Pregnancy is an exciting time for you and your growing family. As you look forward to what is to come, you are also sure to be wondering how you can look your best for the next nine months. With hormones in constant fluctuation, many expectant mothers find their complexion changes throughout their pregnancy. Seeking out a healthy glow, women come to Virginia Surgical Arts in hopes of safely treating their changing skin.
It is advisable to avoid many cosmetic treatments over the course of your pregnancy. You will want to wait until after you have given birth and finished breast feeding before you continue with aesthetic procedures, such as energy based treatments like IPL and other laser procedures, intense chemical peels, or products such as Latisse®. Injectables, like Botox®, and dermal fillers, like Juvéderm®, are generally not performed. Dr. Vendetti advises that you avoid skincare products that contain strong chemicals like retinoids and salicylic acid.
During your pregnancy, you are at a higher risk for hyperpigmentation. Due to an increase in melanin, pregnant women are more susceptible to melasma. Often called “the mask of pregnancy,” melasma is a form of hyperpigmentation that is characterized by darkened patches of skin. Many cosmetic treatments may accelerate the effects of melasma, making it best to wait until your hormones have subsided and returned to their normal level. Pregnancy, and again, hormone fluctuation, can cause a woman’s skin to react to treatments differently than it would otherwise. It is these unpredictable results that make it best to wait—even for those of you devoted to a regular IPL schedule.
Along with Dr. Vendetti, all of us at Virginia Surgical Arts are here to help you enhance your healthy glow.