“I hate the fact that my face is covered in spots now that I am pregnant. What happened to the radiant pregnancy ‘glow’ I was supposed to have? I was reassured that my skin would clear up eventually once the baby is born but nine months of this is pure agony, what can I do NOW?”
Skin changes during pregnancy
So what can you do if, pre-pregnancy, you had a shapely body and unblemished skin but are nowbombarded by a myriad of changes that prove to be too much to handle, such as acne breakouts or stretch marks? The most important thing is not to panic; help is on its way. As this chapter takes you through the various skin changes that occur during pregnancy, it will provide clear, concise and effective solutions and tips, ranging from practical advice to scientifically proven treatments that are safe for the pregnant woman.
Skin changes such as acne, itchiness and other kinds of skin blemishes are the inevitable outward signs of the transformations that take place in your body during pregnancy. These changes, which are caused by the hormonal ups and downs brought about by being pregnant, may be considered normal by some but not by others-a lot of pregnant mothers-to-be, especially those who are going through this experience for the first time, consider such changes to be abnormal or, using a more clinical term, ‘pathologic’. Some of these conditions may only be present during pregnancy but they can persist long after the baby has been delivered.
In some instances, they can even be permanent. As our hormone levels fluctuate during pregnancy, they can produce a wide array of skin changes that range from mild (such as oilier skin) to severe (such as stretch marks and chloasma). Many, irregardless of their duration, remain a cause of concern especially for expectant or new mothers. For example, no expectant mother likes the idea of living with angry acne even if it is only for nine months. If proper skincare is carried out during this period, however, having beautiful and glowing skin is an attainable goal.
The condition of our skin during pregnancy may also be affected by certain positive and negative habits that we have. For instance, it may be worsened by habits such as smoking or drinking. (It goes without saying that stopping smoking and/or drinking not only benefits your unborn baby but also your overall well-being.)
Each and every one of us who is expecting goes through different kinds of skin changes. Some experience only one type of change, while others may experience two or more. Because of this, it is important to be aware of all the possible changes that may occur so that you will be better prepared to cope with them. It will not do any harm to prepare in advance. What is bad is if you already know what might happen but choose to sit back and do nothing. You should also be aware that some changes may be present during the first pregnancy but not during the second, while others may appear for the first time only in subsequent pregnancies.
Acne
During early pregnancy, some women develop acne, especially those of us who were prone to breakouts during our menstrual periods before conceiving. On the other hand, some find that their acne problems improve while they are pregnant.
The increased levels of hormones during pregnancy can cause increased oiliness or dryness of the skin.
There is no way to predict how these hormonal changes will affect individuals. As a rule of thumb, however, acne usually surfaces or worsens during the first trimester and improves as the pregnancy progresses, possibly because of increased levels of oestrogen.
Here are some tips and solutions that may help prevent breakouts or help you manage the condition:
- Good skin cleansing is the best way to avoid or treat acne breakouts. Wash your face with a mild pHbalanced cleanser (you can also use a cleanser with mild AHA properties) two or three times a day. Do not wash too often or your skin may become dry, thus aggravating the problem. Do not overscrub either as this may leave the skin looking red and angry, and worsen breakouts. Using a toner with mild AHA properties can also be beneficial for oily and acne-prone skin.
- Topical treatments such as benzoyl peroxide (which comes as a cleansing liquid or bar, lotion, cream or
gel) can be helpful in treating acne. Benzoyl peroxide cream or lotion should be applied once or twice daily on the affected areas only. For a start, however, use this medication once a day to see how your skin reacts to it. The cleansing liquid or bar may be used to wash the affected area. Do note that skin irritation is the most common side effect of benzoyl peroxide. This is more likely to occur if the concentration of benzoyl peroxide is high, but it tends to decrease with continued use. Benzoyl peroxide is available over the counter.
- Azelaic acid is another effective anti-acne treatment. Interestingly, it was first investigated in the 1970s as a treatment for pigmentation (brown patches) and was coincidentally found to be an effective acne treatment. It stops the growth of P. acnes, an acne-causing bacteria in the skin. It also helps to keep the skin pores clear. It comes as a gel or cream, and is usually applied to the skin twice a day, in the morning and in the evening. It is available only with a prescription from your doctor.
- Erythromycin belongs to the family of medicines called antibiotics. Topical antibiotics work directly by killing P. acnes. Topical erythromycin comes in the form of a gel, cream or solution and can be applied on the skin to help control acne.
- Most women find that combining the aforementioned treatments can improve results against acne. For example, combining 5% benzoyl peroxide cream and 3% erythromycin gel is highly effective.
- Generally, expectant mothers are advised to avoid oral medicines in case these have an effect on the foetus. Oral erythromycin, however, may be prescribed by a doctor for severe acne.
- Certain lasers, such as Smoothbeam, Aramis and the Vbeam, can also be used to treat acne. Another way of treating acne is LED Photomodulation-a light-based therapy that can improve skin healing and appearance. The device consists of light emitting diodes that emit a non-thermal, low energy light at pulsating frequency. Several sessions of lying under the blue light of such devices have been proven effective in clearing up acne-prone skin. I-Clear or Clearlight treatment also works by reducing the acnecausing bacteria in the skin.
- Despite the many acne medications and treatments around, the following should be avoided during pregnancy and if pregnancy is being contemplated-tetracycline, oral isotretinoin (Roaccutane), topical retinoids (tretinoin, isotretinoin and adapalene or differin), and salicylic acid preparations.
Myths about acne
Myths about acne often aggravate our anxiety about this unwelcome problem so that we sometimes blame unrelated events for our acne problem. So let us get things straight before we draw any conclusions:
1. Acne is not caused by poor hygiene. We are always advised to avoid abrasive scrubbing and alcoholbased astringents that can dry and irritate the skin, especially if we have acne. This, however, does not mean that we should stop cleaning our face altogether. As mentioned earlier, washing twice or thrice daily with a pH-balanced cleanser, without over-scrubbing, and then pat drying is sufficient.
2. Acne has little relationship to diet. In other words, there is no conclusive evidence that chocolate, pizza or other such foods or soda drinks cause acne.
3. Cosmetics do not necessarily cause the development of acne lesions. As long as you use oil-free, noncomedogenic brands if you are prone to acne, these should not cause breakouts. It is also important to note that oil from hair products and suntan lotions can exacerbate acne.
4. Mechanical trauma can in fact make acne worse. Therefore, you should, at all times, avoid picking at acne lesions, because doing so may cause more inflammation and infection.
Skin changes such as acne, itchiness and other kinds of skin blemishes are the inevitable outward signs of the transformations that take place in your body during pregnancy.
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