Acne Treatment During Pregnancy: The Importance of Being Sure

For women, dealing with acne while pregnant is a bit more complicated than when they are not. They not only have to worry about themselves when it comes to choosing the proper cure, but also about the effect that this cure will have on their unborn child. The risks are multiple and knowing about them will help would-be mothers cope with the condition better.

Cause of acne during pregnancy
Basically, acne during pregnancy is caused by elevated hormone levels, a natural occurrence that goes hand in hand with pregnancy. In most cases, the acne just goes away after a few weeks of giving birth or even earlier. For some though, they would rather not wait until giving birth to get rid of this irritation.

Factors to consider before using any treatment
1. First, consult a doctor. You might be someone who is used to just getting every solution over the counter, but when a woman is pregnant, this is just simply not an option. A thorough discussion of allergies, treatment ingredients and potential risks is needed before a cure can be used. If the risks are too high, opting not to use any formula is often the wisest course to take.

2. Know the risk of each treatment. According to experts, topical treatments offer fewer risks than oral medications because topicals are absorbed systemically at a lower percentage than other forms of remedies. Depending on the severity of the acne, oral medications are sometimes considered since they are believed to be more effective.

3. Potential side-effects. Some retinoids and antibiotics, particularly those that are orally taken, can have some side effects. Among those identified by studies are patterns of birth defects, premature labor and inhibition of fetal development. Worst case scenarios can lead to miscarriage or even fetal death, although these are rare and are believed to be caused more by the interaction of acne medications with other treatments being taken.

4. Alternative options. You can wait it out until you give birth and hope that the acne just disappears on its own; or you can use milder, more natural cures like home-made remedies and facial washes made from natural ingredients like fruits.

There are common acne treatments that can be used during pregnancy. They do carry risks, but acquiring a physician's opinion will help ease women's minds when it comes to choosing the right cure.