Terri Vinson, founder of Synergie Skin, addresses one of the most frequently asked questions in skincare… ‘Can I use Vitamin A whilst pregnant?’
Pregnancy is a time when many women focus more on the quality of products they use on their face and body. They are ultimately responsible for the safety of their unborn child and their choices are influenced by understanding exactly which ingredients are safe to use on the skin.
The skin is a highly absorbent surface and the average woman absorbs over two kilograms of potentially toxic ingredients through her skin each year. It is therefore essential to cut through the media myths and understand the truth behind safe skincare during pregnancy.
Vinson tackles one such skincare myths, the use of Vitamin A or Retinoids whilst pregnant.
Can I use Vitamin A whilst pregnant?
The answer is not so straightforward.
Vinson says that it is important to note that whilst many ingredients are not recommended during pregnancy, this is often a purely a precautionary approach. Many women are more sensitive to skin irritation during pregnancy so it is wise to avoid ingredients that may be potentially irritating or drying such as alcohol-based products and highly perfumed products.
“As a scientist, I believe caution is the best approach, therefore, put a hold on using your Synergie Skin Ultimate A or Acceler-A Vitamin A serums during this time. Retinoids are one of the most popular active ingredient categories and are known for regulating cell renewal, addressing visible ageing and reducing sun damage,” Vinson explains.
Some scientific studies concluded that high doses of Vitamin A taken orally (not topically) during pregnancy can be harmful to an unborn child.
According to Vinson, the following is a list of commonly used Vitamin A ingredients:
- Differin/ Adapelene
- Retin-A/ Renova /Tretinoin (medical prescription only)
- Tazorac /Tazarotene(medical prescription only)
- Retinoic acid(medical prescription only)
- Retinol (most powerful nonprescription retinoid if in a stabilised form)
- Retinyl palmitate
- Retinaldehyde
There is no data to suggest that these ingredients used on the skin during pregnancy are harmful.
For more on the range of skincare products by Synergie Skin, click here.
Watch: What is the biggest mistake that women make with their skin care
