uv protection during pregnancy

by ILA

Hey ya'll! So, UV (sun) protection during pregnancy is super, super important. Your skin is extremely vulnerable and highly susceptible to sun damage, including melasma (the mask of pregnancy), hyper-pigmentation, wrinkles, freckling, burning, you name it... During my first pregnancy with Lincoln I got bad hyper-pigmentation (melasma) at the end of my pregnancy and well into breastfeeding. While it has faded a little (I am still nursing Lincoln AND pregnant with baby #2), I don't expect it to go away soon. On top of that, I also got freckling and skin tags (more than usual), what the heck pregnancy!! I did see a dermatologist (regarding my hyper-pigmentation), who recommended glycolic acid, which is considered safe while pregnant and nursing. I recommend IS Clinical Active Serum - recommended by celebrity facialist Shani Darden. Keepin' it real: the dermatologist told me the best, best way to get rid of hyper-pigmentation / pigmentation is through the use of a topical retinol cream and/or chemical peels - both of which are huge "no-no's" while pregnant and/or nursing.

Back to it -- I notice that when in the sun, my pigmentation gets A LOT worse. Thus, we all know (or should know!) how important sunscreen is - ESPECIALLY while pregnant!! If you don't wear sunscreen, you should most definitely start doing so now. Keepin it real: I will admit that I don't wear sunscreen all over my body on the regular, and if you want to be extra pre-cautious then go for it! I do know that titanium dioxide has been declared as a possible carcinogen if inhaled in high doses, so yeah, just don't go overboard. Thus, I only wear SPF 30 sunscreen on my face, daily.

what type of sunscreen?

​So now that we understand the importance of sunscreen, let's talk about what to look for when picking out sunscreen. Here are my recommendations:

• SPF 30
• Oil-free
• Protects against both UVA and UVB rays
• Contains zinc oxide and titanium dioxide
• Oxybenzone-free !! Check the label on the back
• Reapply every 2 hours
• Wear a hat and sunglasses if outside for long periods of time!
• Apply on your face daily; also apply on your neck, chest, and hands if you can (these are the most vulnerable spots!) Don't forget your ears!
• Choose rubs and avoid sprays!! Once again, titanium dioxide (in very high doses) can be a possible carcinogen and sprays tend to get dosed all over, rather than rubs.

ila's top spf products

The below products are some of my favorites that I've used over time and tend to rotate in and out periodically. Currently, I use Control Corrective Oil-Free Sunscreen SPF 30 recommended by (again) celebrity facialist Shani Darden who works on stars like Jessica Alba and Rosie Whitington-Huntley. These are products that I use on my face, neck, chest and hands (not all over my body). My top products include the following:

• Control Corrective Oil-Free Sunscreen SPF 30
• Dermaquest Solar Moisturizer SPF 30
• KIEHL's Super Fluid UV Defense Sunscreen SPF 50
• Dr. Andrew Weil for Origins Mega-Brigh SPF 30

While these are MY favorites, be sure to find a product that works well for you. I noticed that during my pregnancy with Lincoln I broke out like a mad woman and kind of attributed it to Dr. Weil's Origins brand. As soon as I stopped using it during pregnancy and switched back to Dermaquest, my skin calmed down (maybe a coincidence, who knows). It's all about trial and error though, so I recommend trying a few and seeing what works the best. If it happens to not work, trust me, you'll be glad you have an extra stash to go back to if you ever run out -- or hand it over to a pregnant mama to try out!

Happy sunning, mamas!

xx,
​ILA