Self Tanner During Pregnancy - Yea or Nay?

Say Yea to smooth skin and hiding imperfections with a sun-kissed glow, while saying Nay to these ingredients

Who doesn’t love a little sun-kissed glow that smooths skin and hides imperfections? And while, as moms-to-be, we know baking in the sun isn’t a great idea (skin cancer, premature aging, and chloasma – no thanks!), the jury is still out on whether self tanners are truly safe to use during pregnancy.

So can you fake tan while pregnant? Our doctors said that although there have never been any studies performed on the safety (or lack thereof) of the active ingredient found in self-tanning creams - dihydroxyacetone (DHA) – they feel it only dyes the surface layer of skin and shouldn’t cause any harm to the fetus. Their recommendation? Safe to use. Other resources we found supported this general idea of DHA safety, but advised against getting a spray tan (moms-to-be might inhale the chemicals in the mist). On the other hand, more Googling revealed experts that said it’s best to play it safe and avoid DHA altogether while pregnant since the chemical can potentially penetrate the skin and enter the bloodstream, and there’s just no info to prove it’s definitely safe for baby.

We think these more controversial topics are best answered by your individual healthcare provider, so put it on your list of questions for your next prenatal check-up if you have any concerns and ultimately do what makes you feel best. If you are still interested in achieving that golden glow - but in a more natural way - we did some digging and found 3 top notch clean self-tanning creams that at least weed out the preservatives, fragrances, and plastics often found in conventional sunless tanners. Now whether or not you choose to use self tanner while pregnant or choose to save the bottle for a post-baby pick me up is up to you!

What do you think? Weigh in by leaving a comment below.