available at our finger tips, pregnant and nursing women are much more conscientious and aware of what they should be doing to ensure a healthy pregnancy, delivery and subsequently a healthy baby. They know to watch alcohol consumption, that smoking cigarettes pose health risks, that sushi is off limits and caffeine should be kept to a minimum. With the information available to today’s expecting mom, the safety of deli meats is even reason for concern.

So why is it that more women are not looking into the safety of the skin care products that they are using on their face and body every day? Products and ingredients that we know have been linked and associated with not only neurotoxicity and organ toxicity but also more alarming reproductive and developmental toxicity along with birth defects. Why aren’t more people talking about this and why isn’t more information available regarding this topic?

It is not surprising or difficult to understand that what we apply topically is absorbed into our skin and goes into our bloodstream. We know it does not enter our bloodstream as quickly, of course, as things that are digested and is one of the reasons why most medicines are dispensed orally. However, as you know, many other medications are applied topically. For instance, topical hormone replacement, topical steroid creams, anti-inflammatory creams, antibiotics, pain management and the list goes on. All of these medications are absorbed into the body and go into the bloodstream. We also know that whatever enters our bloodstream while pregnant travels into the placenta and to the fetus.

Certain ingredients, such as retinols and hydroquinone, have studies that support that they cause reproductive and developmental toxicity and birth defects. Yet, there are also some very common skin care products that can be purchased at your local drugstore that pose the same type of risk. Did you know that most synthetic surfactants and emulsifiers, along with many commonly used preservative systems; have links to some very dangerous side effects? Most of us have heard the concerns regarding parabens, but did you know that most of the mainstream body moisturizers and sunscreens still contain them. Even products from some of the largest pharmaceutical skin care companies contain parabens, but why? Isn’t there enough information to support the potential dangers associated with them that is would be wise to error at least on the side of caution and remove them?

Several skin care companies have been diligent in removing dangerous ingredients and making the public aware, but why haven’t all manufacturers followed the same protocol? And the bigger question is why is it that sometimes parabens are being replaced with ingredients that are equally as harmful and actually have FDA warnings against their safety.

Pretty Mommies considered all questionable ingredients prior to formulation. We developed this line using all natural ingredients, and even then took into consideration which natural ingredients should and shouldn’t be used during pregnancy.  We strive to be the most comprehensive, safest and most effective pregnancy skin care line on the market today.

Pretty Mommies…always thinking about you and your baby.