Acne Treatment for Lactating Mom?

I'm not postpartum anylonger, but I wish I had tried this back then...I now use ProActiv Solutions. Works Great! And because you don't actually ingest anything, it should be fine while you're breastfeeding.

Proactiv is considered safe for breastfeeding moms.
Kellymom is a highly regarded website with current, trusted info. Here is a link about acne medications and breastfeeding.
http://www.kellymom.com/health/meds/acne-meds.html

Have you ever heard of Arbonne? They believe that everything should be pure, safe and beneficial. The Clear Advantage Line which is for acne really help my girls. Check out my website. nicolemelucci.myarbonne.com.

I have had acne problems/oily skin from teenage-into the 30's-and beyond. I swear by "Coppertone Sport 30 SPF", and used it daily during pregnancy & nursing. It has a mild exfoliant ingredient in it (check w/ your doctor if you are unsure), and my skin is CLEAR. I also limit acidic foods like citrus & tomatoes. Good luck, & keep nursing!

Hi there,

I highly reccomend anything with tree tea oil like face washes or the oil itself on trouble spots. Eventhough it sounds counterintuitive, it is a natural antibiotic and smells really nice and clean. You can get it at health food stores. Make sure you drink a lot of water and I find that I always break out if I am constipated. I don't know if others have this experience but if you don't go every day or every other day, the toxins seem to build up. Proactive is a good line if used in moderation, while I was pregnant, I would use it once or twice a week and my doctor told me it would not harm the baby.

A.,

You need to know that whatever goes on your skin ends up in your bloodstream without the benefit of having been broken down first by the stomach and liver. That means Pro-Active and most other skin products are totally out of the question. Even so-called "natural" or "organic" products are often quite far from what they appear to be. See the Skin Deep report on the Environmental Working Group website for a huge listing of skin products and their safety.

Acne happens due to hormonal issues, stress and food allergies to mention the most common reasons. A skin cream or potion is not a cure. You need to remove the cause. Cleaning the liver to remove toxins which allow the liver to process hormones properly is your best bet.

The other reason can be that you don't have all the proper bacteria in your bowels. This will reflect itself in your skin. Acne is always an issue of either the liver or bowels.

If you feel the need to put something on your skin, try some clay from the health food store. It draws impurities out. Do this regularly, daily at the beginning, then every other day until it's better.

Avoid dairy, sugar and processed flours and foods. Supplement with Essential Fatty Acids. This is an internal, not external problem and it needs to be fixed via safe detoxification and good diet. Eat lots of raw, organic apples too which keep the bowels in better condition and absorb toxins.

I do free nutritional phone consults for those who watch the ten minute video on my website and fill out the form at the end.

S. Hoehner
www.sharethecause.com/detoxqueen

I was told when I was breastfeeding to use your own mother's milk. My daughter had acne as a baby and I had some trouble spots as well. I would put a little on her and myself, and it cleared within a day. Hey,if it works, you don't even have to go the the store!

Hi A.,

Arbonne's Clear Advantage system works wonders!! It is 100% pure, SAFE, & beneficial made Only w/ botanically based ingredients - therefore it won't bleach out your pillow cases or even hair (eek!) like Proactiv and other benzoyl peroxide. All you need is my ID#17364762 to shop online www.theskinyourin.myarbonne.com.

let me know if you have any questions!

:) good luck & check out the amazing before and after pics!

I am a licensed Aesthetician and have taught the subject for many years. Do not use anything with Retinol even if it's not prescription strength.

There are many enzyme products that you can use, papaya, pumpkin, and others. I personally used both lactic (made from milk) & glycolic (made from sugar)acids. Although I have done research showing they are safe I am not endorsing them, only telling you what I have done. In life strange things can happen, If god forbid there is ever a problem I don't want you to think it may have been caused by something you applied to your face. My personal opinion and that of many doctors is that it is safe but what you choose to do is up to you.

Remember your skin is your largest organ and has the capacity to absorb things applied to it which has been proven with blood tests. I would not use any form of salicylic acid because the base is the same as aspirin so there is a chance of blood thinning. I also would not use any form of topical antibiotic.

As a precaution I would make clients get a letter from their doctor stating the treatment was safe but honestly it was only due to the litigious nature of today's society. I would not have done anything I felt was potentially dangerous to the mom or baby which has caused problems with past employers, students, or clients.

Please feel free to contact me if you have any more questions. I am not practicing now due to an injury so I'm not trying to get business but want to ensure you find a balance between clear skin and safety. Congratulations on your baby.

I am a huge fan of Kiss My Face skin care products. I do not usually recommend product lines, especially without making a commission on it but this is the exception. They are a great company, they even send products to the troops and their products reflect their integrity.

One other particular product is a papaya enzyme mask by Arbonne. It will turn your face red like a tomato but that's temporary and normal reaction. I am only recommending that one particular product from that line. Some products have had questionable ingredients that have been FDA banned since that time. I personally prefer to do business with companies who voluntarily remove ingredients or products when safety is questionable.

I am not affiliated with either company and am not responsible for any products they make and cannot guaranty the safety. If you would like to know more all Kiss My Face products are manufactured in Gardiner, NY and they'd be happy to help you.

Kim

I have been using "desert essence thoroughly clean face wash" to wash my face - I use it for atleast a minute then after rinsing I use the "dessert essence natural facial cleansing pads with tea tree oil" to wipe away any additional dirt and grime and then rinse again. I am prone to breakouts and have even used acne medication before I had planned on having kids and this works great for me. I have not used any acne medication since I was pregnant with my first child. For an occasional breakout - I use the "desert essence blemish touch stick" which is essentially tea tree oil as well. This gets rid of acne quickly. All three of these products I found at Trader Joes. I tried all sorts of brands before I found this one that works. I then use oil of olay moisturizer with spf 30 during the day.

FYI - my dermatologist said that the neutrogena acne system did not have enough medication in it to get to the baby and you are not injesting it so you could probably try that - however I go on the safe side and only use natural - desert essence.

I just googled the products on line and they have a website to find stores in your area it is http://www.desertessence.com/store-locator

Good Luck!!!

I would recommend the Clear Advantage line from Arbonne. It is botanically based. I get mine from www.forthecause.net. Worked wonders for me!

I use F.A.C.E. pads. They are enzyme based. Although they look like a stridex pad they are not an astrigent. You wipe the pad on your face (or anywhere you have acne - my teenage son uses it on his back). Wait for it to dry. Splash/pat with warm water to activate the enzyme. The enzyme goes into your pores and dissolves the excess oil that sits there and collects dirt and whatnot that turns into acne. Be aware that initially it draws out any inpurities in your skin. So while it is doing its job and getting everything out of your skin and healing and gone - it almost appears as though "it gets worse before it gets better". I also used this product to take care of poisen ivy that I had on my face!!!

I get it from marketamerica.com/leapintolife. That's also where I get most of our vitamins, non-toxic household cleaners and pet care products. I was getting so much I became a rep to get wholesale cost. So when I hear of person in need I just direct them to the site. Hope you have the great success w/product as I did! Let me know if you have any questions.

I also want to say I agree w/others that the clarity of your skin is a direct reflection of what you put into your body. Doing a colon cleanse will help rid you body of toxins that build up as well. Although I have not done research into the area - I would imagine it is safe to do while nursing as it consists of the following. It is best to eat fresh fruits and veggies for the seven days you do it (good for baby). You want to drink lots of water to keep everything moving (good for baby). And be sure to use a good fiber supplement to grab everything on the way out. If you notice stool too loose increase fiber, if stool too hard increase water and decrease fiber. Just note because you are stirring up the toxins and removing them from the body - you will have a tendency to not feel your best, most energetic and all while this is going on. But afterward you should feel pretty good. A lot of time people to notice a slight weight lose with this process because all that built up stuff is gone from you intestine (large colon). It is my understanding that unless you have a lot of health issues and are on a lot of medications cleanses are only recommended 1-2 times per year. Max up to once per quarter.

Try cutting sugars and white grains out of your diet for two weeks - sometimes your body cuts back on insulin production, and your body evacuates the sugar anyway it can - causing acne breakouts.

I know this is difficult to do with a baby around, but I've also struggled with acne for...well, forever! I've found that, aside from dermatologists stepping in and medicating me, I have breakouts FAR less often when I drink enough water, get enough sleep and eat enough fruits and vegetables - something about keeping my body in its own tip-top shape. (I know sleep is REALLY hard to come by with a 4 month old!) I know that I break out when I don't get enough sleep, or I eat too much "heaty" food (it's a Chinese thing.) "Heaty" foods can be too much meat, too much fried food...even mangos. ;-)

I wash my face with Cetaphil (a soapless cleanser that is fairly inexpensive - I think it's still available at Costco.) I use Oil of Olay moisturizer with sunscreen during the day and whatever light, unscented lotion I can find at night (either Aveeno or my daughter's baby lotion.) It seems counterintuitive, but all of my "acne prevention" techniques from high school were actually OVER drying my skin and CAUSING the breakouts.

Hi A.. I had the same problem, and had success using ProActiv, which seems to be safe. It's a little on the expensive side. If you want to go with something more natural, Melaleuca makes an acne product that also works for me, and that's what I use now. It's a lot cheaper than Proactiv, and I feel better using a product that's even that much safer. Good luck.

Dearest A.,

I found this website about acne and breastfeeding. Keep searching and possibly go to a dermatologist or ask one what is the safest treatments. The web site is listed below.

I am a Seriesse International Consultant and our Continuously Clear Products that Jennifer Flavin herself developed have ingredients that the below web site considers safe while breastfeeding. Yet, I would check with your doctor before using them.

Just search on your computer acne treatments and breasfeeding and bet you will find a wealth of information.

http://acne.about.com/od/adultsacne/a/pregnancy.htm

Thanks.

D. DelVecchio
www.myseriesse.com/timeless

Many people have gotten great results for acne with Mary Kay skin care products, most of which are gentle and natural. I could discuss your specific needs with you on the phone. Call me at ###-###-####. I. Collins, Executive Senior Director for Mary Kay, Inc.