You’ve been avoiding cocktails and sushi since you found out you were pregnant. But have you ever considered the dangers lurking among the cosmetics in your makeup bag?
Nail polish during pregnancy seems to be one of the forbidden things.
But is this just a myth, or is there actually something behind it? Or is there nail polish for pregnant women?
Now the list of things you have to do without as an expectant mother seems to be endless.
The list of forbidden things is quite long, but are all beauty products and beauty routines now forbidden for you as an expectant mother or are there alternatives that you can use during pregnancy?
As an expectant mother, you’re probably careful not to put your baby in danger. After all, a baby in your belly is a huge responsibility, and going without certain products and routines for a few months shouldn’t be difficult.
You’ve probably changed your diet and are making sure your baby gets enough vitamins and minerals. You certainly wouldn’t do anything to endanger the pregnancy or the baby.
You should definitely steer clear of alcohol and cigarettes, but what about beauty products? Are they also prohibited, and if so, why?
Can they really harm your little darling, or can you continue to feel like a woman while taking on a different form?
But I can reassure you, because women during pregnancy usually have beautiful, shiny hair, skin, and strong nails. But as with all things, there’s also the other side, where women are affected by hair loss, skin problems, and brittle nails.
The reason for this is the hormonal changes that take over during pregnancy. The excess of vitamins has a positive effect on the appearance of some women and a negative effect on others.
To protect you and your baby from possible dangers or side effects during pregnancy , we will explore the question of whether nail polish is allowed during pregnancy in the following article.
Nail polish during pregnancy?
Many expectant mothers wonder whether nail polish is harmful to their child during pregnancy. I can certainly understand if you can’t bear to part with your shiny, beautifully colored nails, especially when you’re already deprived of so many other things.
I can reassure you. Nail polish is allowed during pregnancy, not forbidden. It’s also perfectly fine if you want to play it safe and avoid it.
The few months will pass quickly anyway and then you can devote yourself to painting your nails.
A classic manicure and pedicure is not only beautiful and neat, but also not time-consuming nail care, as you don’t have to apply any polish and you don’t have to remove it either.
But if you don’t want to exclude nail polish from your beauty routine, you don’t need to worry, because there is no danger to you or your child if you paint your nails during pregnancy.
Since wearing nail polish during pregnancy is considered safe, you can continue to paint your nails in bright colors.
The nail polishes contain toxins, but in such small quantities that they cannot have any effect on your child’s development.
However, the fumes and odors released during painting are a problem and you should avoid inhaling them, especially in the first weeks or trimester of pregnancy when your baby is most sensitive.
To avoid inhaling fumes and odors, you can simply open a window while painting your nails, or paint your nails outside, or simply leave the room after painting until it is sufficiently ventilated.
If you’re wondering which nail polish is suitable during pregnancy, the best thing to do is listen to your nails.
Some women suffer from brittle and thin nails during pregnancy, but otherwise any regular nail polish from a drugstore is good enough.
It is a great challenge for manufacturers to produce a nail polish that provides strong and even coverage, shines beautifully and stays on the nail for a long time without being damaged.
To meet these needs, many manufacturers use various chemicals, such as solvents and plasticizers.
However, the application of solvents and plasticizers can trigger allergies, not only in pregnant women but also in other areas. Various nail polish manufacturers have also become much more aware and are avoiding the use of certain chemicals in their nail polish production.
For example, there are 3-free, 5-free, 7-free, and 10-free nail polishes. This means that certain hazardous substances were not used in their production. Natural cosmetics almost always offer 5-free nail polishes.
5-Free nail polish means that it does not contain the ingredients formaldehyde, formaldehyde resin, toluene, dibutyl phthalate (DBP) and camphor.
So if you don’t want to give up nail polish but still have concerns, you can choose free products because they don’t contain such ingredients, or buy a nail polish for children to be on the safe side.
A visit to a beauty salon is also not recommended, and you should avoid wearing artificial nails for a while . So, painting your nails is fine, but you should avoid nail salons.
Not only are artificial nails and nail modeling a problem, as they can potentially trigger allergies, but it has also been proven that women who work in nail salons often have problems during pregnancy.
Well, it is not known exactly what the reason is, but one can assume that it is the fumes and smells to which the women who work there are constantly exposed.
Liquid products with a high methyl methacrylate content are used for nail modeling of acrylic and gel nails.
This hard-to-pronounce liquid can cause nail infections and detachment. But if you can’t stand being without your artificial nails, use methyl methacrylate-free products for nail art.
And just so you know, gel nails don’t stick to the nail for long due to the hormonal changes during pregnancy, so a visit to the nail salon may not bring you satisfaction for too long.
The UV light in nail salons is also something that many pregnant women worry about. The UV light from a nail dryer isn’t dangerous because it dries the polish and only exposes the nail and skin.
However, if you want to be on the safe side, you can turn over while drying with a nail dryer so that your stomach is not exposed to radiation.
However, you should avoid any type of nail polish before the birth . Even clear polishes should be avoided.
Because your nail bed allows anesthesiologists to detect circulatory disorders if things need to happen quickly and you have to be delivered by caesarean section.
After the baby is born, you’ll even be glad you don’t have nail polish.
Because removing nail polish can sometimes be annoying and time-consuming, and once the baby is here, you’ll appreciate every free second and want to rest instead of having to worry about your nails.
When it comes to removing nail polish, you also need to make sure that you use an acetone-free nail polish remover.
Solvents and plasticizers are added to nail polish removers and nail polishes, but they are present in small amounts and are not harmful.
But for the sake of your baby, you should avoid inhaling these pollutants and use a nail polish remover that doesn’t contain acetone. This applies both during pregnancy and while breastfeeding.
Nail polish alternatives
Unfortunately, there are no alternatives to nail polish, except for a conventional manicure or pedicure, where you do without various chemicals.
Even if your nails aren’t colored in a bright color, it doesn’t mean they don’t look beautiful; you might just be unused to seeing them that way.
You can treat your nails with a nail hardener that has a nourishing formula, especially if they have become weak and brittle during pregnancy.
This way they will not only look neat and beautiful, but will also be protected and supported.
Hair color during pregnancy?
No matter what color your hair is or how often you dye it, there is currently no research on hair dyes in relation to pregnancy.
The manufacturers of hair dyes must guarantee their safety anyway.
However, allergies to colorants can always occur, regardless of whether you are pregnant or not, and it doesn’t matter whether it is a conventional hair color containing chemicals or natural dyes.
Although there is no study on whether hair coloring can affect the fetus, it is still recommended to avoid hair dyes at least during the first week of pregnancy.
Hair dyes contain harmful substances that enter the bloodstream during coloring, but the amounts are small.
It’s not a crime to dye your hair while pregnant. To be on the safe side, you can use natural dyes or henna dyes.
This is especially true if you have previously used paint from abroad, as these paints that you purchase online are not subject to any controls, unlike the paints that are available in stores here.
Hair removal during pregnancy?
When it comes to hair removal during pregnancy, there’s absolutely no evidence against it. Whether you remove your hair by epilation, waxing, or shaving is up to you.
You should only proceed with caution in the abdominal region to protect the already stretched and stressed skin. Shaving is the best way to remove hair there.
Depilatory creams should not be your option for hair removal because, like nail polish and hair dye, they contain chemicals that could potentially harm your unborn child.
Deodorant during pregnancy?
Deodorants, also known as antiperspirants, are popular, and I don’t know anyone who doesn’t use one. Well, deodorants are always a topic of conversation when it comes to health.
Deodorants are suspected of having many side effects in women, such as causing irritated and dry skin and itching, and even contributing to cancer or breast cancer.
Deodorants are something we are more used to than the natural smells produced by a human body.
However, the unpleasant smell of sweat is caused by bacteria on the surface of the skin, which smell unpleasant when they come into contact with sweat.
Our noses are so spoiled that we no longer give much thought to whether using deodorant is more beneficial or harmful.
Not all deodorants are dangerous and contain toxins that harm our bodies.
Aluminum salts inhibit sweat production, but are blamed for the development of breast cancer and Alzheimer’s disease.
Well, there isn’t enough research on this yet, but pregnant women are advised not to use deodorants containing aluminum salts.
Since it is known that the body rids itself of toxins through sweating and aluminum salts prevent this by narrowing the pores, it is clear that the body cannot eliminate the toxins.
Inhibited sweat production is bad for your metabolism and your body. You should especially avoid using deodorant after shaving, because shaving creates small cracks in the skin, allowing various chemicals to penetrate your body and bloodstream more easily.
While you are pregnant, it is best to avoid deodorants altogether.
It’s perfectly understandable that if you’re working or socializing while pregnant, you don’t want to smell bad. But when you get home, you can remove the deodorant from your armpits.
Fortunately, there are also natural deodorants, and certified natural cosmetics generally don’t contain aluminum salts. So, if you can’t do without deodorants, at least get one without them.
Whether a deodorant contains aluminum salts is usually clearly indicated, and if not, you can read the ingredients on the back.
Deodorants that don’t contain aluminum salts are also usually odorless. With a crystal deodorant stone, you’re definitely safe.
The deodorant stone is also available at all drugstores. It looks like a crystal, has no odor, and lasts forever, unlike deodorant sprays, for example, which run out after just one or two uses.
sunbathing
A beautiful, even complexion is something we women dream of. If you’re not one of the lucky ones during pregnancy and haven’t been blessed with glowing skin, sunbathing is probably something on your mind.
Especially if you are pregnant during the summer, it is difficult to resist sunbathing.
Provided you apply sunscreen with an appropriate SPF, there’s nothing wrong with sunbathing during pregnancy. Just be careful not to stay in the sun for too long.
Not only is it harmful for pregnant women, but it’s also generally recommended to limit sun exposure. Skin is somewhat more sensitive during pregnancy, and sun spots are more likely to develop.
Sunbathing in a tanning bed, on the other hand, is a total no-go. UV rays can have adverse effects on the fetus, and UV rays are known to deplete folic acid, which is so important for the development of the unborn child.
Self-tanners aren’t an alternative either, as they contain chemicals. Even self-tanners from certified natural cosmetics are suspected of containing substances that could be harmful.
Bottom line: While you’re pregnant, you can safely indulge in a quick sunbath. Sunbathing not only replenishes your body with vitamin D, but it’s also good for your soul.
A tan from a solarium and self-tanners, on the other hand, is not such a good idea and it is recommended that you avoid them.
And when choosing the right sunscreen, you should also take a look at the ingredients, because some sunscreens contain harmful substances that your body absorbs through your skin and ultimately end up in your bloodstream.
It might be worth investing in a more expensive one or looking at sunscreens for babies and toddlers.
Visiting the dentist during pregnancy?
A visit to the dentist during pregnancy should be at the top of your list. Pregnancy causes many changes in your body, including your mouth.
Pregnancy changes the composition of your saliva, which can lead to broken teeth and also makes your gums more sensitive.
To prevent gum disease and broken teeth, you should visit the dentist regularly during pregnancy.
However, bleaching is not recommended because there are no precise studies yet on how the bleaching agents used affect the fetus or baby.
Final thoughts
Dear Mom, I hope I’ve helped you a little and cheered you up. According to my research, you can still paint your nails.
Pregnancy is no small feat, and while you’re dealing with the many obstacles, having beautiful nails might make things easier.
Personally, I skipped wearing nail polish during pregnancy. I used hand cream, and I was happy with how well my nails stayed put.
Many of us are reluctant to give up the beauty routine we’ve grown accustomed to. But when you know it’s for the sake of your baby, some sacrifices become much easier.
You don’t have to give up your cosmetics completely; I’ve listed a few things that you can use without hesitation during pregnancy, so you can play it safe.
As a precaution, you should always inform yourself beforehand to prevent possible side effects.
You don’t have to completely avoid deodorant when you’re pregnant. For me personally, that was a challenge because I tend to sweat. But I was even more concerned about the various ingredients like parabens and the like.
However, I was lucky and found an alternative to conventional deodorants that contain various harmful substances, and when I got home I didn’t wear any at all.
You need to know that no matter what you decide to do and how you care for yourself and your baby during pregnancy, you’re doing it right.
Sometimes we exaggerate so much that we get the feeling that everything is harmful and the safest thing would be to sit in a corner at home.
Fortunately, this is not the case and you can continue to be a beauty queen and find peace in your beauty rituals.
