Pregnancy Skin Changes And Problems

During pregnancy there are many changes going on both inside and outside a woman’s body. These changes are visible on the face, hands, abdomen-practically all over the body. They are brought about by hormonal changes, the most common being an increased level of oestrogen. They appear at different stages of pregnancy and most disappear of their own accord after child birth.

The most noticeable is mask of pregnancy as it is on the face. Dark pigmentation appears on the cheeks, nose and forehead and is usually visible in the fourth or fifth month. It gets aggravated due to sunlight. There is no treatment for it as such and the skin will become clear after the birth of the baby. A concealer and foundation can be used to cover it.

Another common skin ailment is the appearance of acne during pregnancy. Most women experience a cessation in acne formation but is some cases the skin becomes more oily than usual. This provides fertile ground for acne. No medication is necessary. Just follow the basic rules of washing your hands and face often. Do not touch your face to prevent carrying germs to it. If any food product seems to encourage acne, avoid it. Eat well and rest properly. Once your hormone level stabilizes, your skin will become clear.

Stretch marks appear after the fifth month and very few women are spared. When rapid weight gain takes place the skin stretches, forming pink coloured stretch marks in fair women, and light brown in dark coloured. They can be formed on the abdomen, thighs, buttocks and breasts. To lessen the chances of these marks becoming permanent, drink plenty of water. Gently apply some oil like olive oil on the areas that are prone to stretch marks. This application should begin as early as the third month so that the skin becomes supple. Some lotions are also now available to prevent stretch marks.

Linea negra is a vertical dark line from the pubis to the belly button. It becomes visible around the third month. There is no need to worry about it as it is present only during pregnancy and will fade away later.

Many pregnant women find that blue coloured slightly raised veins appear on the arms, legs face and many other parts of the body. These are called spider veins. Others may see their palms turning red.

Both these conditions are due to increased level of oestrogen. They will disappear after child birth.