Is Proactiv Safe During Pregnancy?

For many women appearance of acne on the face can spoil the joy of pregnancy. And it is during this time that many women turn to Proactiv. However the question remains. Is Proactiv safe during pregnancy?
For obvious reason no studies have been done on safety of acne treatments during pregnancy. However we have enough indirect evidence to come to a reasonably certain conclusion.

• “Topical acne medications never have been implicated as a cause of fetal deformities in human beings” (Use of oral and topical agents for acne in pregnancy. J Am Acad Dermatol. 1988 Sep;19(3):431-42.)
• Benzoyl peroxide does penetrate the skin but it is cleared so quickly that concentrations in the blood are negligible.
• Despite being widely used during pregnancy, no adverse effects or other safety concerns have been reported.

So safety of Proactiv during pregnancy (along with other topical acne treatments) has not been studies conclusively.

However we have no reason to believe Proactiv would cause problems during pregnancy. For 3 reasons. First, even though little bit of it is absorbed through the skin it doesn’t accumulate in the body. Second, despite being widely used for years no adverse effects or safety concerns have been reported. Third, Proactiv doesn’t stay on the skin. It’s applied on the face and then washed off quickly, thus limiting exposure even further.

That said we can’t conclusively say Proactiv is safe to use during pregnancy, and you should consult with your doctor before starting.

REFERENCES

• Use of oral and topical agents for acne in pregnancy.
• Transdermal absorption of topical anti-acne agents in man; review of clinical pharmacokinetic data.
• Transdermal penetration of topical drugs used in the treatment of acne.
• Topical acne drugs: review of clinical properties, systemic exposure, and safety.
• Benzoyl peroxide: percutaneous penetration and metabolic disposition. II. Effect of concentration.
• Studies on the percutaneous absorption of benzoyl peroxide.
• Benzoyl peroxide: percutaneous penetration and metabolic disposition.