Is It Safe To Use Vitamin C Serum While Pregnant?

Even if you aren't among the skincare obsessed, there's still a good chance you've heard about vitamin C. The popular ingredient is usually found in serums, but you can also find it in cleansers, lotions, and toners. Dermatologists continuously recommend vitamin C for its proven results, ultimately proving the antioxidant's recent rise to legendary status.

It's common knowledge that consuming vitamin C through fresh fruits and vegetables offers a myriad of health benefits, especially a boosted immune system. But, how is it supposed to help your skin exactly? When applied topically in the form of L-ascorbic acid, studies show that vitamin C acts as an excellent preventative treatment against premature signs of aging and sun damage. It can also help reduce the appearance of wrinkles, brighten dark spots, and clear acne, reports Dr. Neera Nathan to Harvard Health. Vitamin C works as "a potent antioxidant that can neutralize free radicals," explains dermatologist Patricia Wexler in Allure. "Because of its antioxidant properties, vitamin C aids in your skin's natural regeneration process, which helps your body repair damaged skin cells.

With results as exciting as this, it sure would be a bummer to miss out. This begs the question, is vitamin C safe to use while pregnant? Surely if you are allowed to drink vitamin C-packed orange juice every day, then a serum would be safe too, right? Although you should always check with your doctor, we discovered whether or not vitamin C serum is safe if you're pregnant.

Pregnant women have a laundry list of foods, products, and activities they need to avoid, but thankfully, vitamin C serum isn't one of them. "Vitamin C is a great and safe ingredient to use while pregnant," confirms Dr. Rachel Nazarian, a dermatologist at the Schweiger Dermatology Group in NYC. "Thankfully, it's a super safe ingredient and works well with other products in most basic skincare regimens, such as sunscreen." Nazarian goes on to explain that since the vitamin C derivatives found in skincare are pH balanced, a serum wouldn't be harmful unless it was used 100 times more often than directed.

Although there have been some misconceptions, vitamin C is safe to apply before heading outdoors. Cosmetic chemist for BeautyStat, Ron Robinson, tells Hello Giggles that "[vitamin C] does not make the wearer more sensitive to the sun. Quite the contrary. Vitamin C is a powerful antioxidant which helps protect the skin from UV damage." And although vitamin C has been shown to prevent signs of aging caused by continual UVA and UVB exposure, it's still important to apply SPF over the skin on your face, neck, and chest every morning.

Pregnant women won't have to miss out on the many benefits of vitamin C serum in their skincare routines. In fact, the natural ingredient can target specific skin concerns that expecting mothers may face.

Melasma is a common form of hyperpigmentation caused by an excess of estrogen and progesterone, says Healthline. It's so prevalent that up to 70% of women will develop some form of it during pregnancy. Oftentimes, increased sun exposure can intensify the issue, so applying SPF 50 before heading out the door may help prevent the unwanted dark spots. But sometimes, melasma is unavoidable, thanks to genetics. Luckily, studies have shown that vitamin C serum has the ability to reduce melanin production, which in turn fades these darker areas, per Hello Giggles.

Acne is another common skin issue that presents itself during pregnancy, which is once more thanks to fluctuating hormones. According to the beauty experts at Marie Claire, the skin on your face (and body) produce more sebum due to increased progesterone. Essentially, your skin becomes more oily, which may contribute to the infamous pregnancy glow or just give you hormonal acne. Once again, vitamin C comes to the rescue. The ingredient's anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties reduce the redness of acne and encourage healing.

Vitamin C has been shown to be perfectly safe to use while pregnant. However, with any new ingredient you introduce, you should always share what you use with your healthcare provider first.