Suns Out Bump Is Out...But Is The Sun A Good Thing?
The consensus generally is that sun exposure, in moderation, is good if you need an adequate dose of Vitamin D.
“Vitamin D is a vitamin we produce in our skin that effects the amount of calcium the body absorbs and is important of bone growth and development.”
The primary status of vitamin D for the child during pregnancy and during breast feeding, is the mother’s vitamin D status.
Therefore, sun exposure becomes essential for pregnant women too as it aids in providing bone creation of the fetus. Moreover, a strong immunity for you and the baby also gets assured. Though too much sun due to higher hormonal levels makes your skin more sensitive than ever.
Due to this potential risks of Sun exposure during pregnancy are:
Skin Cancer
Melasma
Dehydration
Folic acid absorption
Pigmentation changes
The next question that gets asked a lot is:
IS IT SAFE TO WEAR SUNSCREEN?
Yes it is but be mindful of the ingredients.
“Sunscreens are categorized into two types, i.e. physical blockers and chemical blockers. Physical blockers are safe to use as they are a mixture of titanium dioxide and zinc oxide that together aid in reflecting back the harmful UV rays.
On the other hand, chemical blockers are not at all recommended for pregnant women. This is because these blockers contain ingredients that absorb the UV rays rather than reflecting them. And one of such ingredients is oxybenzone that is commonly found in chemical blockers. Oxybenzone has been known to penetrate through the skin and holds the potential to cause allergies, hormonal disturbances, and low birth weight especially in newly born baby girls.”