Salicylic Acid in Pregnancy: Is It Safe?

Salicylic acid, a common ingredient in many acne treatment lotions, raises concerns among women about whether it’s safe to use products with salicylic acid while pregnant. Read on to know more.

Is Salicylic Acid Safe to Use During Pregnancy?

While present data on the safety of using products with salicylic acid while pregnant is quite limited, there is near-universal consensus among medical professionals to avoid any treatment that administers a higher dosage of Salicylic acid over a long duration, as a general rule.

Treating Acne During Pregnancy

While salicylic acid is generally effective in de-clogging skin pores, many reports warn pregnant ladies against using it today. Hence, it’s recommended that these women opt for safer alternatives, such as creams with active components like triamcinolone & hydrocortisone.

In addition, pregnant women must follow habits such as cleaning their face daily with clean water, using mild face cleanser to clean oily skin, avoid leaving their hair oiled overnight, and opting for oil-free cosmetic products. Even change in diet such as adding more fruits, leafy vegetables, and regular water intake can help avoid acne formation.

Products that are Safe During Pregnancy

Many skincare products today are labelled based on whether they are safe during pregnancy. Generally, cosmetics without high amounts of retinoids, salicylic acid and essential oils are considered “pregnancy-safe”. The best options are Active Soy-based lotions containing no lecithin, phosphatidylcholine, or vegetable protein.

Skincare Products to Avoid During Pregnancy

Studies have suggested that high dosages of Vitamin A can cause congenital disabilities. As retinoids are vitamin-A derivatives, doctors advise expectant mothers against using skincare products that contain retinoids such as tretinoin, adapalene, etc. Pregnant women should avoid using any skincare product with oral tetracycline (hampers baby’s bone growth), isotretinoin (affects baby’s brain development), or salicylic acid.

Reasons for acne during pregnancy

When pregnant, a woman’s body goes through various hormonal changes and one of the outcomes of this hormonal imbalance is having an overactive oil secretion from skin glands that blocks pores and causes acne. Factors like stress and dietary change can also cause acne during pregnancy.