During pregnancy your skin is unique!
As a result of pregnancy hormones your skin can be challenging and
does require specialised skincare.
Normal skin changes to the face can include:
- Unbalanced skin
- Pregnancy acne
- Nonspecific dermatitis
- Skin discolouration
Normal skin changes to the body can include:
- Sore breasts and nipples
- Stretch marks and skin blemishes
With the help of our mahumidwife Kathryn, we will explore these common changes and how to resolve them.
Unbalanced skin - dry/oily
What is it?
During pregnancy women often experience unbalanced skin as a result of the dramatic increase of oestrogen and progesterone. The increase in progesterone triggers the oil glands of the skin to enlarge and produce more oily substance called sebum. As a result, excessive oil and the shed skin cells lining the hair follicles block the skin pores and make skin susceptible to bacteria. This can lead to inflamed skin and pregnancy acne (see below for further information).
Dry skin can also be a problem during pregnancy as the body requires extra blood and body fluid to sustain a growing baby, and that extra moisture is often drawn from the skin, making it extremely difficult to maintain skin hydration.
What to do about it
- Use a natural, safe and gentle wash such as mahu Baby Wash to cleans your face twice daily,
- moisturise with mahu Facial Balancing Moisturiser morning and evening. It is designed to safely rebalanceyour skin, reduce inflammation and irritation.
- Drink plenty of water throughout the day
Pregnancy acne
What is it?
Pregnancy acne is usually worst in the first trimester. However, as your pregnancy progresses, your estrogen levels will increase and your acne will likely ease up possibly even disappearing completely. While no one can predict just who will get pregnancy acne, women who have had previous problems with acne or are more prone to breakouts just before their periods may have more difficulties with acne during their pregnancy.
So why has your facedecided to 'break out'? Well, like most of your pregnancy symptoms, your new pimples can be credited to an increase in your hormones. As your hormone levels rise, your pores production of oil increases, leading to oily skin. In some pregnancies, this new oil slick causes that wonderful "pregnancy glow" that so many women get. But for others, oily skin is just a recipe for disaster on your face.
What to do about it
It is best not to use any acne medicine. Even over-the-counter pimple treatment is considered to be a type of drug that should be avoided until you have spoken with your health care provider about which are safe to use during pregnancy.
To help keep your face pimple-free, wash your face two to three times a day with
mahu Baby Wash, it is soap and sulphate free mild cleanser.
After cleansing, rinse your face thoroughly with lukewarm water and gently pat dry. Follow this up with
mahu Facial Balancing Moisturiser to help keep your oil balance at bay. Other ways to keep your skin looking its best:
•Drink lots of water to help keep your skin and your body hydrated and moisturized
•Avoid touching your pimples as this can cause the spread of bacteria leading to more pimples
•Avoid picking your pimples as this can lead to acne scars.
Acne Medications
Always talk with your health care provider before taking any type of medication for your pimples. Some medications that you will definitely want to stay away from include:
•Tetracycline (an oral antibiotic that has been linked to poor bone growth and discolored teeth in babies)
•Salicyclic Acid (a common ingredient in over-the-counter acne treatments)
•Tretinon (sold under the brand name Retin-A)
•Isotrentinoin (sold under the brand name Accutane)
Using Accutane in pregnancy is a big concern among health care professionals as its use has been linked to birth defects, miscarriage and infant death. In fact, of those babies exposed to Accutane during the first trimester, 25-35% were born with birth defects. In order to prevent women who are trying to conceive, who are pregnant or who are breastfeeding, the US has recently set-up a national registry for Accutane users.
According to the new regulations for Accutane use, women who are prescribed this medication must be on two reliable forms of birth control, provide a monthly negative pregnancy test before getting a refill and start taking Accutane two to three days after the start of their period. Although its use in pregnancy has not been as widely studied, it is suspected that Retin-A may cause similar pregnancy complications as Accutane and therefore its use in pregnancy is strongly advised against.
Non-specific dermatitis
What is it?
Changes in hormones during pregnancy can induce red, flaky patches on the face.
What to do about it
Skin discolouration
What is it:
Chloasma is splashes of darkened skin that may appear on the forehead, nose, and cheeks in a mask-like configuration on some pregnant women — more often in dark-skinned women. Redness on the hands and on the soles of your feet, and Linea Niagara or the darkening of the line which runs down the centre of your abdomen to the top of your pubic bone.
What causes it:
Pregnancy hormones, although some experts claim that diet makes a difference. Exposure to the sun can also intensify the discolouration, as can dry under moisturised skin.
What you need to know about it:
Skin discolouration, particularly redness on the hands and on the soles of your feet, is a part of pregnancy. You might also notice the darkening of your areolas and the skin under your arms and between your thighs, as well as the Linea Niagara. Your freckles and moles might look darker, and you might have chloasma, the "mask of pregnancy." Women with darker skin may notice these changes more than fair-skinned women, but no matter what your skin looks like, the marks should fade after delivery.
What to do about it:
- Keep your skin under wraps. Exposure to the sun seems to make skin discolourations darker, even if you use sunscreen. Try a hat with a visor that shades your face, and pull out those long sleeves. Apply a natural sunscreen regularly.
- Keep the skin on your face well moisturised with mahu Facial Balancing moisturiser as it contains Linseed (flax seed) oil: a fantastic source of Omegas 3 + 6 (fatty acids, essential for skin structure), it helps soothe, and revitalise the skin. Aloe Vera: its healing properties strengthen tissue and increase the availability of oxygen to the skin, whilst moisturising to keep skin supple. Vitamin E: is a powerful antioxidant, it will help maintain the skin’s oil balance, reduce water loss from the skin, and help form a protective barrier for the skin and Lavender: essential oil has a healing and balancing effect on the skin, while preventing scarring.
- Keep your body well moisturised with which contains generous amounts of Sweet Almond Oil, rich in vitamins B1, B2, B6 and E it aids in combating itching and inflammation and is a natural moisturiser suitable for all skin type, as well as a powerful skin conditioner. It also contains Shea Butter: one of nature’s most powerful skin conditioners. Shea Butter penetrates quickly into the skin adding elasticity, reducing and healing stretch marks and scars and keeping skin looking soft and luscious and New Zealand Manuka Honey as it soothes, softens and moisturises skin, improving cellular regeneration
- Some experts believe that discolourations are linked to folic acid deficiency. Make sure you’re getting enough through your diet and/or a supplement.
Sore breasts and nipples
What is it?
One of the very noticeable early signs of pregnancy is tender, swollen, sore breasts and nipples. You may notice this pregnancy sign at bedtime when you are trying to get comfortable and go to sleep, when exercising or showering, or when getting dressed.
When you become pregnant, your body begins preparing your breasts for producing milk and breastfeeding. Hormones start increasing. In addition to breast tenderness and swelling, your nipples may feel sore or extra sensitive. Some women notice their nipples darken in colour.
What to do about it:
- Your best bet is to find a good, supportive bra. You may find that under wired bras are less comfortable now. Take the time to get fitted by a specialist, perhaps in a department store or maternity shop; if no one is available to help you, measure under your breasts for size and around the fullest part of your breast for the cup. Try to get fitted more than once during your pregnancy, as you may need to change cup sizes as your breasts grow.
- Use mahu Nipple Cream on your breast and nipple area. It contains safe ingredients that help to soothe and soften, heal, reduce inflammation, relieve dryness and pain.
Stretch marks and skin blemishes
What they are:
Those red, pink, or purplish streaks that appear across your belly, hips, thighs, and breasts during pregnancy. They’re more pronounced on fair-skinned women.
What causes them:
The stretching of your skin to its limits, plus a range of other factors, from heredity (if your mother had them, you'll probably get them) and the rate at which you gain your pregnancy weight (as well as how much you gain).
What you need to know about them:
Ninety percent of pregnant women get them, and there’s no proven way to treat them or to stop, however keeping your skin well moisturised will aid elasticity and reduce the likelihood and severity of stretch marks.
What to do about it:
- Moisturise, moisturise, moisturise with mahu Stretch Mark Lotion, as often as you can. It contains Shea Butter: one of nature’s most powerful skin conditioners. Shea Butter penetrates quickly into the skin adding elasticity, reducing and healing stretch marks and scars and keeping skin looking soft and luscious, Sweet Almond a powerful skin conditioner, New Zealand Manuka Honey: Soothes, softens and moisturises skin, improving cellular regeneration, and helps skin recover, Aloe Vera: its healing properties strengthen tissue and increase the availability of oxygen to the skin, whilst moisturising to keep skin supple and Lavender: essential oil has a healing and balancing effect on the skin, while preventing scarring.
- Put your weight on slow and steady, instead of in big spurts. Eating the best diet possible may also help keep your skin toned — and less subject to stretch marks.
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