Is witch hazel safe during pregnancy?

Pregnancy comes with a lot of worries, from the safety of your unborn child to the safety of the products you use. One such product is WITCH HAZEL. Witch hazel seems to have become pregnant women’s go-to ingredient for all things skincare and beyond, but is it really safe during pregnancy? Let’s find out in this article.

What is witch hazel?

Witch hazel is an extract made from a plant called Hamamelis virginiana. The liquid extract is distilled from dried leaves, bark and partially dormant twigs.

It has multiple uses: as an antiseptic, local anaesthetic for relieving pain and itching; for treating skin irritations like acne, eczema and psoriasis; or reducing inflammation due to its natural tannins properties.

Some women swear by using witch hazel as a toner on their face or in homemade wipes solution after childbirth since it also helps soothe diaper rash symptoms.

But what are the risks involved when using Witch Hazel when pregnant?

Possible Risks Of Using Witch Hazel During Pregnancy

The Food And Drug Administration (FDA) regulates consumer medical products labeled under ‘OTC’ aka Over The Counter medicines that require no prescription.

Risk Explanation
Allergic Reactions Some people may be sensitive to witch-hazel-based products can lead to Contact Dermatitis. Soaps containing high levels might even dry out tender skin leading to extra irritation
Bleeding Drink small amounts of witch-hazel-containing-tinctures orally increases bleeding tendencies which could continue up until delivery date
Lactation Effects Not much research exists supporting whether topical application affects nursing babies because significant amount never absorbed through intact skin

Absorption Facts

Small quantities applied topically do not seem dangerous unless it’s getting absorbed through an open injury or excessively used, resulting in side effects. Lack of research corroborates whether breastfeeding affects the baby.

Yet as always, before adding anything to your pregnancy routine be sure

What Does The Research Say?

As there is a scarcity of evidence supporting Witch hazel’s safety in pregnancy on both oral and topical use, pregnant women should avoid using without asking physicians first.

Oral Intake

Though some members swear by drinking small amount can prove useful for stomach ailments but could lead to bleeding tendencies further down the road; hence such medications should only be taken with Medical supervision.

Topical application

In various medical situations, witch hazel was not found harmful overall after letting it amply dry out. While most of the exposure data available has relied mostly on animal-based tests to estimate possible side effects relevant to humans’ health concerns where minimal amounts might indeed have systemic Health consequent impacts which ought quickly evaluated by trained professionals.

A variety of publications emphasises how making intake only recommended under medical guidance during gestation periods while also keeping consumption limited quantities since these findings may significantly affect blood clotting mechanisms essential right through childbirth.

Alternatives For Pregnant Women

For any expectant mothers who still feel concerned about using witch hazel products when pregnant, there are alternatives:

  1. Aloe vera gel-It’s best known for its cooling properties.
  2. Calamine lotion-Calms itchiness and reduce inflammation symptoms.
  3. Chamomile tea -can help soothe allergies due to anti-inflammatory properties that calm irritations caused by hormonal changes
  4. Honey-a great natural exfoliating agent suitable for many conditions thanks to antibacterial /disinfecting qualities
  5. Oatmeal soaked baths -Using colloidal oatmeal in bath water results in soothing warmth while simultaneously reducing irritation and itchiness associated with eczema/ rash issues quite well

Final Thoughts

In conclusion, a lack of research supports the viability of using witch hazel when pregnant. Using anything during pregnancy that has not undergone scientific testing puts everyone at stake no matter how much it’s branded to be natural or lacking in harmful substances.

As always with any medical concerns while expecting, talking to your doctor is essential – this an absolute must since they understand your body better than anyone else and suggest best practices accordingly as per obstetric health guidelines.

By proceeding cautiously and taking all necessary precautions, expectant mothers can continue practising self-care without endangerment associated with questionable products. So from hair washing state-of-art curling techniques to smelling great without fear (let alone concern) on what you expose yourself/child(ren), keep exploring- but involving modicum level intelligence alongside industry good guidance!

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