There are many misunderstandings about sunbathing during pregnancy. UV rays, which sunlight partly consists of, penetrate the epidermis a little. They do their work in the epidermis, depending on the intensity of the radiation (tanning, skin thickening, stimulating circulation, etc.). The penetration depth of UV radiation is so low (max. 0.5 cm) that the fetus is at no risk to come into contact with it.
Should I be careful?
Yes, during pregnancy, the hormone system has changed a lot and that generally leads to a strengthening of the skin pigmentation. Irregular pigmentations in the face can occur in some women (pregnancy mask or melasma / chloasma). This can be very disfiguring and it can still be present in some women even until a few years after the delivery. In 70% of the women this disappears within 1 year. Although this does not pose a threat to health, it is of course important to be careful with the sun. After all, nobody wants to walk around with a facial disfiguration.
Guidelines
Try to avoid large doses of sunlight. So do not sit or lie in the full sunshine. Especially if you have a predisposition to a pregnancy mask, stay out of the sunshine as much as you can and use suncream, but remember to take a Vitamin D supplement. If you do not notice anything special, you can slowly increase the dose. Another problem that many women face is hyperpigmentation on the breasts and abdomen. This usually disappears again after the pregnancy.
Tanning bed
During the first three months of pregnancy, some doctors advise sunbathing under the sunbed. There is no evidence that too high an ambient temperature during pregnancy can harm. Remember, though, to stay hydrated.
Tips
It is important that you continue to feel comfortable. Listen to your body. If you feel cramped or uncomfortable, stop sunbathing. From the 7th month the child can see light in your stomach. Avoid putting too much light on your stomach by placing a towel over it during the sunbathing.
From syedsajjadali In Other