Last updated 6 July 2026Checked against NHS & UKTIS (bumps)
This is one of the questions where the honest answer and the panic online do not match.
The short answer
Stop for now, but don't panic.
NHS guidance is to avoid retinoids, the vitamin A creams and serums that include retinol, while you are pregnant. The proven risk comes from high-dose vitamin A taken by mouth, and very little retinol gets through the skin.
So if you have already used one, the advice is simple: stop now, and mention it to your midwife at your next appointment. You do not need extra scans or tests beyond your routine antenatal care.
MAI is medication-aware, and it does not give medical advice or diagnose. For anything about your pregnancy or your medication, speak to your midwife, GP or pharmacist.
Use instead
Azelaic acidVitamin C
Avoid while pregnant
RetinolRetinyl palmitateRetinaldehydeTretinoin
Retinol and the common swaps
What the label offers, and what people reach for instead while they wait to go back to retinol.
Sources: NHS · UK Teratology Information Service (bumps)
Ingredient
In pregnancy
Good for
What to know
Retinol / retinoids
Avoid (NHS)
Fine lines, acne
Stop and tell your midwife. Don't panic if you have already used some.
Azelaic acid
Commonly used
Breakouts, uneven tone
A gentle swap many people use while they wait to go back to retinol.
Vitamin C
Commonly used
Dullness, brightness
A brightening antioxidant, without the vitamin A question hanging over it.
Where to find the swaps
The two options above, in the forms most people reach for. We keep the names general so you can pick the brand you already trust.
WORTH A LOOK
A gentle azelaic acid
The swap a lot of people move to in pregnancy for breakouts and uneven tone. Worth a word with your midwife before you start.
LINK COMING SOON
WORTH A LOOK
A vitamin C serum
Brightens dull skin without the vitamin A question hanging over it. A common stand-in until you can go back to retinol.
LINK COMING SOON
If you buy through a link here, MAI may earn a small commission. It never changes the answer.
Brands rarely say a product is fine, because the legal risk of saying so is high, so they default to avoid. Online you will find people confidently saying both things. So the guidance lands as a flat stop, and the reason it is careful rather than alarmed can get lost.
Common questions
Is retinol safe to use during pregnancy?+
NHS guidance is to avoid retinoids, including retinol, while you are pregnant. The proven risk comes from high-dose vitamin A taken by mouth. The evidence on creams and serums is much thinner, which is why the advice is to stop and mention it to your midwife rather than to worry.
I used retinol before I knew I was pregnant. What should I do?+
Stop using it now and tell your midwife at your next appointment. The strengths sold over the counter and absorbed through skin are considered low-risk by clinicians, and stopping is enough. You do not need extra scans or tests beyond your routine antenatal care.
Which ingredients count as retinoids to avoid?+
Retinol, retinyl palmitate and retinaldehyde are the over-the-counter forms, and tretinoin and adapalene are prescription ones. They are all vitamin A derivatives, so the NHS advice to avoid retinoids covers them. If a label lists any of these, park it until after pregnancy.
What can I use instead of retinol while pregnant?+
Azelaic acid and vitamin C are two ingredients many people move to during pregnancy for concerns like breakouts and dullness. Check anything new with your midwife or pharmacist first, since your skin and the rest of your pregnancy are part of the picture.
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