Your Skin During Pregnancy: What to Expect From Your Skin When You’re Expecting
Pregnancy is a beautiful journey for any mother-to-be, but if we are being totally honest, it’s also an insane roller coaster of emotion, pains, and yes, acne. Before you lose your mind completely, we’re going to tell you what to expect from your skin when you’re expecting, and most importantly, how to treat pregnancy acne.
Why does pregnancy cause acne?
The acne that we experience as teens is caused by the same culprit that gives pregnant women zits and bumps. During a woman’s first and second trimester of pregnancy, the body goes through multiple changes including hormonal ones. As her body begins its transformation, the number of androgen hormones will increase significantly. The same thing occurs in teenagers during puberty.
As the hormones begin to run rampant, your body will react by sending the glands within your skin into overdrive. These glands are responsible for the production of sebum, the natural body oils that keep us moisturized. Soon there will be an overproduction of sebum which will eventually become trapped under hair follicles and start clogging your pores.
These clogged pores are what lead to inflammation as bacteria also get trapped under the skin. This messy mixture of sebum, bacteria, and dead skin cells is what causes bumps and breakouts.
Can pregnancy acne be prevented?
There are small things you can do to reduce the symptoms of pregnancy acne, but you may not have much luck in preventing it completely.
As we mentioned, pregnancy acne is caused by the hormonal changes brought on by the pregnancy itself. Seeing as those changes cannot be manipulated or stopped, you’ll have no choice but to let nature run its course.
However, you may be able to minimize the severity by keeping your face clean and avoid applying any kinds of oil to your face. You should also wash your hair often and keep it from your face, as hair often carries trapped oils. You should also refrain from touching your face. You may unknowingly have oil or oil-based products on your hand and touching your face with oily fingers is a sure-fire way to ensure pregnancy acne.
Can pregnancy acne be treated?
As with any other moments of breakouts, acne can be treated with various over-the-counter medication, creams, light therapy, and so on.
Pregnant women, however, have to be much more careful. Many medications including both over-the-counter and prescription drugs are often considered unsafe for a pregnant woman and her baby. In order to avoid any issues or mistakes, we suggest that you speak with a professional before deciding to take any medication.
Home remedies are also an option, but many may be a waste of time, as their successes have not been proven by science. Nonetheless, many pregnant women claim that apple cider vinegar is a really great way to cleanse your face and rid it of any bumps. Some even say that strong natural acids like lemon juice or lime juice work wonders when applied to the face.
Again, be sure to speak to a professional before trying out any home remedy or over-the-counter medication.
If you want more information and would like to speak to a professional or would like to explore acne treatment, our experts at The Dermatology Group are ready to give you all of the advice, resources, and options you need. If you’re in the Cincinnati, Ohio area, give us a call today!