My husband and I have decided to try and get pregnant. I have a problem with mild cystic acne (very hormonal acne), which currently I have under decent control with Proactiv (which is benzoyl peroxide) and Differin, both of which I can't use during pregnancy. I got a prescription to switch the Differin to azelaic acid gel, which is safe. Does anyone have any recommendations of what they used (cleanser, toner) during pregnancy that kept their skin clear? I want to have that pregnancy glow, not look like a pizza-faced teenage boy.
Congratulations, Mitz, how exciting for you and your husband. I wish you lots and lots of baby dust!
I was doing the acne.org regime pre-pregnancy (which is just the cheaper version of proactiv, same concepts and active ingredients). I have suffered with acne forever, even went on two rounds (spaced over a decade) of Acutaine, and I still deal with acne, though I've learned how to control it as best as I can.
I get a few pimples every few weeks, but they come to a head very quickly and heal within a few days. The items seem really pricey at first glance and it certainly is a bit of an initial investment, but you can buy the Juice blemish clearing trial kit for $29 and just use their cleanser. I really, really reccomend the Fresh Umbrian Clay bar because it drys pimples REALLY fast and works amazingly well. All of the products are completely natural and some are made with organic ingredients, very gentle on the skin.
Wow, Thank you Drew! That was really helpful! I'm definitely going to order those products. Who knows how long it will take to get pregnant, but I want to get on a regimen now so that I don't have to figure things out once I am pregnant.
You're welcome! Just a quick FYI, I found a site that sells French green clay (pure clay like Fresh's bar) really cheap (like a pound of the stuff for $9). I just bought another bar from Fresh though so I'm going to wait to try this cheaper clay, but I think it may be just as good, if not almost the same thing so I'm going to buy some when I get low on my Umbrian clay bar. If you want a review down the line, let me know.
Also, if you do try the products I suggested, please let me know how they work for you! I know different stuff works for different folks...
Hey Mitz... just to give you another perspective...
prior to getting pregnant, I had pretty bad skin...acne, uneveness...etc etc..
anyway...within the 2 months of being pregnant, my skin did a complete 180... and I haven't had any issues since...pregnancy had the opposite effect for me..
so....
just my 2 cents...
uhh it sure would be nice if I would be grammatically correct!
Hey Mitz... just to give you another perspective...
period to getting pregnant, I had pretty bad skin...acne, uneveness...etc etc..
anyway...within the 2 months of being pregnant, my skin did a complete 180... and I haven't had any issues since...pregnancy had the opposite effect for me..
so....
just my 2 cents...
Lucky you, Ayo! I heard so much about the great skin pregnant women are supposed to have, but my darn acne is awfully persistent. I hope you are as lucky as Ayo, Mitz.
Oh I hope my skin doesn't freak out when I get pregnant...that would be great if it cleared up entirely! My skin didn't get bad until my mid-twenties (I'm 31 now). It's these cystic ones on my chin that are the problem...they come and go...but they get really big and they hurt! I usually get them injected with Kenalog to help them go away, but I'm not sure I should do that when I'm pregnant. I had thought of going on Accutane in the past, and I'm not sure why I didn't, but now I obviously can't. So we'll see...Drew, I'll let you know what I wind up getting and I'll let you know how it goes!
Oh, what do you think of Mario Bedescu's products? It says on his website that all of his products are "pregnancy-safe" and there are even products that are recommended for acne during pregnancy.
I used benzoyl peroxide (Clean & Clear persagel) while preggers. I just use it as a spot treatment sparingly, but my dr said it is fine in small amounts, not like coating your face with it.