Authored by Kate Beswick in Pregnancy
Published on 08-08-2009
When you become pregnant, your entire world changes! It’s one of the most beautiful things any woman can experience! But it’s also one of the scariest. Literally overnight, you now must be concerned, more than ever before, about your own health and now the health of your unborn baby. Of course, things like avoiding cigarettes and alcohol are a no-brainer, as are things such as certain kinds of medications. But, what about when you go to the salon or buy over-the-counter beauty products? Some seemingly innocent beauty treatments can be very dangerous to the health of your unborn baby. Because of this, it’s very important that you educate yourself and do your research. You need to find out what you can keep in your beauty regime for the next nine months and which ones will have to wait until you’re a new mom!
Using hair dye is one of the biggest known dangers to pregnant women. The claim is that these dyes have harmful chemicals in them that can be absorbed into your scalp and enter the bloodstream. While this claim is true, it is not known whether or not these chemicals will cause harm to the fetus. They may even cross through the placenta, which is what the baby derives its nutrients from. However, because it’s always better to be safe than sorry when it comes to an unborn baby’s health, these products should be avoided by women who are pregnant.
Massages can be a truly wonderful thing when you’re pregnant. Your body is bigger than ever, and there’s simply no way to find comfort. It is absolutely okay to get a massage while you are pregnant but it’s the type of massage you get that you need to pay attention to. Massaging certain areas of the body can actually bring on labor, which could have disastrous results especially if you’re not that far along in your pregnancy. Many masseuses and salons specialize in maternity massages and know which parts of the body are not only safe for pregnant women, but also the most enjoyable. Any type of massage other than a specialized pregnancy massage received from a professional should be avoided by pregnant women.
Taking a trip to the sauna is a wonderful way to relax and soothe sore muscles. However, high temperatures should be avoided when you are pregnant. Saunas, or steam baths, have high temperatures that are meant to be sat in for an extended period of time. These are not recommended for pregnant women. Even being exposed to these high temperatures for a few minutes can be harmful to the fetus. This is why things such as tanning beds and hot tubs should also be avoided during pregnancy.
Other beauty treatments, such as Botox and facial peels also contain many harsh chemicals that are simply not advised to be used by pregnant women. Again, whether or not these types of treatments will actually cause danger to an unborn fetus is unknown. But, pregnant women will always do best with erring on the side of caution!
If you are pregnant and considering getting a beauty treatment, you absolutely must speak with your doctor first! Only he or she will know the details of your pregnancy, as well as your overall health. They will then be able to give you a better understanding of what will or will not be healthy for this particular pregnancy!
