The unexpected skin changes when you’re expecting
The body is capable of some amazing things and what the body does and what it ultimately creates during pregnancy is a great testament to this.
And while pregnancy is an exciting time, it can also bring a raft of unexpected changes. As the body’s largest organ, you may notice some changes in your skin. Here are 4 common experiences:
Sensitivity
Your skin can become super sensitive during pregnancy. Usually, it’s due to extra stimulation from additional blood supply, an increase in hormone levels, or an elevated body temperature - or it can be a combination of all three.
To help ease sensitivity, it’s best to use calming and soothing products and not use anything that may stimulate or irritate the skin any further.
Spots and Breakouts
Pregnancy-related breakouts tend to happen around week six, when a hormonal surge of progesterone kicks in to make your glands produce more sebum. These oily secretions can block and clog pores, and trap bacteria that can lead to breakouts.
To balance these breakouts you may want to review the skin care products you’ve been using pre-pregnancy. For example, if your skin is usually dry, perhaps switch up your skin care routine to incorporate products that are more suited to oily skin during this period.
Introducing a gentle, pregnancy safe exfoliant can also help reduce the number of breakouts by helping to remove dead skin cells and debris from the skin’s surface that can also trap the excess oil in the pores. Our Brightening Berry Facial In A Jar is an exfoliating gel in non-sensitising and suitable for pregnancy, using fruit acids and enzymes to gently resurface the skin.
Pigmentation
An increase in hormones – like estrogen, progesterone and melanocortin – all work to stimulate the production of melanin. This can lead to your skin becoming darker, or for patches of pigmentation to appear.
Around 50% of pregnant women experience this and it’s known as ‘melasma’. This occurrence is affectionately named the ‘mask of pregnancy’ as melasma often appears on the forehead, cheeks and the upper lip but it usually goes away after childbirth.
It’s important to also understand that the combination of these hormones, along with exposure to the sun, can significantly increase your chances of developing melasma. So be extra careful about protecting your skin from the sun while pregnant.
Stretch Marks
During pregnancy, the skin stretches often beyond its capacity. This strain places pressure on the collagen and elastin fibres within the skin, making the connective tissue weaker and stretched to breaking point.
These breakages or tears occur within the inner layer and allows us to see the red, inflamed connective tissue through the tears. The inflammation eventually fades and is then replaced by scar tissue, and this is the white or silvery effect you see after the redness fades.
Keeping the skin supple from early on is very important. Massaging a rich moisturising cream onto areas prone to stretching, such as the tummy, bottom and breasts from the first trimester will help keep the skin’s elastic fibres lubricated and ready for the big stretch.
Not sure what products are safe for pregnancy? Head to the Pregnancy collection on our website to see all our safe and gentle squeezes for Mums-to-be.