Skin Changes During Pregnancy
Ah, the joys of pregnancy! Your gums feel odd, your feet have grown, your clothes don’t fit, and your ankles threaten to not support all of this extra baggage. Then your darn hormones start to kick in and all kinds of mayhem break loose with your skin. The changes in your body’s hormone levels during your pregnancy may cause some temporary skin problems. Here are some of the common changes and some suggestions on how to alleviate them.
Stretch Marks
Stretch marks appear as streaks running down your abdomen and/or breasts. Stretch marks are one of the most common skin changes that occur during pregnancy. Almost 90% of pregnant woman will experience them. There is no magic potion that can stop you from getting them it generally seems that if you are genetically disposed to getting them, you will. But don’t despair—there are some things you can do to reduce the chances. Exercise (gently) and drink plenty of water to hydrate from within. Applying lotions that contain vitamin E and alpha hydroxy acids have been said to help in the prevention of stretch marks. It is essential that you moisturize the key areas—breasts, belly, thighs and bottom. Do this regularly and you can help reduce the appearance of stretch marks.
Melasma
This “mask of pregnancy” is also referred to as melasma and chlosma. Your body produces more hormones, which can cause an increase in your pigmentation. Melasma causes dark splotchy patches to appear. These spots most commonly appear on your forehead and cheeks and are a result of increased pigmentation. Nearly fifty percent of pregnant women show some signs of the “mask of pregnancy”. To prevent this you should wear a good sunscreen that is at least SPF fifteen whenever you plan on being outside.
Acne
The extra hormones also cause your oil glands to secrete more oil, which can cause breakouts. If you didn’t have one before now, try to keep a strict cleansing routine. Cleanse, tone, and moisturize your face every night and morning. Washing your face more than this can cause your skin to become dry. If you find that you have the opposite problem, dry and patchy skin, you may need to switch from your regular foaming cleanser to crème cleanser that doesn’t remove so many of the skins vital nutrients. Stay away from any acne medicated astringents; they may contain acne medicine that may not be recommended for pregnant women. If you find that you are having extreme problems with acne consult with your doctor or dermatologist.
Itchy Belly
As your beautiful belly grows, your skin will stretch and tighten. This often causes very uncomfortable dryness and itching. Pregnancy massage oils will help alleviate your dry itchy abdomen by keeping it moisturized. Be careful to use oils that are especially formulated for expectant mothers. There are some ingredients in regular oils that are not recommended for pregnant women. When your stomach itches, reach for the oil
Linea Nigra
Around your fourth of fifth month, you may notice a line appear from your navel down to your pubic bone. It may have always been there, though maybe you didn’t notice it before because it was light in color. There is nothing you can do to prevent this line, but the good news is that it will fade shortly after you give birth.
Pregnancy Glow
People may remark on the fact that you are ‘glowing.’ You can thank all of the extra blood circulating around your body—fifty percent more blood in fact.
Not all women will experience these symptoms, and you may just recognize one or two in yourself. If you get through the nine months without experiencing any of them, you are a lucky woman indeed!
Give some extra attention to your body as it copes with these changes. Moisturizing at least twice daily, morning and evening, should be something you do every day. It is as important as brushing your teeth or washing your face. If you need to moisturize even more often throughout the day to keep your skin looking and feeling good, by all means do so. Moisturized skin is healthy skin. A tip on getting the most from your moisturizer: after a warm—not hot—bath or shower, towel gently until skin is just damp. Then apply oil or lotion to seal in moisture.