Pregnancy skin care tips and why you'll look radiant when you're pregnant
Today
COOSEON is talking about the skin changes you're expecting. We know that anticipating the arrival of a little one (especially for the first time) can cause a thousand and one major problems, but don't worry: we're ready for you.
Suppose you're pregnant. First of all, congratulations! It's an exciting time; your body will undergo many changes, and we're happy to help you prepare for them. Your happy question might be: What causes that pregnancy glow everyone is talking about? We have the science below.
Not all skincare ingredients have been proven safe to use during pregnancy or breastfeeding, so it's best to stay safe (it's worth it).
What are stretch marks?
The glow of pregnancy is neither a miracle nor a myth. Mothers-to-be sometimes enjoy glowing, flushed skin due to increased blood circulation, as higher estrogen levels (among other factors) cause blood vessels to proliferate. During pregnancy, the increased blood volume in pregnant women also causes more blood to flow to the skin. Both estrogen and progesterone help dilate (open up more) blood vessels. So not only does your complexion look more radiant during this time, but your face may even look fuller (hello, plump skin). You can thank your baby-to-be for giving you a smooth complexion.
That said, when people say you're glowing, they probably also mean you look happy and energetic! That's why you feel that way.
What to expect when you're expecting (from your skin)？
While many women experience the glow of pregnancy, many women also experience some not-so-exciting changes to their skin. Here are some of the less pleasant changes you may experience in your skin during pregnancy, which may vary throughout your pregnancy. But remember, everyone's experience is unique - the following skin-related pregnancy symptoms won't necessarily happen to you.
Hyper pigmentation
The hormonal changes that occur during pregnancy can lead to the darkening of certain areas of the skin that are more heavily pigmented at first: such as the areola and nipples, genital skin, underarms and inner thighs. The vertical line in the centre of the abdomen is called the white line - a pale line through the belly button that is so subtle it is not usually noticed - it also darkens during pregnancy. When the line between the belly button and the pelvis darkens, it is known as the black line. These changes are temporary - areas of skin that darken during pregnancy usually fade after delivery.
Melasma
It manifests as symmetrical brown pigmentation on the face and is another common skin change experienced by pregnant women (according to some studies, up to 70% of pregnant women develop melasma!). Elevated levels of estrogen, progesterone and melanocyte-producing hormones that occur during pregnancy are thought to be the culprits. If this sounds scary, don't worry: it's not permanent. Melasma usually improves or disappears after delivery.
To reduce or avoid excessive hyper pigmentation, apply sunscreen daily (you should do this anyway!) ) and apply skin care products containing brightening ingredients such as niacinamide and vitamin C from your
skin care fridge.
Pregnancy Acne
If you are prone to adult acne or hormonal acne, pregnancy can actually improve it (thanks, baby). However, in some cases, acne can flare up again, especially in the second trimester. Some women even experience acne for the first time during pregnancy!
The tricky part is that not all anti-acne ingredients are recommended for use during pregnancy. Any product you apply to your skin may be absorbed by your body in small amounts, so be sure to pay attention to the ingredients of any acne treatment product before using it. Topical acne treatments using low concentrations of glycolic acid, lactic acid and other AHAs (alpha hydroxy acids) are usually good. You can buy these over the counter - for example, at a drugstore or at a cosmetic store like Sephora. Low concentrations and small amounts of common anti-acne over-the-counter ingredients, benzoyl peroxide and salicylic acid, are usually considered safe. (High oral doses of salicylic acid are not safe during pregnancy, but a 1% to 2% salicylic acid acne lotion from your local pharmacy should be fine). Of course, if you have any doubts before, you need to understand the point is to use a special
mini beauty fridge for storing these perishable skin care products, as this is often a detail that can easily go wrong but is easily overlooked.
For body acne, aka bacne, we recommend a zinc pyrithione soap bar - it's great for treating both bacterial and fungal acne (it's also good for your face). Zinc pyrithione is often considered safe to use during pregnancy, so you can continue to use it to treat and help reduce body acne. If zinc pyrithione is not suitable for you, another option is a salicylic acid body wash. Since the FDA has not ruled that salicylic acid is not risk-free during pregnancy, we recommend that you consult your obstetrician/gynaecologist before using products containing this ingredient.
Good news: Niacinamide is considered safe for continued use during pregnancy. Although niacinamide has not been officially designated by the FDA as a pregnancy category, it is an essential nutrient that we typically get from our diet. In addition, when applied topically to the skin, only a small amount will be absorbed by the body.
Azelaic acid also has a low absorption rate in the body. It has been designated by the FDA as Pregnancy Category B and is approved by your obstetrician for use in the middle and late stages of pregnancy.
Safe Use of Skin Care Products During Pregnancy
It's important to choose your skin care products carefully during pregnancy or breastfeeding, so here are some skincare ingredients to avoid during pregnancy or breastfeeding.
If you have been using retinol or retinoids, your clinician will advise you to stop using them during pregnancy and breastfeeding. Therefore, if you have a custom Curology cream containing retinoids, for example, you will need to let your Curology provider know that you are pregnant (or even while you are trying to get pregnant). In general, this applies to all vitamin A derivatives - not that they can be dangerous when used topically, but it's always worth being careful when pregnant. Prescription retinoids such as retinoic acid (aka Retin-A), adapalene (aka Differin/Epiduo), or tazarotene (aka Tazorac/Average) have not been tested during pregnancy or breastfeeding, so the FDA cannot officially condone them.
Taking the guesswork out of pregnancy-safe skin care products
Pregnancy can be a bit complicated, but we think skincare should be simple. A simpler skincare routine means more beauty breaks - and as all new parents know, sleep is really valuable. Check out COOSEON's other blog posts and in-depth skincare guides for more pro tips.
Leave a comment
All comments are moderated before being published.
This site is protected by hCaptcha and the hCaptcha Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.