Pregnancy not only changes your breast and belly, but it also changes your skin in many different ways. If you feel changes in your skin during pregnancy, that’s normal. Because the change in the hormone levels when you are expecting is the main cause of change in your skin. Not everyone feels the change in their skin the same way, some feel less outbreaks while other’s acne get worse. It always varies from woman to woman and from pregnancy to pregnancy. Let’s discuss some of the ways your skin may change during pregnancy which are as follows:
PREGNANCY GLOW:
<One> When you are expecting, your body produces around 50% more blood which provides more blood circulation throughout the body. <Two> As you put on weight during pregnancy, so your skin gets stretched and look brighter and clearer. <Third> Hormones produced during pregnancy can fasten up the process of oil glands which make your skin look more shinier. All these three things can contribute to make your skin look clearer and result in the pregnancy glow. You can experience pregnancy glow at any time of pregnancy, but generally you start feeling the changes from the second trimester. Like other changes, this change is also not permanent and goes away after your delivery. Just smile and enjoy your pregnancy by taking lots of compliments.
ACNE:
Not all women experience pregnancy glow, some may feel an outburst of acne during pregnancy. Because changes in hormones can cause your oil glands to produce more oil (sebum), which is the main reason of breakouts. If you are one of them who faces more breakouts, then you need to take care of your skin properly so as to prevent the acne from getting worse. For this, you can use mild face-wash for oily skin which neutralizes the sebum production, wash your face twice a day, use an oil-free moisturizer, drink plenty of water, add more fruits in your diet, and avoid foods that trigger your acne. It may vary from trimester to trimester.
STRETCH MARKS:
Stretch marks are one of the most common problems that most women (i.e. 50-90%) experience during pregnancy. Those red or purple-colored streaks generally appear around abdomen, thighs, breasts and buttocks. These start appearing when you start gaining weight i.e. in second and third trimester due to over-stretching of the skin. Many factors like family history, how much weight you gain during pregnancy, nutrition etc. can contribute to the appearance of stretch marks. These stretch marks will not easily fade away even after delivery. If you are too much concerned about stretch marks, try using home-remedies (which may or may not be effective) or talk to your doctor.
MELASMA:
During pregnancy, the appearance of dark patches or discoloration around your cheeks, nose and forehead is called as melasma (which is also called as “mask of pregnancy”). Increase in the estrogen, progesterone, and melanocyte-stimulating hormones are the main cause of melasma during pregnancy. Around 50 % of women during pregnancy can go through this skin issue. But, mostly “mask of pregnancy” fades away within a few months after delivery. Avoid direct sunlight and always use sunscreen to prevent it from getting worse.
LINEA NIGRA:
Some women might notice a dark vertical line from the navel to the public area during pregnancy, this is called as linea nigra. We already have this line but is less noticeable because it’s of a very light color. It just gets darker and more noticeable when you are expecting. The hormonal fluctuation not only causes darkening of the areola, inner thighs, and genitals, but sometimes may also cause linea nigra. Majority of women experience linea nigra during pregnancy, and you cannot prevent it. But relax, just like some of the other symptoms, it is also temporary and will fade away after delivery.
VARICOSE VEINS AND SPIDER VEINS:
The appearance of large veins, mostly appearing around your legs are called as varicose veins. And appearance of small red vessels, mostly appearing around the face, neck, arms and upper chest are called as spider veins. These are mainly caused due to more blood volume and hormonal fluctuations during pregnancy. Don’t stand for too long and take enough vitamin C during pregnancy, to prevent/minimize the occurrence of varicose and spider veins. Apart from this, these also fade away within a few months after delivery.
PUPPP RASH:
Pruritic urticarial papules and plaques of pregnancy (PUPPP) are an itchy and bumpy rash which mostly appears around your belly in stretch marks. Sometimes it may also appear around arms, thighs and hips. The main cause of PUPPP rash is not clear, but maybe it’s genetic or may be due to over-stretching of the skin. It usually appears in the third trimester. Some women are most likely to get these rashes when they are pregnant for the first time and during a multiples pregnancy. To get relief: apply something cold, apply itch-relieve moisturizer (after consulting your doctor), and take an oatmeal or baking soda bath. These rashes will go away within a month or two after delivery.
SKIN TAGS:
Skin tags are the small, loose and harmless growth of the skin, which mostly appear around underarms, under the breasts and around the base of the neck. Again, hormonal fluctuation during pregnancy is the main cause of skin tags in some women. These mostly occur during second and third trimester. These tags are harmless but cannot be prevented. These skin tags may disappear after delivery, if not they can be easily removed by a dermatologist.
CHANGES IN MOLES AND FRECKLES:
As the increased hormones can cause skin pigmentation during pregnancy, so this also cause darkening of moles and freckles in some women, which is normal. This makes them look more noticeable but are mostly harmless. If you have lots of moles, its better to use a sunscreen and protect your skin from direct sunlight. But if you see the change in the shape of the moles or appearance of new ones, then go and get it examined by your doctor. Because in rare cases, these are cancerous.
CHOLESTASIS OF PREGNANCY:
Cholestasis of pregnancy is a liver disease that can cause severe itchiness over your whole body (especially on the palms of the hands and soles of the feet). It can actually slow down or stop the normal flow of bile from the gallbladder, which may cause a serious problem for your developing baby. It can also cause a yellow discoloration of the skin and the eyes. Consult your doctor as soon as possible and take proper treatment because this needs to be treated on time.