Skin Care Ingredients That Are Safe in Pregnancy (and Some to Avoid)

Pregnancy comes with a whole host of changes, and that includes your skin and skin care concerns. You may find that you have new skin care needs or, you may wonder if your current products are safe to use now that you’re expecting. It’s a common situation to find yourself balancing your own health needs with concern for your baby’s.

Your skin and skin care products don’t have to take a back seat during pregnancy. Most products that are good for your skin are also safe for your baby — with a few key exceptions. 

Common skin issues during pregnancy

With pregnancy comes many changes in your body, and your skin is no exception. Most people are probably familiar with pregnancy-related stretch marks, but there other skin-related changes that are also common during pregnancy, such as: 

• Acne breakouts

• Areas of skin darkening (including linea nigra, melasma, or on the nipples)

• Spider veins and varicose veins

• Thicker hair

• Nail changes (feeling more brittle or increased white lines)

What are pregnancy-safe skin care products?

Skin care products and most ingredients don’t need FDA approval before going to market, but their manufacturers are legally required to make sure they’re safe. The FDA is constantly monitoring product safety, including identifying whether products are safe during pregnancy. If there’s any concern, the FDA will take action and let the public know.

This means that most skin care products are probably safe during pregnancy. We say “probably” because there’s no guarantee that they were evaluated specifically for safety during pregnancy. It’s not ethical to perform studies on pregnant people to evaluate whether a medication is safe for them and their baby.  

So even though most over-the-counter (OTC) products are considered safe, it’s not unreasonable to be concerned. 

If you’re ever worried about starting a new skin care product, you can talk with your healthcare provider before you start using it. Here are some common skin care ingredients that are considered safe to use during pregnancy:

• Azelaic acid

• Glycolic acid / alpha hydroxy acids

• Salicylic acid

• Benzoyl peroxide

• Niacinamide

• Hyaluronic acid

• Glycerin

Pregnancy-safe brands 

Just because you’re pregnant, it doesn’t mean that you have to ditch all cosmetics and skin care products. Here are some examples of brands that have safe products to use when you’re expecting and nursing: 

• Sonage

• Biossance

• Earth Mama

• BeautyCounter

• Honest Beauty

• True Botanicals

If you’re looking for a specific product or ingredient, Environmental Working Group’s Skin Deep is a searchable database that can give you their safety profile for thousands of products.

Can you use sunscreen during pregnancy?

Sunscreen is safe to use during pregnancy, but you should stick with the mineral blockers titanium oxide and zinc oxide. This is because these are the only two ingredients that the FDA has classified as Generally Recognized as Safe (GRAS).

Keep in mind that sunscreen isn’t the only way to protect your skin from the sun. Other strategies include wearing wide-brimmed hats and sun-protective clothing, and staying in the shade during peak midday hours.

What skin care ingredients to avoid while pregnant or nursing? 

While most skin care products are safe to use during pregnancy, the following ingredients are best to avoid if possible. 

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Written by:

Maria Robinson, MD, MBA

Maria Robinson, MD, MBA, is a board-certified dermatologist and dermatopathologist who has practiced dermatology and dermatopathology for over 10 years across private practice, academic, and telehealth settings. She is a fellow of the American Academy of Dermatology and the American Society of Dermatopathology.

Edited by:

Sophie Vergnaud, MD

Sophie Vergnaud, MD, is the Senior Medical Director for GoodRx Health. A pulmonologist and hospitalist, she practiced and taught clinical medicine at hospitals in London for a decade before entering a career in health education and technology.

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