Is It Safe to Use Petroleum Jelly During Pregnancy?

Petroleum jelly, a blend of natural waxes and mineral oils, is famous as an essential skin care agent for dry, damaged skin. People also love it for its skin-healing properties. It helps create a barrier between cells to lock moisture in the skin. Even after having undisputed popularity, petroleum jelly may sometimes raise the question of whether it’s safe to use for special health conditions like pregnancy and breastfeeding.

In this post, we will provide expert opinions about using petroleum and petroleum-based products during pregnancy.

Why do people love petroleum jelly?

Petroleum jelly has more uses than you actually know. Not only can it help repair your cracked skin, but it can also be helpful in preventing skin damage. Dry, irritated skin is very common while pregnant. Cold, dry air during the winter can only make it worse. Massaging petroleum jelly helps relieve these skin conditions.

Petroleum jelly also works as a tonic for cracked heels. Even you can easily remove dead skin cells by massaging petroleum jelly for a few minutes.

People love petroleum jelly because it’s very easy to use. It gives quicker solutions than many other hydrating agents. It’s also the cheapest option and is usually available in any shop.

Safety concerns about petroleum during pregnancy

Pregnancy is likely to cause unwanted stretch marks on the skin, especially on the belly and waist. As petroleum is a great moisturizer and readily available, many women prefer to use it as a remedy for pregnancy stretch marks.

You should know that petroleum jelly cannot make stretch marks disappear. Well, petroleum jelly can help repair your broken or chapped skin for a while and might give you a good result after a few days of regular application. However, it cannot help get rid of the stretch marks.

Also, many petroleum-based skincare products contain questionable chemicals. It’s another reason why you wouldn’t want to use petroleum jelly while pregnant. 

What about Vaseline, the oldest petroleum jelly brand and one of those few skin products you’ll find at every home? Since Vaseline uses a pure, refined form of petroleum jelly, it is likely a safe addition to any pregnancy skincare routine.

Beauty and skin care products like lip balms, lipsticks, foundations, mascaras, moisturizers, cleansers, and body lotions contain petroleum jelly in a certain amount. In most cases, the amount is so little that it’s unlikely to harm you or the fetus. Note that ingredients like mineral oil, petroleum oil jelly, propylene glycol, and isopropyl alcohol are often derived from petroleum. So we advise that you try to avoid these ingredients during pregnancy.

Finally, What Do Experts Say?

You’ll see many dermatologists, gynecologists, and surgeons often use petroleum jelly as a medication for special skin conditions like damaged tissue repair. But there’s one thing when the specialists use this as medication: they ensure that it’s safe for you.

We recommend that you should do the same. Don’t buy petroleum jelly from a random local shop, even if it is your favorite beauty store. Talk to your dermatologists if you have any confusion. After all, staying safe should be your priority!