Is vitamin C serum safe during pregnancy? Yes, and it is one of the few proven defenses against melasma too.
Navigating pregnancy-safe skincare can be complicated, but as a medical doctor with a focus on cosmetic ingredient safety, I’ve simplified the search for you. Visit my Skincare During Pregnancy: Begin Here guide for a full index of ingredient safety reviews, pregnancy and IVF-safe recommendations, and doctor-vetted product guides.
Today, we discuss topical vitamin C: a powerful ingredient with multiple benefits for your skin. It is a potent antioxidant that counteracts harmful free radicals linked to skin aging, hyperpigmentation, and acne. One of the top sources of free radicals? Environmental pollution: a thing that all of us are exposed to daily.
Topical vitamin C can combat these free radicals and significantly improve the health of your skin.
It is one of the ingredients that is recommended to be a part of your daily skincare routine.
But is vitamin C serum safe during pregnancy?
Yes! Vitamin C skincare is safe during pregnancy.
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The Melasma Bonus
This is the best part of using topical vitamin C while pregnant!
Have you ever noticed some pregnant women develop pigmented patches on their faces during pregnancy?
This pesky and often hard-to-get-rid-of hyperpigmentation is called melasma and typically develops in the second or third trimester and often persists way beyond pregnancy.
The surge in pregnancy hormones stimulates the melanin-producing cells in the skin to amp up production, leading up to 50% of pregnant mamas to experience this potentially distressing issue.
Topical vitamin C is one of the few actives that are effective in the prevention and treatment of melasma or pregnancy-induced hyperpigmentation.
I will link posts about melasma here for more information:
Melasma in Pregnancy: Causes & Prevention
Pregnancy & Nursing Safe Melasma Treatments
So, yes! Topical vitamin C is not just safe during pregnancy, but it is also protective against melasma, which can be hard to remedy.
How To Use
How to use topical vitamin C safely while pregnant?
Always do a patch test on a small area of your skin first, as your skin is more sensitive when pregnant.
If you are new to incorporating vitamin C in your skincare routine, always start with a lower concentration, as starting immediately at a higher concentration might irritate your skin.
Also, keep in mind that the efficacy of vitamin C increases with concentration. In the case of ascorbic acid, the most potent and the most studied form of topical vitamin C, it maxes out at 20%. Products are available that are higher than 20%, but vitamin C being acidic, higher concentrations can be too aggressive, more so while pregnant when your skin is more sensitive. So, avoid anything with a concentration of more than 20%
Vitamin C is pregnancy-safe, but the other ingredients in your product may not be. Always read the ingredients list carefully before using any product. I will link posts about pregnancy-unsafe chemicals here:
Part I: Pregnancy Safe Skincare: Avoid These Ingredients
Part II: Pregnancy Safe Skincare: Avoid These Ingredients
Last but not least, always consult your doctor before adding any new product to your skincare routine!
Topical vs Oral
Is oral vitamin C an alternative to topical vitamin C in skincare?
No, topical vitamin C cannot be replaced by oral vitamin C in this scenario.
Vitamin C, even if taken in high doses, has limited gut absorption: the body can only absorb a certain amount of it, and the amount absorbed reduces as the dose increases. Of this absorbed vitamin C, only a small amount of it reaches the skin.
Therefore, external supplementation, such as topical serums, is favored and relied upon to harness the benefits of vitamin C for the skin.
Taking vitamin C more than the RDA (recommended dietary allowance) is not recommended. For more information on vitamin C and pregnancy, click here.
Takeaway
The short version
Is topical vitamin C safe during pregnancy? Yes! Vitamin C-based skincare is safe during pregnancy. A bonus while using topical vitamin C in pregnancy is that it is one of the few proven therapies for the prevention and treatment of melasma. This pregnancy-induced skin hyperpigmentation disorder is seen in up to 50% of pregnant women and is often hard to get rid of. Just ensure that the vitamin C serum you use does not have chemicals that are not safe for pregnancy.
Trivia
Why you need your vitamin C every day
Source: Dan Piraro
Vitamin C and the B-complex vitamins are water-soluble. Meaning they are not stored easily in the body, and the body excretes any excess amount. This is in contrast to the fat-soluble vitamins A, D, E, and K that are stored and retained in the body for various time periods, and your body can use these stores as needed.
This makes it essential to have a regular intake of water-soluble vitamins to avoid nutritional deficiencies.
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
Is vitamin C serum safe during pregnancy?
Yes! Vitamin C skincare is safe during pregnancy. It is a potent antioxidant that counteracts the harmful free radicals linked to skin aging, hyperpigmentation, and acne, and it is one of the ingredients recommended as part of a daily skincare routine.
Does vitamin C help with melasma?
Yes. Topical vitamin C is one of the few actives that are effective in the prevention and treatment of melasma, the pregnancy-induced hyperpigmentation that typically develops in the second or third trimester, affects up to 50% of pregnant women, and often persists well beyond pregnancy.
What concentration of vitamin C should I use while pregnant?
Start with a lower concentration if you are new to vitamin C, as jumping straight to a higher one can irritate your skin. Efficacy increases with concentration, and ascorbic acid maxes out at 20%; avoid anything above 20%, since vitamin C is acidic and higher concentrations can be too aggressive, especially on more sensitive pregnancy skin.
Can I just take oral vitamin C instead of using a serum?
No. Oral vitamin C has limited gut absorption even at high doses, and only a small amount of what is absorbed reaches the skin, which is why topical serums are favored for skin benefits. Taking more vitamin C than the RDA is not recommended.
What else should I check before buying a vitamin C serum?
Vitamin C itself is pregnancy-safe, but the other ingredients in your product may not be, so always read the ingredient list carefully, do a patch test first since pregnancy skin is more sensitive, and consult your doctor before adding any new product to your routine.
Questions about vitamin C in pregnancy?
If you would like a quick, doctor-vetted review of a serum’s ingredient list, or help choosing the right concentration for your skin, I would love to help.
