Beauty Treatments and Cosmetics -- What's Safe?

The following advises which products and treatments are safe in pregnancy.

• Hair and nail products

  Shampoos, conditioners, manicures, and pedicures are safe. Minute amounts of hair dye may be absorbed through the skin, but there's no evidence that this affects the baby. Chemical hair straighteners and curlers are also thought to be safe.

• Piercing

  Facial piercing or piercing the belly button, nipples, or genitalia isn't advised since you're at a higher risk of infection. If you have a navel piercing already, you can change a metallic ring for a flexible plastic retainer made from PTFE (polytetrafluoroethylene). Nipple rings can affect breast-feeding, so remove a ring before birth so the skin can heal. Vaginal or vulval piercings are best removed to avoid damage at birth.

• Tanning

  Tanning beds aren't advised because of harmful UV rays. Tanning beds can cause your body to overheat, which can harm your baby, and UV rays may break down folic acid. Tanning lotions are safe.

• Body wraps/hot tubs

  These raise body temperature, which is unsafe for you and your baby. Heat exposure from a hot tub in the first three months can increase the risk of a baby developing spina bifida.

• Facials

  The cosmetics used for facials are thought to be safe.

• Botox

  The Food and Drug Administration recommends that women who are pregnant or breast-feeding should not use Botox. Although it's used for cosmetic reasons, it is a drug and should be considered as such. Doctors also advise avoiding Botox during pregnancy.