Pregnancy Concerns: Skin Changes

Without a doubt, pregnancy brings about a lot of emotional and mental changes. After all, you have to get ready for parenthood and all of the responsibilities that come with it.Aside from these changes, however, you might have to deal with various skin changes, too, the majority of which are linked to your changing hormones during pregnancy. In several cases, pregnancy might actually improve certain skin conditions.

However, most pregnant women tend to complain about the following skin problems:

During pregnancy, acne will either get better or get worse. On one side, it can bring about clearer skin in women; on the flip side, it can result in many more breakouts. Acne is driven by hormones, after all, and pregnant women are filled with them. Just accept it.

Hair changes on the skin are also very common during this stage of life. Although it is true that some women end up losing hair after delivering their baby, a lot of women worry about excess hair growth on their chins and lips while they are pregnant. This is completely normal and shouldn’t be worried about, though.

Also known as melasma or chloasma, some pregnant women notice their skin getting darker during pregnancy. This tends to happen due to excess pigmentation and usually affects the skin areas that are exposed to the sun the most, such as the cheeks, forehead and upper lip. Fortunately, this condition will clear up once pregnancy is over. However, if you want to reduce your risk of chloasma during pregnancy, you can simply use a good doctor-recommended sunscreen on the affected skin areas.

4. Spider Veins

In a nutshell, spider veins refer to tiny blood vessels that gather around a single point and stretch out like spider legs across an area of the body. Pregnant women are far more likely to get spider veins on their faces, chest, and arms; but as with chloasma, they will clear up once pregnancy is over.

5. Stretch Marks

Probably the most common skin problem of pregnant women to date, stretch marks show up because the skin suddenly gets stretched during pregnancy. Although it is possible to treat stretch marks post-pregnancy, it would still be best to prevent them altogether. To do this, just make sure you moisturize your skin a lot to help reduce their appearance – most of all on your stomach, thighs, and breasts.

If you are currently experiencing any of these skin changes during your pregnancy and are getting very bothered by them, ask your doctor for help. A lot of the time, doctors will have recommendations on-hand that will help you maintain beautiful and healthy skin all throughout your pregnancy.