Sunscreen during pregnancy

During pregnancy, you want to do anything to protect your unborn child. You may be wondering if sunscreen is safe to use during pregnancy. It is important to use  sunscreen during pregnancy. During pregnancy, the pigment producing cells reacts more strongly to sunlight and causes chloasma ( the mask of pregnancy ). Using sunscreen can prevent these patches of skin from darkening or becoming more noticeable.

Using sunscreen with SPF of 30 or more  is also important for preventing sunburns.  Sunscreen protects the skin from premature aging and skin cancer.

However not all sunscreens  are the same. You should avoid using sunscreens with chemicals such as oxybenzone, homosalate, 4-methylbenzylidene camphor, octocrylene and para-aminobenzoic acid. The chemicals can irritate your sensitive skin and cause allergic reactions.

You should use physical or mineral blocks which are safer options. These are the ones that are made with  titanium dioxide or zinc oxide. You should also avoid sunscreen with retinol ( Vitamin A). There are concerns about the fact that taking too much vitamin A orally can lead to birth defects. However it is not known if topical vitamin A will have the same effect. It is therefore safe to avoid it altogether.

NOTE

Sunscreen is the only line of defense toward the harmful rays of the sun . You should wear a wide brim hat  and protect your eyes with sunglasses.  You should also put on light colored clothing that can repel the sun’s UV ray. If you need to go  out, avoid the times between 10am and 4 pm when the sun’s ray is the strongest. Re-apply sunscreen every 2 hours or after swimming and towel drying.