Your lovely locks

Hair looks fuller and grows faster during pregnancy because of the nutrients in prenatal vitamins and the hormonal changes in your body. Some women also say that their hair gains shine and curls or a straighter texture. With so many changes to your hair, you may need to change your hair care routine, but there are a couple things to keep in mind:

• Always read product labels to make sure they are safe to continue using when you are pregnant, especially chemical-heavy products like hairsprays and bleaching products.
• Follow directions to at-home hair treatments carefully. You don’t want to expose yourself for any longer than necessary to the chemicals used in the products.

Facial and body hair

Many pregnant women notice that their body and facial hair grows faster and thicker than it did before they were pregnant. Luckily, there are plenty of ways to remove unwanted body hair – just make sure the method you choose is pregnancy-safe!

• Sugaring, body waxing, tweezing, threading, and epilating may be more painful than before you were pregnant, but they are otherwise safe to continue doing while you are pregnant.
• Shaving is safe throughout pregnancy, but your growing bump may change your ability to see the areas you are shaving, so another hair removal technique may be worth pursuing for the remainder of your pregnancy.
• Bleach and chemical depilatories are not recommended during pregnancy because of the chemical content within them. So keep them in the cabinet until after you deliver.

Fingernails and toenails

Your fingernails and toenails grow faster and change their texture during pregnancy, so you have an excuse to go to the spa for regular nail care.

Maintaining your manicure and pedicure throughout your pregnancy won’t expose you to chemical levels that are harmful for your fetus, but before you redo your gels or acrylics, keep in mind that you should reduce unnecessary chemical exposures while you are pregnant.

Reviewed by the Ovia Health Clinical Team

Read more

• Skin changes when pregnant
• Pampering yourself with baby on the way

Sources

• “Hair changes.” March of Dimes. March of Dimes, 6/9/2015. Web.
• Chua-Gocheco, Angela, MD, Pina Bozzo, and Adrienne Einarson, RN. “Safety of Hair Products during Pregnancy.” US National Library of Medicine. National Institutes of Health, Oct. 2008. Web.
• “Skin Conditions During Pregnancy: FAQ169.” ACOG. American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, 6/14/2015. Web.
• “Pregnancy: Staying healthy and safe.” Office on Women’s Health. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, 9/27/2010. Web.

According to Mayo Clinic, there isn’t any research that links hair dyeing during pregnancy and problems with fetal development. And because hair dye doesn’t contain a very high concentration of certain chemicals that may in higher doses be concerning, pregnant women would need to use a lot of hair dye to have a significant impact on their baby’s development.

Staying safe

Before you dive into your life as a red or purple, or whatever else you’re imagining for your luscious locks – make sure that you know how to safely dye your hair, if you’re doing it yourself. Make sure to closely follow all the directions. Wear gloves the entire time – don’t use your bare hands. Once the dye has set and the instructions say to rinse it from your hair, make sure that you do a thorough job of getting all the dye out so that none stays on your scalp.

If you’re at the salon, let your hair colorist know that you’re expecting. This can help them select products with care, use techniques that keep hair dye off of your scalp, or reduce the amount of fumes you’re breathing. 

Dyeing your hair while pregnant hasn’t been shown to be dangerous during pregnancy, but there hasn’t been that much research done on the subject, so some healthcare providers recommend waiting until after the end of the first trimester of pregnancy to use hair dye. If you still have concerns or questions, though, don’t be afraid to reach out to your healthcare provider, because he or she can tell you more about the process and what it means to your specific pregnancy.

Sources

• Is it safe to dye my hair during pregnancy? ACOG. October 2020. Web. https://www.acog.org/womens-health/experts-and-stories/ask-acog/is-it-safe-to-dye-my-hair-during-pregnancy
• Putra IB, Jusuf NK, Dewi NK. Skin Changes and Safety Profile of Topical Products During Pregnancy. J Clin Aesthet Dermatol. 2022 Feb;15(2):49-57.

Read more

• Hair dye, bug spray, house paint, and more: Just what’s safe?
• Foods to avoid during pregnancy