Skin Changes During Pregnancy

Pregnancy hormones not only loosen joints, and thicken hair, but can cause many changes to the skin of a pregnant woman. Here are a few common pregnancy skin changes.

Itchy Skin - As the pregnant body grows, the skin stretches and often gets itchy. Mothers usually report feeling the itching most around the breasts, stomach and hips. Unfortunately scratching usually just worsens the irritated feeling of the skin. The best remedy to soothe dry or itching skin is for mothers to apply a rich, moisturizing lotion or massage oil to calm the itchy feeling.
Stretch Marks - Many woman already have stretch marks from quick growth during adolescence or a sudden weight gain. Pregnancy is not a guarantee for stretch marks, but many women do get them. A recent study suggests that the best determining factor of whether you'll get stretch marks or not is whether your mother got stretch marks during her pregnancy. Of course, women pregnant with twins or those who experience a rapid weight gain will also be more prone to stretch marks.

While no lotion can prevent stretch marks completely, there seems to be some evidence that creams or lotions containing Vitamin E can help minimize the appearance. Most women find that their stretch marks fade after the birth of their baby.
Dark Spots, Pigmentation, Melasma or "Mask of Pregnancy" - Caused by hormonal imbalances during pregnancy, these dark patches can cover just a small area of skin, or large portions of the face. Sun exposure can make the pigmentation increase and more noticeable so pregnant women should always use sun screen. Most of these dark spots on the skin will fade after the baby is born and will usually not appear until the second trimester of pregnancy.
Acne or Clearing Complexion - If an expectant mother is prone to acne outbreaks around the time of her period, she may find that she has acne outbreaks during pregnancy - especially in the first trimester. Other women find their skin clears up completely, and take on what is often referred to as the "pregnancy glow". One of the reasons this happens is because of the increased circulation and blood volume.

If your skin is prone to outbreaks try a gentle cleanser once a day. Some pregnant women may find benefit from using the Oil Cleansing Method of skin care, while others will prefer to use medicated facial cleansers with a small amount of salicylic acid in it to help prevent acne in sensitive skin. Even women who normally do not need sensitive skin care cleansers may find it necessary during pregnancy.
Linea Nigra - Linea nigra is Latin for "black line" and is the name given to the dark line that can appear in a vertical stripe from belly button to pubic region on a pregnant woman. It's caused by the hormones in pregnancy that will also cause darkening of the areolas and freckles, but will fade a few months after the baby is born. Take care to use a sunscreen with SPF 15 or more when exposing skin to the sun, as this can worsen the coloring.

Even though your skin can undergo several changes during pregnancy, most of the worst effects will fade easily after delivery of the baby.