An obstetrician explains the most important pregnancy beauty do's and dont's.

Bec Judd is no stranger to pregnancy. She’s had three pregnancies and now has four beautiful babies to show for it.

She’s learnt a lot along the way, but there are still a few things she has questions about.

In the latest episode of pregnancy podcast Hello Bump, Judd and her co-host Monique Bowley threw all of her questions at resident obstetrician Dr Joseph Sgroi, including the surprising way a brewing bub can affect your beauty regimen.

Listen: Rebecca Judd and Monique Bowley find out all the answers to your burning pregnancy beauty questions. Post continues after. 

“What about hair dye? Are you allowed to bleach your roots?” Judd asked.

“The amount of hair dye that’s actually in – and this is permanent or semi-permanent hair dye – that’s actually absorbed by the scalp is actually very low,” says Dr Sgroi.

"If you've got an irritable scalp then you probably don't want to be using a hair product but getting foils in the first 12 weeks is absolutely fine."

From then on, he says the likelihood of the baby getting any amount of the chemical is low.

"I say to my patients around three to four dyings of the hair during pregnancy is absolutely fine."

Another common question is tanning - the fake kind of course.

“It’s a common question. Fake tanning creams and lotions are generally fine to use, however, your skin can be more sensitive when you’re pregnant, so be sure to test a small area of the skin first,” Dr Kate Gazzard, a Melbourne-based doctor previously told Mamamia.

The working ingredient in spray tans is dihydroxyacetone (DHA), a non-toxic substance that works by reacting with the cells in the outermost layer of the skin, which produces a brown pigment called melanoidin.

It typically stays in the top layer of your skin (which is composed of dead skin cells) so the cells affected by DHA will shed off, and be replaced by new cells.

The concern with spray tans while pregnant is inhaling DHA and other chemicals by accident.

"Spray tans are different, some places won’t allow you to get one if you’re pregnant so check first and I would recommend that you wear a face mask, so as you don’t inhale it,” Dr Gazzard said..

The side effects of inhaling the DHA are not yet fully known, so it’s up to you to decide whether to have one (many do). As always, see your doctor for advice before considering one if you’re concerned.

Listen: Bec Judd and Monique Bowley discuss the agonising final days and hours of pregnancy, the big wait. 

This content was created with thanks to our brand partner Westpac.