We all know that we need to limit our sun exposure and wear sunscreen every day to protect our skin, but you may not realize that it's especially important for you to practice sun safety while you are pregnant.
Although you may cringe at the thought of turning pale and pasty while you are pregnant, it's the safest shade for your skin. Over-exposure to UV rays (artificial or natural) will not only increase your risk of skin cancer, it can also increase your chances of developing the "mask of pregnancy," also known as melasma or chloasma. This benign, but sometimes permanent, condition usually shows up on the face as dark, blotchy spots.
And while many women use sunless tanning lotions to give their skin a tan appearance, experts still aren't sure if or how much of the active ingredient, dihydorxyacetone (DHA), crosses the skin and enters your blood stream, possibly affecting your baby. Many doctors and midwives encourage women to wait to use tanning lotions at least until after the first trimester, just to play it safe.
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