Pregnant women should expect that major changes will occur in their body, including their skin, which makes it important to examine their skin care brands, Their main concern is to ensure that they do not contain chemical ingredients that could adversely affect the development of their unborn child.
Sunscreens for one are chemical based products, which is why many wonder if wearing sunscreen while pregnant is safe.
In general, wearing sunscreens during pregnancy is safe and is recommended even if the baby is not directly affected by the sun’s Ultra Violet rays. Still, it is important to check whether it contains chemical ingredients.
In order to have peace of mind have awareness that nearly all sunscreens that have been tested as pregnancy-safe are those that use natural ingredients. Readers who may be looking for highly recommended sunscreens with natural ingredients can find a list of top Korean sun creams at this website:
Consider SPF Levels When Choosing a Pregnancy-Safe sunscreen
Another point of consideration to bear in mind is the SPF (Sun Protection Factor), because it determines the efficiency of the protective capability of a sunscreen. SPF references the duration of time it takes before skin burns from the rays of the sun.
if a sunscreen is labeled as SPF30, protection duration would be 30 times longer than it would take for a skin type to burn without sunscreen protection. Most dermatologists usually recommend the daily use of SPF30 sunscreens or above depending on one;s skin type. Skin experts say sunscreens going above SPF50 isn’t necessary, since it does not actually have a greater impact on skin protection when compared to the protection provided by lower SPF UV blockers.
Example of an Unsafe Sunscreen Ingredient
An example of an unsafe sunscreen ingredient to avoid is oxybenzone, Although this chemical ingredient is is commonly used in many consumer products, it has been scientifically proven to be very harmful for pregnant women due to its disruptive effect on the endocrine system.
This was revealed in a 2018 study that demonstrated how oxybenzone products had severely damaged the mammary glands of pregnant women. The impact of the damage carries on through lactation, which can impact the baby’s health during the postnatal breastfeeding stage.
Other studies have shown a correlation between Oxybenzone and Hirschsprung’s disease, a type of abnormality in development that happens when the fetus is exposed to the substance during the prenatal stage.
Example of Pregnancy-Safe Sunscreen Ingredient
Mineral ingredients particularly zinc oxide is the most recommended ingredient of a pregnancy-safe sunscreen as alternative to chemical substance. In fact zinc oxide is the number one choice of mineral being recommended by the Environmental Working Group, The latter is a non-profit organization that evaluates the carcinogenic and toxic properties of chemicals in consumer products.
Moreover, sunscreens with zinc oxide is the only broad spectrum sunscreen ingredient approved by the FDA. Broad-spectrum protection means that it shields the skin from both UVA and UVB rays, which is an important factor in finding a good sunscreen.
