Welcome to AYA Medical Spa’s September edition of Beauty Buzz! This newsletter focuses on pregnancy-safe products and treatments, plus the benefits of peptides in your skincare routine!

Pregnancy Safe Products & Procedures

By Elizabeth Morgenson, Nurse Practioner

We love treating expecting moms at AYA and are often asked what treatments and products are safe during pregnancy. Although we all hope to experience that infamous “pregnancy glow,” unfortunately this exciting time can bring along some not-so-pleasant skin problems, such as melasma, acne, and stretch marks. Thankfully, we offer multiple products and procedures to keep your skin healthy and glowing even during pregnancy!

While we follow the recommendations provided by the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists and always recommend checking with your OBGYN before adding a new product or treatment to your regimen, there are several products and treatments that are generally considered pregnancy safe that we are excited to tell you about.

There’s some collective confusion around whether a sunscreen with a higher sun protection factor — say, SPF 100 — actually means higher sun protection compared to an SPF of 30 or 50. Logic would tell us that higher SPF = better protection, right?

What Are the Most Common Skin Concerns That Present During Pregnancy?

Hormones are to blame for the changes we notice in our skin during pregnancy. Some women notice their skin changes from dry to oily, while others notice their once oily skin now has dry patches. Other women may experience melasma or acne for the first time, or flares of these conditions if they were already prone to them.

Melasma is a common skin condition that causes brown patches on the face, typically around the cheeks, nose, and forehead. This is due to an increase in melanin, which is the substance that naturally gives color to your skin and hair.

Acne may appear for the first time during pregnancy or may worsen in women who already have acne, especially during the first and second trimesters. The increase in hormones that support a healthy pregnancy causes an increase in your skin’s oil production, which clogs pores and causes breakouts.

Will You Show Me What a Pregnancy-Safe Skin Care Regimen Looks Like?

AM

Cleanse:
Papaya Enzyme Cleanser

Tone:
Soothing Facial Rinse

Eye cream:
Instant Bright Eye Cream

Treat:
Revox Line Relaxer
C+ Correcting Complex 30%

SPF:
Intellishade

PM

Cleanse:
Papaya Enzyme Cleanser

Tone:
Soothing Facial Rinse

Eye Cream:
Instant Bright Eye Cream

Treat:
Revox Line Relaxer
Lytera (if addressing melasma)

Hydrate:
Restorative Skin Complex or AYA Hydrate+

Stretch Mark Prevention:
Bodifirm

1-2 times per week:
Brightening Polish and Pumpkin Enzyme Mask for additional exfoliation
If acne prone, also use Pore Purifying Clay Mask to unclog pores and absorb excess oil.

A few ingredients to avoid in your skincare products:

• Tretinoin or retinol (vitamin A)
• Salicylic acid >2%
• Hydroquinone

What In-Office Treatments Are Safe During Pregnancy?

Neurotoxins (Botox, Dysport, Jeauveau, Xeomin) are not recommended during pregnancy. Instead, we recommend using Revox Line Relaxer twice daily to target those pesky fine lines and expression lines.

Microneedling helps promote collagen production, so it is great for targeting the appearance of wrinkles, stretch marks, and scars. Also, the treatment allows the ingredients in your skincare products to better penetrate the skin, which is great for tackling those pesky breakouts!

DiamondGlow is a skin resurfacing treatment that exfoliates the skin, cleanses, and infuses serums that treat specific concerns, such as dry skin, acne, and more. It is a quick treatment that provides immediate results without downtime for recovery. For the best results, we recommend adding dermaplaning to your DiamondGlow treatment to further exfoliate your skin by removing “peach fuzz” and dead skin cells. This combination will leave you with a healthy glow!

Certain chemical peels are safe during pregnancy! We recommend scheduling a consultation with one of our estheticians to customize a peel that targets your specific skin concerns.

Schedule a Consultation

Benefits of Peptides in Skincare

Many products you use everyday tout peptides on the label- but what exactly are peptides and why are they important?

What Are Peptides?

Peptides or polypeptides are short chains of amino acids – AKA the building blocks that combine to form proteins such as collagen, elastin, and keratin. These proteins are essential to the structure, texture, resilience, and strength of the skin.

How Do Peptides Work for the Skin?

When you use a skin care product containing peptides, they send a signal to skin cells, telling them to make more collagen and elastin

The quality and quantity of the peptides you use are essential for the adequate production of these proteins.

What Are the Benefits of Peptides in Skincare Products?

• Creates a stronger skin barrier
• Reduces the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles
• Gives you tighter skin
• Eases inflammation and reduces breakouts

How to Choose the Best Peptide Skincare Products?

Choose the right product formulation
Investing in a skincare product such as a moisturizer that contains peptides allows the peptides time to sink into the skin.

Read the label
Vitamin C, hyaluronic acid, antioxidants, and niacinamide, complement peptides and work efficiently together, while others like AHAs (alpha-hydroxy acids) can make peptides less effective by breaking the bonds between the chains of amino acids.

Our Favorite Peptide Products:

Revision Skincare products are specially formulated to provide skin with the right amount of each molecule for maximum skincare benefits in each product.

Shop Revision Skincare