- Ten Skin Problems Of Pregnancy
- By Ally McNeal
Pregnancy brings with it many
changes, emotionally, physically, and mentally. From a mental
and emotional standpoint, you’re preparing to adopt a new
role of parent, with all its accompanying responsibilities. Physically,
of course, you’re dealing with changes in the shape, function,
and movement of your body. While we have a society-wide belief
that pregnant women are always glowing, that, unfortunately,
is not always the case. No where is this more evident than in
the skin problems of pregnancy.
|
You’ve probably heard the
phrase, “the eyes are the window to the soul”. If this
is true, your skin is the window to your current state of health
and the changes taking place on the inside. During pregnancy,
aside from all the other issues, you may also have to deal with
a variety of skin changes, including rashes, acne, stretch marks,
breaking nails, hair growth or loss, and dark blotches on the
skin.
Most of these changes are directly
linked to the enormous amount of hormonal fluctuations women
experience during pregnancy. During pregnancy, there are all
kinds of changes which can have impact on your skin, leading
to new skin problems or worsening of existing ones. In some cases,
pregnancy may actually help improve existing skin conditions.
Let’s look at various skin conditions in more detail, defining
the main ten skin problems of pregnancy.
1) Rashes. Rashes appear due to irritation of the
skin. One common pregnancy rash is called pruritic urticarial
papules and plaques of pregnancy (PUPPP). This is the most frequently
seen condition specific to pregnancy. Women with PUPPP demonstrate
a rash which starts on the abdomen and can spread to the breasts,
arms, thighs, and buttocks.
2) Acne. Acne is another skin condition that may
get better or worse during pregnancy. Acne is, at least in part,
driven by hormones, so the hormones of pregnancy can lead to
more breakouts for some women, and clearer skin for others. |
|
3) Oily skin. Oily skin is third skin condition which
may arise during pregnancy. This is related to increased levels
of androgen, the male sex hormone, which causes an increase in
sebum production. The more sebum produced, the oilier the skin.
Many women report that their skin and hair becomes oilier during
pregnancy. Most of the time, these issues can be addressed with
over the counter oil controlling cleansers and products.
4) Stretch marks. The fourth skin problem of pregnancy,
stretch marks arise when the under layers of the skin is stretched,
resulting in visible striations on the surface of the skin. Stretch
marks can be treated after the fact, but the best treatment is
always prevention. Keeping your skin well moisturized, especially
on your tummy, breasts, thighs, can help reduce the appearance
of stretch marks.
5) Spider angiomas. These are another possible skin
problem of pregnancy. Spider angiomas are groups of very tiny
blood vessels which gather around a central point and radiate
out like the legs of a spider. Pregnant women are likely to develop
these on their chest, faces, arms, and sometimes on other places
on the body. Most of these spider angiomas clear up after pregnancy.
6) Chloasma. Chloasma, also called melasma, or the
“mask of pregnancy” is another skin condition which
is diagnosed when certain areas of the skin turn darker because
of excess pigmentation. Most often, this condition affects places
of the skin which are most often exposed to sun, like the upper
lip, forehead, cheeks. This condition is likely to clear up after
pregnancy. Again, you can lessen your chances of chloasma by
using a good (baby safe) doctor recommended sunscreen throughout
the course of your pregnancy.
7) Too much hair. Changes in the hair are also common
during pregnancy. Some women lose a lot of hair within a few
months after delivery, while many are troubled with excess hair
growth during pregnancy. Excess hair growth is most often seen
on the lip and chin, and is triggered by an increase in androgen
and other male hormones during pregnancy.
8) Brittle nails. Many women experience breaking,
splitting, or brittleness to their nails during pregnancy. Physicians
aren't quite sure why this occurs, but it may be managed with
an over the counter nail hardening polish. Check with your doctor.
9) Skin tags. Skin tags are little pieces of skin
which over-grow and hang from the neck. These can increase in
number during pregnancy. If you have skin tags before pregnancy,
it may be that pregnancy will cause these to increase.
10) Atopic dermatitis. Also known as eczema, this
skin condition may appear or worsen during pregnancy. Marked
by extreme skin itchiness, too much scratching can lead to the
skin become red, swollen, or cracked.
If you are pregnant, be sure
to watch for these ten skin problems of pregnancy. If you begin
to develop any of these conditions, seek appropriate medical
advice; you don’t have to suffer through these conditions
for the whole nine months. Chances are that your doctor will
have recommendations which can address your skin problems so
you can have healthy, beautiful skin, even while you’re
pregnant. |
Beauty Secrets of the World
