Lipstick is one of the very basic cosmetic product that women are known to wear through ages. When it comes to your pregnancy, you can look for other alternatives like a herbal lip balm or a lip gloss to be on the safe side. Lipsticks containing lead can have fatal consequences in
pregnancy. Lipsticks that offer too much of glow is known to be high in lead content. Since, you would not want to come in contact with anything toxic, it is always better to discuss this with your doctor and ensure the brand you use is safe during your pregnancy.
Let us look into what makes lipstick not so safe during pregnancy.
Lead Content in Lipstick
Here are some of the harmful effects that lead can have on the pregnant body.
Harmful Reaction
Lead tends to get deposited in the bone marrow and this floating metal also is known to imitate other vital metals that your body tends to use like
iron, zinc and
calcium. Thus, lead has the ability to react with molecules and proteins and produces hazardous effects. Even though your body has the ability to store this lead, it gets released especially when you are pregnant.
Neurotoxin Effect
Lead is known to have neurotoxin effect on the nervous system. Too much of lead can cause severe damage to the brain development and also result in behavioural issues in the future. There are chances of a baby been born with poor IQ levels or improper brain development. Chances of
miscarriages and problems of infertility become very common with too much exposure to lead.
Also studies conducted by Environmental Health Perspectives (EHP) have found presence of metals like aluminium in higher content compared to lead. However, evidence of effects of aluminium and other metals is comparatively low. Thus, apart from the brand you are using, you must also keep a note of the total number of hours you wear your lipstick in a day.
Petrochemicals in Lipstick
Manufacturers of lipstick are also known to use petrochemicals in lipstick that can be very harmful in pregnancy. Lipsticks are known to contain Bismuth oxychloride, Parabens, a kind of Mineral oil that blocks pores and Formaldehyde that can be potentially harmful for the growing baby.
Lipstick Contain Mineral Oils
Minerals oils contained in lipstick are known to clog skin pores. This makes your lips chapped and dry. Cosmetic products containing mineral oil resulting in clogged skin leads to pimple breakouts.
Natural Lipsticks
The natural ingredients that you find in these lipsticks are cocoa butter, Aloe Vera extract, jojoba oil, candellila wax, iron oxide, Ultramarine and Tocopherol. However, you must be aware of the fact that even though everything is labelled as natural, they may not be suitable for your lifestyle, diet or belief. For instance carmine, lanolin and beeswax are not vegan products. Those who are vegan may not like using such ingredients. Iron Oxide, mica and Titanium Dioxide are known to have some minor effects on your health. However, iron oxide is considered the safest among all.
The popularity of gloss, long lasting varieties have increased concerns about presence of high amounts of chemicals like manganese, cadmium and chromium that has increased probability of organ damages and fatal consequences in pregnancy. Since lipstick is ingested all through the day, you need to be all the more careful especially in pregnancy. Since you would want nothing but the best for your little one it is better to avoid your inclination to use lipstick during those months of your pregnancy.
Do, be careful, consult your doctor, get right information and do read labels before buying one during pregnancy.
