Giving your baby bump a polish at the beauty
FOR pregnant women, nothing takes the edge off a stressful, exhausting day like a little pampering at the salon and spa. It is a great place for pregnant mommies to unwind and feel like themselves again. Some mommies are scared to go, when they hear hair dye can cause birth defects and that pedicures can trigger early labor. Arab News contacted Dr. Huda Marghalani, obstetrician at Al-Hamra Hospital, to find out what is legend and what is fact.
“Many studies shows that whatever pregnant mothers do, can affect the child. We always tell them to stay away from chemicals as much as they can,” she said. “In a salon these would be in hair spray and hair treatment chemicals. Ask for a chair that far removed from any chemicals or close to a window that offers fresh air,” she added.
To dye the hair or to not to dye is a question that many pregnant moms ask.
“Doctors have different views on the effect of chemicals that may get into the skin when the hair is colored or treated. All agree that this will definitely affect the baby but they don’t know on which level,” said Marghalani. “I personally do not recommend it, because the dye can get into the bloodstream and all the chemical ingredients are absorbed by your skin and can damage the baby,” she added.
Vegetable dye like henna can be a good alternative, but it has limited color options. “Please make sure not to buy hair coloring products found in pharmacies and supermarkets because they contain the chemicals that you are trying to avoid.”
Women have stronger nails during pregnancy; they should take advantage of that. “Nails grow faster when women are pregnant and they should take care of that for hygiene reasons. It is safe to book an appointment and treat yourself with a mani-pedi. I recommend you do it once every two weeks,” said Marghalani. “Do not apply nail polish as much as you can for it might contain toxins. Do not try the new kinds of nail treatments but stick to old-fashioned nail cleaning,” she added.
Moroccan Hammam, steam rooms and saunas are a big no-no according to Marghalani. “Increased temperature is known to be connected to birth defects, especially in the first trimester. Try to avoid extremely hot water when bathing as much as you can. Hot steam might also make you lose balance so skip it,” she said. “Hammams require a strong rubbing with a harsh loofa. I don’t recommend it. You should be as gentle as possible when dealing with your body when you are pregnant,” she added.
Facials are good only when using organic products or homemade masks. “If you still think you need more than your natural pregnancy glow, you can visit the spa for a facial session. Just make sure you skip any harsh skin peeling process,” said Marghalani. “When using the facial steam, try to make it short and include short breaks so you can take a fresh breath of air between. It would be even better if you could skip the spa and do it yourself at home by using ingredients from your kitchen,” she added.
Massages are the prefect way to unwind and it helps improve circulation, soothe stress and eases aches and pains for pregnant women. “Massages are actually good for pregnant women but make sure your schedule with a professional masseuse who knows what she’s doing because pregnant women should be handled differently,” said Marghalani. “Make sure she uses organic oils only because you are trying to avoid scented and chemical oils as much as possible. I recommend using baby oil,” she added.
When going to a spa it is important to make sure the spa is very clean and they wash the items they use with chemical to kill all the germs. “When hygiene is at a high level, you will feel more secure and you will enjoy your spa day without any worries,” she added.