Changes in skin and hair during pregnancy, the woman’s skin is very well supplied with blood due to the hormonal changes, small wrinkles disappear due to water retention, and acne can also improve. However, the change in hormone levels and the strong stretching of the skin on the abdomen also puts a strain on the skin. As the skin on the stomach is rather dry for most people, a daily massage with skin and massage oils is highly recommended.
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Changes in skin and hair during pregnancy
Unfortunately, it is impossible to predict how your skin will react to pregnancy. Hair also behaves very differently. There are still hardly any explanations for this, but there are valuable care tips for Changes in skin and hair during pregnancy.
During pregnancy, a woman’s hormone balance is upside down. The levels of estrogen and progesterone in the blood are several hundred times higher than in a non-pregnant woman. Relaxing, prolactin, cortisone… A whole range of the body’s own hormones now flows through the body in higher concentrations.
They not only create optimal conditions for the growing baby but also affect the appearance of the woman: while some are still gaining in beauty, others do not feel comfortable in their skin at all. Impurities suddenly appear on the face; the hair hangs down powerlessly and hardly wants to be styled. Some suffer from extremely dry, flaky skin; mild neurodermatitis can even worsen.
The endocrinologists (endocrinology = science of internal secretion) have not yet found out why the hormone mix has such different effects. However, there is much to suggest that quite individual factors control how the skin and hair of pregnant women react.
Now you can find out which extra care is good for problem skin.
As the unborn child grows, the tension on the abdominal wall increases, which can cause the subcutaneous tissue to tear, and the dreaded stretch marks.
Unfortunately, remain even after birth. Brushing, kneading, and plucking massages of the abdominal skin with a body oil are supposed to prevent the streaks – although according to scientific studies and life experience neither this nor the regular application of lotions helps.
Because the body produces more hormones during pregnancy, which are responsible for the Changes in skin and hair during pregnancy, like dark skin color, dark color deposits often appear in the skin, especially on the nipples, at the entrance to the vagina, and around the exit from the intestine, in the midline of the abdomen (linea fusca) and butterfly-shaped in the face (chloasma uterine). Small, dark-colored warts can also form in many parts of the body. However, these changes recede after birth.
Of course, pregnant women can take a shower or wash their whole body every day. There is also nothing against full baths, not least because women sweat more during pregnancy than usual. The baby, its surrounding membranes and the placenta are well protected by the tightly closed cervix, even if bathwater enters the vagina from outside. Light, non-tight, absorbent clothing supports the well-being of pregnant women.
You may also link to read about Is discharge during pregnancy normal or dangerous?
In the last third of the pregnancy, many women lose more hair due to hormonal changes. However, this is also reflected in the first weeks after giving birth.
What should pregnant women pay attention to when it comes to hair care?
Many pregnant women report that their hair is stronger and silkier, probably due to increased estrogen production. After giving birth and with the drop in hormone levels, women then experience severe hair loss. However, the volume only returns to its original level. If the hair is greasy during pregnancy, the woman can wash it daily with a mild shampoo, but it is better not to blow dry it.
The hot air from the blow dryer only stimulates the sebaceous glands even more. Now many people also allow themselves a visit to the hairdresser more often. Because once the baby is born, there will hardly be time for it at first. However, chemical applications such as dyeing, bleaching, or permanent waves are not suitable: The substances can enter the body through the scalp and reach the unborn child.
However, tints are not an alternative, they contain the same components. Pregnant women are better advised to use harmless vegetable hair dyes, but first test the color on an inconspicuous area. The hormone changes could change the hair so that the color looks different than usual.
What can a woman do if her skin reacts problematically during pregnancy?
Women whose sebaceous glands now produce more sebum often get an impure, oily, and large-pored facial skin. In this case, special products are required as the previous care is no longer sufficient. A cosmetician or dermatologist should adjust the right cream to the skin type of the pregnant woman.
An important basic requirement for purer skin is that the woman removes washed out waste products with a cleansing lotion, facial toner, or washing gel in the morning and evening. Regular peeling prevents further impurities; care masks with healing earth draw fat and sebum from the skin and have a disinfecting effect. Food supplement capsules with yeast or silica can also improve the skin’s appearance.
In women whose skin suddenly becomes very dry and flaky, a general lack of fluid can be the cause. Often the skin already improves when the woman drinks more. Besides, the deficiency can be compensated by special creams – for example with urea or hyaluronic acid, a substance produced naturally in the body that attracts moisture and binds it in the skin. Now and then special moisture or quark mask should soon remedy the problem.
If there are signs of neurodermatitis, however, the woman should not try too much herself, but consult her dermatologist. By the way: Some women even look fresher during pregnancy because their tissue stores more fluid, looks plumper and smaller wrinkles are temporarily smoothed out. If the face seems to be rather swollen due to the water retention, a little brown blush on the cheekbones and both sides of the neck can visually reduce the appearance.
Many expectant mothers get brown spots on their skin. Why is that?
At these spots – the so-called chloasma – the skin tanning agent melanin has accumulated and clumped in the skin. During pregnancy, the body generally reacts to UV light with stronger pigmentation. Freckles and skin mark also become more visible than usual.
This is a hormonally controlled protective shield of the pregnant body against too much sunlight. In some women, chloasma is most noticeable on the forehead, cheekbones, upper lip, or chin. This is known as a pregnancy mask, which recedes of its own accord after the birth. In individual cases, the patches persist for another one to two years.
What to do you feel Changes in skin and hair during pregnancy
So-called whitening products (skin bleaching agents) can accelerate the process by gradually dissolving the melanin clumps. However, the gynecologist has to decide individually whether the woman may already use the respective product during pregnancy and while breastfeeding. To prevent the brown spots from developing in the first place or becoming too dark, expectant mothers should protect themselves from sunlight if possible. Also, normal day cream has the best sun protection factor.If you have any experience about Changes in skin and hair during pregnancy, please let us know by comments or contact us and we will publish your story.
