Can I Tan while pregnant? Your Top Pregnancy Beauty Questions Answered!

When your pregnant, your regular day to day beauty regime can sometimes seem more confusing than the final question on jeopardy! Can I do this? Can I do that? Sometimes it's hard to keep all your beauty facts straight! We know you're beautiful even at 7am in the morning, but we're here today to help you answer all those beauty regime questions that have been stumping you since you found out the happy news.

1.      Can I still tan while pregnant?

 For the next nine months you will be a porcelain beauty. Tanning beds are considered to be unsafe anyways, but while pregnant this can be twofold. Why? While you’re in a tanning bed, your body temperature tends to elevate which is considered unhealthy for your baby.

But spray tanning is safe right? Safer – is a better way of thinking of it. In normal circumstances, the chemical used for spray on tan (Dihydroxyacetone or DHA) is safer than sun tanning. However, inhaling DHA during spray on tan is not safe to do while pregnant. Some studies have shown that DHA can cause DNA damage – while this hasn’t been officially proven – why risk it? Ditch the tanning regime and take advantage of that beautiful glow you have going on!

2.       I love perfume! Can I still use it while pregnant?

So this might not be for you since most smells are probably making you nauseous right now, anyway, but a good tip is to stay away from potent perfumes over the course of your pregnancy. Why? Perfumes contain phthalates, a chemical compound, used in many different household plastics and products. When phthalates hit your body, they can imitate natural hormones. This means they take the place of them while your body is trying to grow and development your baby. Staying fragrance free is one way to avoid this, but using baby products (lotions, oil, powder) is a great way to freshen up and smell good without all the harmful chemicals! This goes for perfumey soaps and body washes as well.  

3.       Can I still color my hair?

While studies have become a bit more promising over the last few years, there are still links between exposure in hair salons and birth defects. If you’re a hair stylist you’re more at risk, yes, but any kind of exposure should be avoided just in case. If you can’t bear to imagine 9 months without a hair dye (I hear you) then make sure you wait until your second trimester to avoid the most risk.

4.       Do I have to shave when pregnant or can I still use the same hair removal techniques I’ve always used?

Chemical hair removers like Nair are probably the most risky and should be avoided during pregnancy. Since it is a topical solution, it won’t necessarily be absorbed into your bloodstream, but the fumes can be inhaled and may be damaging. If you absolutely must use it, stay away from it for the first trimester and only keep it on your skin for the shortest time possible throughout your pregnancy. Make sure you are in a well ventilated area, and that you wash it completely off your skin after use. For later on in the pregnancy, this could be a difficult task!

As far as laser hair removal – while no studies have shown that laser hair removal can’t be performed while pregnant – many hair removal clinics will postpone treatment until delivery. Pregnant women should definitely not use numbing creams before laser hair treatments as they can be absorbed into your skin.

It is safe to wax, however, but that doesn’t mean it won’t hurt. Since you have more blood flowing through your skin during your pregnancy, you will be more sensitive to the tugging and pulling of your ordinarily pain free waxing session.

Have more questions? Comment below!