Poor skin can be irritating and painful, making it hard to concentrate on anything else in life.
While having great skin is an important part of feeling your best, it’s not as easy as just washing your face or applying lotion every day, which doesn’t leave you with a lot of options when you’re pregnant.
Is Vaseline lotion safe for pregnant women? Some say it is, while others swear by other brands.
So, what’s the truth? In this article, we discuss Vaseline and how it can be used to help keep your skin healthy during pregnancy.
So, can you use vaseline lotion during pregnancy? The answer to the questions is...yes! There are numerous ways to benefit from using vaseline throughout your pregnancy.
You can use vaseline as a moisturizer and soothe dry skin, but most commonly you'll probably find yourself using vaseline to reduce stretch marks!
While some experts will tell you that if incorrectly used, there's an increased risk of rubbing essential oils into your skin and causing infections.
Many doctors say these concerns are overblown and recommend oiling up frequently for relief.
What are all those ingredients in Vaseline?
Listed on their website are vaseline lotion ingredients:
- Purified Water (Aqua)
- Petrolatum
- Mineral Oil (Paraffinum Liquidum)
- Glycerin
- Acetylated Lanolin Alcohols (Derived from Wool Wax)
- Butylene Glycol
- PEG-40 Stearate
- Ceteareth-20
- Cetearyl Alcohol
- Laureth-4
- Methylparaben
- Propylparaben
- Methylchloroisothiazolinone
It should be noted that petrolatum does occur naturally in nature as a hydrocarbon residue.
However, it is typically derived from crude oil for use in many products such as lip balm or petroleum jelly used during pregnancy - including vaseline!
The major ingredient in most creams is petroleum jelly.
Petroleum Jelly can contain many different impurities depending on how it was processed to get to its final state which may cause adverse effects if ingested during pregnancy.
Many women also have an allergic reaction to using a cream containing Petroleum Jelly.
This could potentially cause health issues with babies after delivery if they come into contact with your skin.
What is vaseline used for?
Vaseline lotion is used to soothe dry skin, keep nails from cracking and ward off diaper rash in babies.
It can also be used as a moisturizer after hair removal or sunburns.
However, there are safer choices of moisturizers that are easier on your budget and better for your body—including coconut oil (linked to weight loss), shea butter (made from nuts) and olive oil (with anti-inflammatory properties).
But then you may have to sacrifice some of that baby-soft smoothness if you use these instead of vaseline.
However, using vaseline can increase your risk of developing a fungal infection or getting cracked nipples due to chafing.
If you do decide to go with vaseline, at least consider making sure it's 100 per cent pure petroleum jelly rather than a product that contains additional ingredients like fragrance.
While scented versions may smell nicer, they aren't any more effective than non-scented products and they could even cause irritation and allergies when applied topically over large areas of skin.
Ways To Use Vaseline Lotion During Pregnancy
Pregnancy can be a beautiful time in a woman’s life. However, some inconveniences come with carrying another human being around in your belly.
One of those inconveniences is dry skin. But before you run out and buy something to alleviate that dryness, you should know what type of ingredients go into things like lotions and ointments intended to moisturize your skin during pregnancy.
Before stepping outdoors, apply a coating of Vaseline® Jelly to keep your lips moisturised and protected.
It's common for sensitive skin to become more sensitive during pregnancy, so if you're experiencing dry, itchy skin or chapped lips, your doctor may tell you that it's just part of having a baby.
Does Vaseline have any side effects?
Vaseline can cause irritation or skin redness to those with sensitive skin.
However, studies have shown that using a topically applied product containing vaseline does not appear to cause significant side effects in otherwise healthy people with normal skin types.
Side effects may become more apparent when using oil-based products such as vaseline regularly over long periods.
Those allergic to petroleum-based substances may also experience an allergic reaction if exposed to vaseline regularly or in large amounts over a prolonged period of time.
In addition, some individuals who are allergic to lanolin may be allergic to vaseline.
Finally, there are no known negative side effects associated with using topical application of petroleum jelly during pregnancy and breastfeeding.
This is why most doctors do recommend vaseline during pregnancy.
Still, you should always check with your doctor before applying any new substance on your body during pregnancy just in case you are one of those few who might be affected negatively by vaseline or any other substance you use frequently.
Is vaseline lotion good on babies?
Yes and no. Many people use Vaseline on babies as lotion or moisturizer on dry skin during their first year of life, but there are potential issues that you should be aware of before using Vaseline in babies.
Before we dive into these concerns, it's important to understand what exactly vaseline is and why some people use vaseline instead of regular baby moisturizers.
If you look closely at Vaseline, you'll notice that it looks like petroleum jelly. This means that vaseline is composed of hydrocarbons and waxes derived from petroleum oil deposits.
For most babies with normal skin, vaseline will not cause any adverse reactions; however, babies with sensitive skin may develop rashes when exposed to certain ingredients found in Vaseline such as sodium lauryl sulfate (SLS).
This ingredient can also lead to itching and inflammation when applied topically. You may want to opt for baby lotions without SLS if your baby has very sensitive skin or allergies.
Also, many babies have an aversion to having their diaper area touched with cold Vaseline.
One study showed that babies who were massaged with warm olive oil had more positive responses than those who were massaged with cold coconut oil or cold Vaseline.
The same study showed that babies who were massaged with warm olive oil cried less than those who were massaged with cool coconut oil or cool Vaseline.
Even though many parents report success using vaseline on baby eczema, I would recommend consulting your paediatrician before applying vaseline to baby eczema because it can clog pores and trap bacteria under the baby's skin causing infections.
Alternatives to Vaseline Lotion
If you're worried about using products that contain mineral oil or parabens in pregnancy, and if you don't mind spending a little extra money, you can go with some of these alternatives to vaseline lotion:
Johnson's Baby Lotion has a good overall rating on Amazon with over 100 reviews and a price tag under $10.
Expecting mothers often like its non-greasy feel and mild fragrance as well as its smooth application during baby massages post-birth.
It also comes in a handy pump bottle.
CeraVe Baby Moisturizing Cream is another popular choice among expecting moms because of its great moisturizing properties and lack of greasiness.
It also doesn't have any fragrances so it won't bother your nose or baby's skin when applied after diaper changes.
Aveeno Baby Daily Moisture Lotion contains natural colloidal oatmeal which provides gentle, effective relief from dryness caused by eczema, psoriasis, rashes, and even sunburns. The formula is hypoallergenic so it won't irritate sensitive skin either.