Women Skin: During Pregnancy Stage

Going into pregnancy is one of the most beautiful feelings and a dream come true for every woman harbouring a dream of becoming a proud mother. It is a new world and a different experience altogether. It completely changes your outlook towards life. A normal pregnancy lasts for around 40 weeks starting from your last period date. The body goes through a lot of hormonal changes and every woman experiences different symptoms which are not pleasant generally. The first trimester generally causes mood swings, craving for food and tiredness as lot of hormones are changed. These symptoms gradually go away in the second trimester. The second trimester is where the changes in the body become visible and the stomach starts showing up. As the baby is making room for itself, it puts a lot of pressure on the organs which causes aches in back abdomen and pain in the groin and thighs. During pregnancy woman undergoes a lot of changes in skin which makes them bit worried. Following are some of the common skin changes which a woman goes through and a few short and simple remedies which one can follow to get rid of them after confirming it from your doctor.

Stretch Marks - It is the most common skin problem faced during pregnancy, these are vertical marks that develop over the breasts, abdomen, hips and thighs. They begin to develop as reddish purple lines and with time, they become white and wrinkled.

Darkening of the skin - High pigmentation during pregnancy causes darkening of skins mainly at joint areas like under arms, linea alba, nipples, forehead, nose and upper lips. 

Itching – One experiences a lot of itching on the abdomen, palms and soles of the feet. 

Swelling – Increased blood circulation and hormonal change cause swelling of the ankles, fingers and face.

Acne – The hormones working overtime and the continuous body changes causes the skin to produce oil acne.

Pregnancy Glow – The production of hormones is increased because of the increased blood circulation which in turn stimulates glands to produce more sebum which results in a glowing face.

Spider Veins – The collection of tiny dilated blood vessels called spider veins may appear on the face, chest, arms and belly. 

Swollen Breasts – Generally by the sixth week of pregnancy your breast prepares to nurse a baby and hence it tends to swell because of the hormonal surge and expansion of milk ducts.

Changes in Libido - Blood flow and hormonal change makes vagina and clitoris softer and hypersensitive.

Remedies - Light massage with oil or moisturizer is recommended for stretch marks and itching.

Don’t rub or over wash your skin. Use a mild cleanser to avoid surfeit drying it. Don’t be too harsh on your skin.

For acne and over pigmentation one can switch to oil free moisturizer. Cold and warm water is also useful.

Increase the fluid intake, drink eight to ten glasses of fluids daily.

Don't drink caffeine and reduce salty foods intakes.

Rest and elevate your feet.

Always check labels before buying and using any cream or moisturizer as using benzoyl peroxide, salicylic acid, retinols or steroids containing creams could potentially cause birth defects.

For swollen breasts and ease, buy larger soft cotton bras with extra rows of hooks for comfort and adjustments. 

Talk to your husband regarding your feelings, it will bring you both closer.

Author Bio: V.SACHAR MD - a web store that offers beauty products for pregnant women. Sachar posses diverse knowledge in this field and his blog covers every things related to beauty while pregnancy.