Safe Acne Medication During Pregnancy

Sep 13, 2009 in Acne And Pregnancy

The best time to research safe acne medication during pregnancy is before you’re pregnant or thinking about getting pregnant. Obviously, you can’t control the unexpected and planning isn’t always exact. But it helps to be prepared so you can avoid using harmful medications.

Some medications still linger in the body even after prescriptions have ended. This is important for expecting mothers to know since the greatest risk to a baby is during the first month or two. This is the stage when his or her organs are still forming.

Many women are uncertain what acne treatments are pregnancy safe. Make sure you discuss all medications with your doctor before using anything.

Safe Medications During Pregnancy

Acne medications considered safe for expecting mothers include erythromiycin, clindamycin, azelaic acid, and oral contraceptive pills.

Erythromycin and clindamycin can be used in both topical creams and oral prescriptives. The oral forms of these are antibiotics for severe acne. Since bacteria are able to build resistance to antibiotics, however, erythromycin and clindamycin, though safe, may not be very effective.

Azelaic Acid (Azelex, Finacea, Finevin) is a topical cream for moderate acne with antibacterial properties. There is little risk to the fetus, but there haven’t been any human studies to provide any useful information.

Despite general belief that oral contraceptive pills for acne will harm the baby if continued, there is no evidence showing women to be at a higher risk for defects.

Unsafe Medication During Pregnancy for Acne acne medication during pregnancy

Acne medications to avoid during pregnancy include topical and oral retinoids, various antibiotics, and other prescription medicines.

Topical Retinoids like tretinoin and adapalene are derived from Vitamin A and should be avoided during pregnancy. Tretinoin is related to isotretinoin (accutane). There is risk of these ingredients being absorbed into the skin and bloodstream and causing birth defects.

Oral retinoinds like isotretinoin (accutane, roaccutane) are extremely dangerous and should be avoided like the plague during pregnancy. Isotretinoin is commonly used to treat cystic acne. It is banned during pregnancy because it causes malformations to the fetus. Besides a slew of fetal defects, this drug increases the chance of miscarriage and infant death.

If you find out you are pregnant and on this drug, stop taking the drug immediately. If you’re trying to get pregnant, you should stop the drug a month before you start, as recommended by the Organization of Teratology Information Services (OTIS).

Oral Antibiotics

As a general rule of thumb, oral antibiotics are generally not a safe acne medication during pregnancy, with the exception of oral erythromycin.

Both tetracycline (Sumycin, Achromycin V) and Doxycycline and Minocycline are oral antibiotics for acne that are frequently prescribed for acne. However, they should be avoided during pregnancy and breastfeeding because of the risk of interfering with bone growth in fetuses.

Other Prescription Medication

Sodium Sulfacetamide is a topical anti-infective medication used to treat acne and seborrheic skin conditions. If taken orally it can affect the fetus. Topically, it likely won’t harm the fetus, but its risk in pregnancy is unknown.

For more information check out www.your-best-acne-treatment.com, a complete information resource on acne.

Author: Yvette Chau
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Yvette_Chau

Pregnancy And Acne Medication
During pregnancy, the hormones in the body undergo changes. That may cause acne during the early pregnancy. In later period acne often clears. Use every medication very carefully during pregnancy.

Acne and Pregnancy
Some of the more aggressive medications for acne are not going to be an option. Acne during pregnancy is not always that bad, however, so it is rare that a medication would be needed.

Acne Treatments Safe During Pregnancy
As long as the medication does not enter your blood they should be safe. I had a question about this with thinning hair treatments and my OB told me it was safe because a topical doesn’t enter the blood stream.

Pregnancy Acne Medication
If you must use drugs, choose acne remedy that include benzoyl peroxide which have been tested as safe to use while pregnant. However, before using medication, let’s try to use natural acne treatment during pregnancy.

Pregnant Women and Acne Treatment
The following are some medications for acne that are not good for use during pregnancy for they are harmful for the fetus: First is Hormonal therapy that may include estrogen, flutamide, and spirolactone. They are a big no.