Answers
I have severe acne that was pretty under control with a daily 3 step system (Clinique's acne system, containing salicylic acid and benzol peroxide). After finding out I was pregnant, I stopped using it because I read that it wasn't safe on an online baby website.
Soon after stopping the treatment, my entire face became covered with acne- every inch of it, worse than I'd ever seen on anyone in my life. At my first prenatal appointment, the nurse felt bad for me but said there really wasn't anything I could do but use a plain cleanser and maybe some baking soda for a scrub.
Yesterday I had another appointment and I asked my OB if there was anything I could do about my acne. He suggested things like the 3 step system I had been using, and told me that so long as I was using it externally, I would be safe.
I'm so confused now! I do not want to take any risks, but at this rate, my complexion is going to be scarred for life. I don't even want to show my face in public! I swear, nobody will ever see a picture of me from this pregnancy...or my wedding (getting married in a month). What on earth is a girl to do with all this conflicting advice?
Someone asked why I'm giving the internet so much 'clout'...I'm not giving the internet any credit, just stating that as the reason I stopped using my acne treatment in the first place.
What the issue is, is that my OB's nurse told me to absolutely stay away from anything with salycilic acid (one of many acne fighting ingredients she advised me to avoid), then my doctor turns around and says it's okay to use it.
My OB has been wrong before about a few things (leading me to seek treatment for a condition elsewhere) which is the main reason I would have any doubt in what he says.
2009-01-08 06:51:29 by apriljaymes
i have been using proactive for three years now and i just found out that I'm pregnant. I'm 2 moths pregnant you think that Proactive affect my pregnancy......i stop using it since i notice i was pregnant
I've never heard of a topical product like proactive affecting a pregnancy. You may have heard about the acne medication called acutane, which could harm a pregnancy, but only because it is a pill that kills hormones in the baby, that could potentially deform a child. But thats the only thing I've ever heard of. Proactive should be fine
2008-01-28 18:54:53 by Yuli
I know it's hormones but my face and chest are breaking out like worse than when i was a teenager and it's hard enough feeling cute when pregnant....thanks!!
Outbreaks of pregnancy acne are common for many women because of all the changes taking place inside their bodies, particularly in terms of hormone levels. When hormone levels are fluctuating skin oil production can go into overdrive, causing pores to become blocked and infected. Acne then develops usually around the mouth, shoulders, chest or back.
Using drugs to treat pregnancy acne is a serious concern for most women. Consuming oral drugs can cause side effects and can be potentially dangerous for unborn babies. Nobody wants to risk the health of their child for the sake of eliminating acne. The logical course of action is to use a topical treatment. Preferably one that does not contain any harsh chemicals, because they can be absorbed through the skin and into the bloodstream.
Beauty is a boon with which very few women are blessed. However, it can be acquired by a little care and determination. The first thing which a stranger sees is your skin, your eyes and your hair. Therefore, to make a good first impression it is necessary that you present a flawless skin to the world.
Here are some rules for keeping the skin healthy and glowing:
• The greatest boon for the skin is available free plenty of water - drink at least 8 glasses every day starting from the moment you wake up. You will benefit even more from a glass of warm water first thing in the morning. It dilates the blood vessels and the blood flows more easily and quickly through the body.
• The skin needs attention-twice every day. Cleansing (usually nothing more than a splash of warm water for dry skins and a wash with soap for oily skins) followed by a freshening skin tonic plus your protective moisturizer (with a sun-screen) is necessary in the morning. At night real cleansing takes over. Not a smear of cream, but deep thorough creamy cleansing; plus an oil to remove eye make-up. After this some oily skins need washing. Other skins need only skin tonic and a moisturizer or night cream. You don't have to leave cream on all night. All the good it will do takes only 20 minutes. Blot off any excess oil.
• Our- skin is not designed to withstand the sun's penetration. Severe sunburn is the result of exposure to the sun. Many drugs such as tranquilizers, antibiotics etc. make the skin extremely sun sensitive which may result in severe burning.
• If you have an oily skin stay away from make-up which is oil-based. Water-based cosmetics are freely available and can be used instead.
• Dry skin will benefit from a night cream put on just before a shower. The steam from the hot shower will assist the penetration of the cream.
• All body skin should be aired daily. Tights retard the natural sloughing off process, so try and air your legs. If you wear trousers to work, don't wear stockings.
• Exercise daily. It will make the skin glow.
• At the end of a long day, what could be nicer than a lovely luxurious soak in the bath. Even the healthiest woman needs a Herbal Bath once in a while. Gather a handful of fresh herbs from the garden (or from a herbal store, if fresh ones are not easily available) - rosemary (rusemari), thyme (ban ajwain), mint (pudina), lemon (nimbu) anything except garlic (lahsan) will do. Bruise the leaves lightly and toss them under the hot water tap as you fill the tub. The delicately fragrant vapor that rise is excellent for your complexion, while the herb-spiked water tones up the rest of your skin.
Bath milks are rich treatments for starved skins. They contain emollients, oils and other skin-softening ingredients and turn bath water a milky color. Soak as long as possible for better results, patting the skin dry with a towel afterwards. Lemon lovers and those who want a really refreshing soak, will love the fragrance of a slice of a juicy lemon in the bath water. In case of an oily skin, slice up and use the whole lemon.
A sea salt bath works wonders for tired muscles, aches and pains and stress related symptoms. Squeeze bath gel into bath water and it will cleanse as well as pamper sundry or sensitive skin. Bubble Baths - the traditional luxury, are liquid or powder preparations that turn a tub into a sea of foamy bubbles. Scented, they soften the water and make a bath a beautiful place to be in - although they are usually cleansers rather than beauty treatments.
2006-04-14 18:46:22 by pinky
NOTHING like Retin-A or anything with alot of vitamin A in it. It can cause birth defects. I would check with a midwife before I used anything, just to be on the safe side. And I'm not sure, but I think pro-active is not-so-good.
2007-07-01 20:13:15 by Sarah
Soap and water. Just wash your face, keep it clean, and don't touch your face or pop pimples. If you start looking for products, read the labels. They are all full of chemicals that could seep into your skin and to the baby. If you need to dry your skin a bit, try plain rubbing alcohol on a cotton ball.
2008-09-29 05:55:09 by Amz
thanks for any serious answers....
2007-06-03 11:46:57 by mary jeenn r
Acne medication requires persistence Los Angeles Times
Drug treatment requires persistence More than 40% of teens have acne that's severe enough to require treatment by a physician, according to the American Academy of Dermatology.
The first line of prescription medications include topical retinoids and antibiotics. Using these drugs in combination often produces the best results, but they must be taken for as long as the acne persists, which, for some people, can be many years. Although generally well-tolerated, they frequently cause skin dryness and irritation.
Persistence and patience are required. "Teens want to see the dermatologist today and be better tomorrow," says Dr. Karl Beutner, associate clinical professor of dermatology at UC San Francisco and co-author of the American Academy of Dermatology's current acne treatment guidelines. "For medications to be efficacious, they need to be used religiously. It often takes good compliance over a long period of time to see the difference."
Oral antibiotics including doxycycline and minocycline are also mainstays of treatment, particularly when topical fail.
Isotretinoin, best known by the brand name Accutane, has typically been a drug of last resort, used by those with severe acne. Because the drug can cause serious birth defects when taken during pregnancy, the Food and Drug Administration has required that girls and women who use Accutane join a registry and undergo monthly pregnancy tests while on the medication.
This past June, however,
Source:
Just how good is Tea Tree Oil?
Tea tree oil, also known as melaleuca oil, is often used as an essential oil for a variety of ailments. Extracted from the leaves of a plant native to Australia, the pure form of the oil is very strong and usually diluted for use in cosmetics and medicines. Historically, tea tree oil got its name because the leaves of the melaleuca alternifolia plant were first steeped as a tea. Traditionally, the leaves were used topically for treating burns, lacerations, and infections.
Tea tree oil has been effective in helping or healing many maladies from athlete’s foot and acne to dandruff, nail fungus, eczema, ringworm, and even annoyances like lice and mosquito bites. This antiseptic, antiviral, and antifungal oil is wonderful for stopping pain and irritation while providing a soothing disinfectant for your skin. For acne sufferers, tea tree oil has been proven great for killing the bacteria and flushing out the toxins while keeping the skin’s natural oils without over-drying. For helping coughs and colds, tea tree oil helps to break up mucus.
As an essential oil used in aromatherapy, tea tree oil is found in many face and body creams, soaps, lotions, hair products and candles. Even though tea tree oil is a natural product, there have been studies done to prove its effectiveness as a treatment for certain ailments.
A controlled trial investigated three groups with athlete’s foot. Out of 158 sufferers, one group used 25 percent tea tree oil solution, the second group worked with 50 percent, and the final group was the placebo. Used twice daily for four weeks, the 50 percent solution group showed 64 percent cured in relation to only 31 percent in the placebo group. Another trial used tea tree oil to fight acne and it was tested against benzoyl peroxide and had fewer skin side effects overall but both groups showed significantly less skin irritations, inflammation, and breakouts.
Natural health products have been more popular in recent years and because they are branching out of their niche environment, more scientific studies are being conducted in order to test these natural products on conditions and diseases we have yet to find cures for. Tea tree oil has not been forgotten and emerging information is making headlines due to a rising health outbreak in the United States.
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Tea Tree Oil: Natural Treatment Alternative - HealthNews
HealthNews, CA - Jan 18, 2009
HealthNewsTea Tree Oil: Natural Treatment Alternative Tea tree oil has been effective in helping or healing many maladies from athlete’s foot and acne to dandruff, nail fungus, eczema, ringworm,
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