Safety of cosmetic procedures during pregnancy and lactation
Authors from California, US and Brazil collected data on the safety of most common cosmetic procedures during pregnancy and lactation. It is clear that patients should be made aware of all potential risks and adverse events, therefore a proper time for counseling is essential. Surgical procedures that have no urgency should be postponed until at least the second trimester of the pregnancy. Authors underline that the main concerns with injectable anesthetic drugs during surgery include placental transfer and teratogenicity. For example, lidocaine is a category B drug that is considered safe during pregnancy, as the fetus can metabolize it once crossed the placental barrier. From topical agents, the most that are used during dermatologic procedures are benzocaine, tetracaine, and lidocaine. Of those, benzocaine and tetracaine are a category C drugs due to the risk of methemoglobinemia in the infant. Safety information about chemical peels, neuromodulators, fillers and laser therapy is detailed in the original article.