Is it safe while you're pregnant?

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Made by a pregnant woman, for pregnant women.

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Safe

Widely considered fine in pregnancy at normal cosmetic use.

Caution

Limits on strength or amount, or not much data yet. Ask your provider.

Avoid

Linked to risk, or absorbed enough to matter. Pause until after.

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Retinol is one of the most-asked-about ingredients in pregnancy skincare. Here is the full answer.

Ingredients › Anti-aging › Retinol

Is retinol safe during pregnancy?

By the UltraScan team · Updated October 2026 · 4 min read
Avoid

Short answer: stop retinol and other retinoids while pregnant. Oral vitamin A drugs are proven to cause birth defects. The risk from creams is much lower, but doctors still advise skipping them to be safe.

Why it's a concern

Retinoids are forms of vitamin A. Oral isotretinoin is known to cause serious birth defects, so skin doctors treat the whole family with caution. A small amount of a cream gets into your blood. There isn't enough data to say for sure that's harmless, so the standard advice is to pause until after pregnancy and breastfeeding.

Names to look for on the label

RetinolRetinyl PalmitateRetinalTretinoinAdapaleneTazaroteneHydroxypinacolone Retinoate

What to use instead

Azelaic acidAcne, redness, dark spots
Vitamin CBrightening, antioxidant
Glycolic acidTexture, gentle peel
NiacinamidePores, oil, barrier

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Sources
  1. American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists: Skin Conditions During Pregnancy (FAQ).
  2. American Academy of Dermatology: Pregnancy and skin care.

What to look for in a pregnancy scanner app

There are plenty of these apps. Here's what's worth checking before you trust one with your routine.

✓Scans the real label

Barcode lookup plus photo-of-ingredients, so store brands and K-beauty imports still work.

✓Explains its answers

Every flag should name the ingredient and say why, not just show a colour.

✓Knows the other names

Retinyl palmitate is retinol. A good scanner catches the INCI names companies actually print.

✓Lets you try first

UltraScan gives you free scans and a 7-day free trial, so you can check your whole shelf before paying.

Check your whole bathroom shelf in minutes.

Point your camera at any skincare or makeup product. UltraScan flags what to avoid during pregnancy and suggests safer swaps.

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