Pregnant Women and Acne Treatment
The problem of acne is one which can and should be treated. However, there are times that this is not advised such as breakouts during pregnancy. Pregnancy is a time that treatment needs to be carefully examined prior to its beginning. Women who are pregnant need and must seek correct and valid information before considering treatment for this skin problem. Pregnancy is a fragile time in women's life. Extra care needs to be taken so as not to harm the growing child in the womb.
During pregnancy there are some drugs that should not be taken because of their potential harm to the baby. For those that may get pregnant, they should remember to avoid the following.
Hormonal therapy is very harmful for both the mother and child, and it may cause very serious problems. It includes spirolactone, estrogen, and flutamide, and is considered to have very damaging results.
The prescription medication Isotretinoin could put a pregnant woman's life at risk as it has the potential to create a severe health hazard to both the mother and the baby in her womb. Women who breastfeed are also at a higher health risk of negative side effects. Any woman who is pregnant, breastfeeding or trying to conceive should speak with their physician about the effects of Isotretinoin and, if they choose to proceed with this treatment, should be closely monitored so any side effects can be detected quickly.
Oral tetracyclines which could be of doxycycline, tetracycline and minocycline, must not be an option at all for it would not do you any good. As tested and proven, pregnant women or those that are breastfeeding must not use this for their potential side effects may threaten your life and your child's. The topmost effect is permanent discoloration of teeth or bone disorders.
Last, but not least... avoid topical retinoids such as tazarotene, adapalene and tretinoin. Just like the above-mentioned medications, this could just be another hazard to you and your baby's health. Whether you are pregnant or not, it is not wise to use these medications.
Some treatments are not suitable for everyone. Pregnant women must take special precautions, as some treatments could cause harm to the baby. Wait to treat acne until after the pregnancy. It's possible hormonal changes are worsening your condition, so it's best to just wait until your hormonal balance has stabilized rather than risk hurting your unborn child.
The Acne Help Page is an online knowledgebase covering everything related to acne. Here you can find information on the causes of acne to treatment options for breakouts during pregnancy. Read other's experiences regarding pregnancy breakouts at the acne treatment results page.
Published January 26th, 2008