Pregnancy is a time of emotional and physical ups and downs. At times you feel on an absolute high while at other times your hormones may take you on a complete downswing. And even as your body changes shape and prepares itself for the arrival of the baby, you begin to notice changes in your skin.
And yes, your skin does change during pregnancy. It’s not your imagination. From the much talked about pregnancy glow to the dull dark patches, your skin seems to go through an entire gamut of changes. Most of these changes are to do with hormonal and physical changes that your body experiences and will disappear once the baby makes his appearance. But some skin changes that occur during pregnancy may linger on. Also remember that not all women will experience all the changes.
So even as you revel in your pregnancy, be prepared for the following changes in your skin:
1. The Pregnancy Mask
Your body pumps up the hormone production during your pregnancy. This excessive hormone production will result in increased pigmentation which manifests itself as brown splotches and patches on your facial skin, especially your forehead. These patches are known as melasma and chlosma. One way to prevent the pregnancy mask is to make sure that your skin is not exposed to the sun. Wear a good sunscreen lotion and use a hat whenever you move out.
2. Acne Outbreak
If you have always been prone to acne and pimples, take extra care of your skin during your pregnancy. Your extra active hormones will activate your oil glands to produce more oil and the result is an aggravation of your acne and pimple problem. Try to prevent this by keeping your skin absolutely clean. Be sure to wash your face twice a day. Follow this up with an astringent and an oil free moisturizer.
3. Spider Veins
As your pregnancy progresses, you may notice small blood vessels becoming more prominent from your face to your upper chest. Do not worry; they will disappear soon after your pregnancy. However, in case they trouble you take some extra intake of Vitamin C.
4. Linea Nigra
During the fourth or fifth month of pregnancy, you will notice a dark line running down from your navel to your pubic bone. The linea nigra will fade away after your pregnancy – which is a good thing as nothing can really be done about it. It happens due to hormonal imbalance and corrects itself after the delivery.
5. Stretch Marks
It’s something that most women are unable to avoid during pregnancy. As your pregnancy becomes obvious and visible, you will notice reddish streaks across your abdomen. Experts recommend doing exercises as well as applying lotions which have alpha hydroxyl acids and vitamin E. Unfortunately, most times stretch marks are a permanent change, though over time they may become fainter.
6. Pregnancy Glow
This happens because of increased blood circulation in your body. The stimulation of circulation has its impact on your facial skin. Your face could also turn shiny because your oil glands are overactive. This adds to the glow. You can enjoy this condition while it lasts.
7. Itchy Skin
This is normally confined to the tummy area. It is quite understandable for as you grow to accommodate the baby, the skin across your tummy tightens and stretches. You can keep your abdomen moisturized and use a calamine lotion to reduce the itch. At times, the itch may increase in severity and may also spread to your arms and legs. This condition is known as pruritic urticarial papules and plagues. It’s pretty uncomfortable, but will disappear after your pregnancy.
8. Varicose Veins
You will see the appearance of blue veins on your legs. Varicose veins happen because your body is adjusting to carry the extra blood flow to the baby. They are painful, but you can reduce the intensity of the pain by not standing for long periods of time, walking as much as possible and wearing support stockings for varicose veins.
Pregnancy is a time of changes and your skin is obviously no exception. And just like your pregnancy, the changes will be both good and bad. Enjoy all the good changes that happen and take the treatments recommended to cope with the unpleasant ones. And remember to have fun during your pregnancy!
