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Pregnancy and Skin Care

Pregnancy is supposed to be one of the times when you are at your most beautiful. Everyone tells you that you will have the glow that graces every pregnant woman and that you will never look more beautiful. That’s not always true. All the hormones your body produces during this time will definitely affect your skin as well. It is important to pay attention when it comes to pregnancy and skin care.

Besides morning sickness and lower back pain, there are several skin conditions that women are susceptible to when they are pregnant and caution should be used when choosing products to treat these symptoms. When it comes to pregnancy and skin care, it’s not just mommy that is being treated, in an indirect way your baby may be affected by the products you use.

Prevention Is Always Best

As always it is best to prevent rather cure when it comes to pregnancy and skin care. Stretch marks are the most obvious side effect of pregnancy. Shop around for stretch mark creams and oils that will help to soften and hydrate your skin to increase elasticity. Stretch marks occur from a lack of collagen as your body expands with the baby’s growth. Keeping your skin supple will help to reduce stretch marks.

Hormonal changes also cause a condition called melasma. Melasma is a skin condition that causes pigmentation around the eyes, cheeks and above the lip. Pregnant women with fair complexions or of Asian decent are more susceptible to this skin condition. Simply using a moisturizer with a strong sun block component to it will help in preventing this condition, as sun-burned skin is more sensitive to discoloration.

Back to Nature

Pregnancy skin care also includes treatment for acne; all the stories of glowing skin during pregnancy are not completely true. Some women who do not regularly get pimples may suddenly find themselves with outbreaks of acne. Products that can be absorbed into the blood stream should be avoided completely. Such products will have adverse effects on your growing baby.

It is best to use natural products with no synthetic ingredients. Avoid products with fragrances or funky colors. If possible look for products catered to pregnant women. It is always best to go natural when it comes to pregnancy and skin care.

Balancing Act

Your skin is more prone to dehydration during pregnancy. A few simple switches in the products you use can help counteract the dryness you may feel; for instance, instead of soap use a moisturizing body wash. It’s also a good idea to look into products that are pH balanced to avoid the drying out effect of normal soaps and body washes. You should also moisturize your whole body more than usual during pregnancy to get that sought after glowing look.