Cosmetic products and pregnancy

Exposure to certain environmental agents during pregnancy can lead to birth defects, abnormal fetal growth and pregnancy complications. Environmental agents that cause birth defects are known as teratogens. For most skin and hair care products, evidence of harm during pregnancy hasn't been established. Not all products have been studied adequately in pregnancy, however. For other products, research is ongoing.

Unlike food and medications, which are tested and approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) before being marketed, skin and hair care products don't need approval from any federal agency. It's up to the manufacturer to assure that a product is safe. If safety concerns are later reported, the FDA will investigate the problem. Any products determined to be unsafe can be removed from the market.

It's important to be aware that chemicals from certain skin and hair care products can be absorbed through the skin and into the bloodstream. If you want to protect your developing baby from unnecessary chemical exposure -- especially during the first trimester when critical organ systems are developing -- you may want to avoid using these products while you're pregnant.

The following information describes the most recent research findings on the use of skin and hair care products during pregnancy. Be sure to discuss the use of these products with your doctor. If you work with these products professionally, it's critical to discuss possible risks with your doctor.


Cosmetics, shampoo, hair spray and personal care products
Products such as shampoos, hair sprays, soaps, lotions and deodorants have not been shown to be harmful during pregnancy. Using these products is generally allowed.

Medicated and herbal skin and hair care products
Be sure to discuss the use of any medicated or herbal personal care products (such as dandruff shampoos, topical acne preparations, anti-itch creams and lotions, as well as herbal skin preparations and essential oils) with your doctor. As with any medication, your doctor will want to be sure that no fetal risks are associated with these products.

Hair dyes
The safety of hair dyes at any time -- whether you're pregnant or not -- hasn't been completely established. Early studies seemed to link the use of hair dyes with the development of certain types of cancer, especially if dark hair dyes were used frequently or for a long period of time. Further studies are needed to determine if there's a conclusive link.
Most hair dyes contain chemicals that may be absorbed through the skin into the bloodstream. Although there's no evidence that dyes cause birth defects or pregnancy problems, research on the safety of hair dyes continues.

If you choose to dye your hair while you're pregnant, you may want to wait until after the first trimester and use a vegetable dye, such as henna. Also be aware that your hair may react differently to hair dye during pregnancy.


Hair permanents and relaxers
Chemicals in hair permanents and relaxers (straighteners) are absorbed through the skin into the bloodstream. Permanents and relaxers have not been shown to cause birth defects or pregnancy problems, but further research is needed. As with hair dyes, keep in mind that your hair may react differently to permanents or relaxers during pregnancy.

Artificial (acrylic) nails
It's unknown if many of the chemicals used in artificial nail products are safe for use by anyone, whether you're pregnant or not. These products haven't been fully studied. Ingredients in some products have been changed because safety concerns were discovered after they were marketed, but other products (especially nail glue removers), still contain ingredients that are extremely toxic if they're ingested. These products are still marketed because the law states only that nail products must not be hazardous when they're used as directed. Fatal poisonings have occurred with these products, however.
To limit the chemical hazards, the FDA recommends that some products be used only by trained technicians. The FDA also cautions consumers to avoid prolonged inhalation of fumes from nail products. The nail technician's work area should be well ventilated and all bottles should be tightly capped with pressure-sensitive stoppers and small openings for dispenser bottles.

Another concern with artificial nails is the risk of infection. Various bacterial, viral and fungal nail infections can develop, whether you're pregnant or not. Infections develop more frequently if a bump on an artificial nail causes it to begin detaching from your nail or if artificial nails are left on longer than three months. During a manicure or a nail application, there's also a small risk of a blood-borne infection, such as HIV or hepatitis B or C, being transmitted by the nail technician or from equipment that's been improperly disinfected. To help avoid infections, salons must follow state regulations and undergo periodic inspections. Technicians should have adequate training, equipment should be properly sterilized, and technicians and clients should wash their hands before any work begins.


Sun beds, sunlamps and natural sunlight
Avoiding unnecessary exposure to ultraviolet (UV) light from the sun, sunlamps or sun beds (tanning beds) is recommended for everyone. In fact, the American Medical Association and the American Academy of Dermatology recommend that tanning equipment be banned. Although exposure to UV light hasn't been shown to cause birth defects or pregnancy problems, UV light does damage the skin and cause premature aging. It also increases the risk of skin cancers, including melanoma, and research shows that excessive exposure to UV light may interfere with how well your immune system functions. There are concerns that using sunbeds may expose you to excessive heat as well, which can be harmful for a developing baby.
Finally, some pregnant women develop chloasma (mask of pregnancy -- a brown blotchy area on the forehead, nose and cheeks) or linea nigra (a dark line down the middle of the abdomen). Sun exposure can make these discolorations even darker.


Tanning lotions and pills
Various tanning lotions and pills are promoted as being able to enhance the sun's tanning effect or make the skin appear tanned without sun exposure. The safety of these products for anyone, pregnant or not, hasn't been studied or established. As with any medication, discuss the use of tanning pills with your doctor before you use them.

Body art: piercings, tattoos and permanent makeup
Body art, which includes piercing, tattoos and permanent makeup, has various health risks for anyone. The risks most relevant to pregnancy include the safety of the dyes and the possibility of infections or allergic reactions.
In the United States, there aren't any standard regulations for body artists. Instead, it's up to each state to determine its own regulations. Some states have banned certain procedures, some have specific regulations for body art establishments, some conduct inspections, and others have no regulations or inspections at all.

Because the skin is punctured for all body art procedures, there's a risk that a local infection could develop at the puncture site. There's also a small risk that a blood-borne infection could be transmitted, such as HIV or hepatitis B or C, either from a body artist or improperly disinfected body art tools.

With a tattoo or permanent makeup, ink is injected into the second layer of skin. The safety of this ink is unknown. Some inks are approved for skin application as cosmetics, but their safety when injected into the skin hasn't been thoroughly studied. There's also a concern that some of the inks contain ingredients that have only been approved for industrial use, such as printing and painting.