We’ve all heard the story about women who seem to ‘glow’ while they’re pregnant. This glow may be the experience of some women, but others have a more frustrating time. These women have breakouts that start happening during the first and second trimesters. For some, it’s little more than extra-oily skin. For others, a full-on reexperience of their teenage years, fraught with acne drama. Unfortunately, this is a common occurrence, affecting many women each year. Thankfully, there are things you can do to keep breakouts down.
Understanding Pregnancy Acne and What You Can Do About It
If you haven’t already experienced pregnancy acne, you may be one of the fortunate ones. However, there remains a possibility that you’ll have a breakout during your pregnancy. Some women only experience mild breakouts, while others get “Revenge of Puberty” style acne. Pregnancy acne tends to make an appearance somewhere around the 6-week mark.
At this point, your progesterone and androgen levels are starting to sky-rocket. For some women, the result is an overproduction of sebum. This substance is both oily and waxy and usually helps to protect our skin. It can also cause your skin pores to become clogged and pimples to occur as ar result.
Some things you can use to defend against pregnancy acne include:
- Lifestyle Changes – Changing up the food you eat can be beneficial. Avoid highly fatty foods, clean your skin twice daily, and avoid hot showers.
- Gentle Cleansers – Some cleansers can irritate the skin, making breakouts worse. Using a gentle cleanser will help soothe your skin. Focus on the jaw and hairline to take care of trouble areas.
- Don’t Overwash – Your skin can be extra-sensitive during pregnancy. Overwashing can strip away protective oils and cause drying. Your glands will start working overtime, producing more oil to protect your skin, leading to breakouts.
- Pat, Don’t Scrub – Scrubbing your skin can be damaging. Instead, try to make sure you pat your skin dry. You’ll also want to take some extra care while washing. Use your fingertips rather than a washcloth.
- Don’t Pop – No matter how much the urge hits you, don’t pop your zits. This practice can make them stick around longer and may ultimately cause scarring.
- Moisturizing – While this might not seem intuitive, moisturizing with an oil-free moisturizer can ease the irritation. Harsh soaps can make your skin more prone to outbreaks.
- Stay Oil-Free – This oil-free approach goes beyond moisturizing. Hair-care products, makeup, and skincare products should all be oil-free. While you’re at it, find products that are non-acnegenic (not acne-causing) and non-comedogenic.
These are just a simple selection of tips available for helping expectant mothers care for their skin.
Speak To Your Women’s Health Care Provider For Advice
As with the rest of your pregnancy, your provider can be a great source of help. They’ve seen many women go through pregnancy and its associated struggles. Asking them for advice is tapping into the single best resource you have available. If you want to get help fighting pregnancy acne, set up a consultation today.
