Pregnancy and Your Skin

That famous ‘glow’!

For some lucky women, their skin has never looked so good as when they’re pregnant with extra hormones and blood flow giving them radiance and luminosity.  For others, however, things are not so rosy: pregnant skin can mean breakouts, broken capillaries and dryness. Many women suffer with melasma or ‘pregnancy mask’, a hormone-induced condition that can surface during pregnancy and results in dark, often-symmetrical pigmentation on the forehead, cheeks or upper lip.

Pregnancy is a time of change and adjustment and it’s not just the sashimi and goat chevre that are forbidden: many skin treatments and products are similarly off-limits. Adding to the skin woes can be the sudden need to stop anti-wrinkle treatments, laser facials or cosmeceutical skincare, right when you feel like you need it!

The best advice during pregnancy is to be cautious and just do your best to protect your skin. Many concerns, such as pigmentation, stretch marks or broken capillaries are largely unavoidable and cannot be treated while you are pregnant or sometimes even breastfeeding. When it is safe, we can help you create a plan to target and treat these concerns.

Treatments and Products Safety in Pregnancy

STOP: No go!!

• Vitamin A (retinol)
• Salicylic Acid
• Anti-wrinkle injections
• Filler
• Laser
• IPL
• Radio Frequency
• Skin Needling
• Coolsculpting

In pregnancy, it is always best to err on the side of caution: some of these ingredients and treatments simply don’t have the research to determine if they are safe, so we advise you to steer clear.  Further, during pregnancy, your immunity can be compromised as your body is busy building a little person. This means anything that breaks the skin or causes a wound (ablative laser, injections or needling) is not a good idea. Although rare, an ensuing infection from the wound might necessitate antibiotics which are also best avoided in pregnancy.

Proceed with Caution

• AHAs including glycolic acid
• Skin peels
• Intense microdermabrasion

Many women experience increased sensitivity in pregnancy whether by way of drier skin, dermatitis or acne. The skin can also react in unpredictable ways at this time. Therefore, while AHAs, peels and stronger microdermabrasion may be okay during pregnancy, it is best to approach with caution

Great for Pregnancy

•  Sunscreen (SPF 50)
• Vitamin C serum
• Vitamin B serum
• Antioxidant rich formulas
• Hyaluronic Acid
• Manual or granular exfoliators
• Gentle microdermabrasion

Protection and hydration are just your best friends when pregnant. Vitamin C and other antioxidants, along with SPF, can protect your skin from the sun and environmental damage and try, as much as possible, to minimise pigmentation or melasma during this time. Similarly, your whole system is easily dehydrated during pregnancy so ingredients such hyaluronic acid and vitamin b can help to smooth and balance. Finally, gentle manual exfoliators and in-clinic microdermabrasion can be a godsend whether you skin is feeling dry or congested (or both). These are particularly helpful if your skin was used to the resurfacing, but now prohibited, power of retinol pre-pregnancy.

This is purely information and does not take the place of medical advise. If you have questions regarding your health during pregnancy please speak to your medical team.

At Platinum, we can help you with an in-clinic and home routine for during and after your pregnancy to protect, maintain and transform your skin, safely.  Book with one of our dermal clinicians to develop your personal skin plan.

We offer this wonderful skin tightening treatment at Platinum Cosmetics. With Natalie Bassingthwaighte as
the newest Australia Ambassador it is clear to see why Ultherapy is a popular treatment  for those with busy lifestyles who are trying to tighten and firm their skin and improve definition around their jawlines and necks.

Natalie on Studio 10 discussing her life and Ultherapy

It’s also possible to elevate the brow using Ultherapy and with only one treatment required with no down-time, it is a perfect option for those of us who are time poor and surgical options are not an option at this time.

Check out some amazing results one the Ultherapy Website

A double chin can be an area of concern for many at different stages of life.

The appearance of a double chin can be due to lax skin, anatomical changes with age, and excessive fat.

The choice of treatment is dependent on the cause, and the best results may often be with a combination of treatments.

Our own Caitlyn had her chin/submental region treated with Coolsculpting and these are her results 6 weeks post treatment. The final results for Coolsculpting are best seen at 3 months so these results will only get better.

Caitlyn is loving the new definition she has in her jawline, and the reduced volume under her chin.

Watch this space for an update in her results!

Kristin Davis is the latest ambassador for Coolsculpting- scientifically proven spot fat reduction. Debra Messing from ‘Will and Grace’ has also been on the receiving end of Coolsculpting treatments.

Whether you have a few lumps and bumps you would like minimised or it’s more of a body sculpting you are after, Coolsculpting might be the answer for you. With proven results time after time, and over 50 clinic papers, you can rest assured you are being treated with the original cryo-lipolysis device.

Get your summer body ready now and keep it for 12 months of the year – obviously we don’t need to tell you how important diet and exercise is to this equation.