Photo by Mickael Tournier on Unsplash
Retinol. It’s a favorite ingredient of many and sought after more and more as we age, mainly because of its highly effective ability to reverse signs of aging and sun damage. It’s also a commonly used treatment of acne.
But once you are pregnant, you are given laundry list of do’s and don’ts, and retinol in pregnancy, is a big no-no on that list. If you read my post about products that are dermatologist recommended, then you know that a dermatologist’s goal is to treat the skin, with little regard to how it affects the rest of your body.
But even dermatologists will tell you that the use of retinol in pregnancy is an absolute no. In fairness though, retinol, when it comes to your overall health and wellness, is an absolute no regardless of whether or not you’re pregnant.
Now, I know this probably goes against much of what you’ve read or at the very least, have been told by your friends or even your dermatologist. But my goal is to help you live a healthier lifestyle and in that, I want to give you good information that helps you make healthier choices.
There are several reasons why I don’t recommend the use of retinol in pregnancy, or in general. For one, it’s a derivative of vitamin A, and an over-dose of most vitamins, including vitamin A, will actually cause more harm than good.
Aside from retinol being derived from vitamin A, specifically a weaker over-the-counter version of tretinoin – the prescriptive derivative of vitamin A, if used during pregnancy it can cause birth defects and something known as Fetal Retinoid Syndrome when taking the synthetic substitute for retinol, retinoid.
Not only that, but the topical use of retinol, when exposed to sunlight, can speed the growth of skin tumors, and adversely cause premature aging because retinol is more susceptible to the sun. Even using sunscreen likely will not prevent this from happening.
Given the variety of reasons that you might seek out to use retinol in pregnancy or in general, you might be wondering if there are any products out there which are SAFE to use and also EFFECTIVE. The answer is most definitely yes.
If you’d like my recommendation on a safe, and effective alternative to retinol based products please contact me by clicking the button below.
I hope that you have found value in learning a little more about why you should avoid retinol in pregnancy and in general, and will also to feel more confident in taking steps towards achieving true wellness!
If you have found value, please share by clicking on the icons below this article so that I can help your friends and loved ones as well!
And of course, please contact me if you would like to learn more about why you should avoid retinol in pregnancy or if you would like some recommendations for safe and effective products to use instead!
Until next time……..
Here’s to achieving true wellness!
P.S – What do you want to know about? Drop me a comment below and let me know what you’d like to learn more about to help you achieve true wellness!
*Legal Disclaimer – All information provided above is for educational purposes only. Information should not be construed as medical or legal advice in any capacity and is not intended to prevent, diagnose, treat, or cure disease.