Pregnancy transforms your body in beautiful and unexpected ways, including your skin. As hormones shift, it’s essential to use gentle, pregnancy-safe skincare. Discover how to nurture your natural glow with ingredients that protect, soothe and safely support you and your growing baby. Kelli Clifton chats to Dr Alek Nikolic, a well-known aesthetic medical practitioner from Cape Town, South Africa, about all the dos and don’ts for pregnancy-related skincare.
The pregnancy glow – in a nutshell
“The pregnancy glow is caused by hormonal changes that make the skin look radiant and flushed,” says Dr Alek. “The body produces more blood to support the growing baby, which increases blood flow to the skin. This can make the skin look brighter, plumper, less wrinkled and fuller.”
Ingredients and products to avoid
“Avoid benzoyl peroxide, botulinum toxin and injectable filler treatments, hydroquinone, retinol and retinyl palmitate, salicylic acid, and skin bleaching/whitening products,” recommends Dr Alek.
If you weren’t aware of your pregnancy and still used said ingredients, don’t fret.
“It’s unlikely that the low concentrations of these ingredients will have any major effect, but it’s recommended that as soon as you know you’re pregnant, to stop using topical products with the ingredients mentioned above. Wait for a month postpartum before using actives to allow all the hormone levels to completely settle. Do not use these actives and treatments while breastfeeding.”
Common skin conditions during pregnancy
“The most common skin conditions we see during pregnancy are hyperpigmentation (melasma) and acne. Both of these are caused by the hormonal changes. Other skin changes include dark marks appearing on certain parts of the body, such as linea nigra, varicose veins, and spider veins.”
“For melasma, combine topical vitamin C and sunscreen. Use glycolic acid-based exfoliators, an oil-free SPF and a lightweight hydrator or moisturiser for acne. For the rest, I would recommend waiting until after the pregnancy, as some may resolve on their own,” says Dr Alek.
Try these:
