Acne During Pregnancy: What You Can Do

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Acne during pregnancy can bring you back to earth with a crash! You are pregnant – you’re probably delighted and excited, you expect to feel great and look blooming. Then wham – all of a sudden your skin breaks out. Why, and what can you do?

Acne in pregnancy is very common. In fact, some women say that they know they are pregnant right away by the pimples! Like many other conditions of early pregnancy such as mood swings, it is caused by fluctuating hormone levels.

As soon as you get pregnant, your hormone levels change. The body begins to produce a lot more of certain hormones – the same hormones that cause acne in many teenagers at puberty by producing an excess of sebum and oils in the face. This means that even if you never had pimples as an adolescent, you may develop them now.

In fact, this is also the reason for that ‘glow’ that many newly pregnant women are said to develop. It’s simply the extra oil production moisturizing their skin.

You can be reassured that after the first trimester, hormone levels will change again and your acne will probably disappear or at least improve. But up until that time it can be distressing if it is severe. The appearance of acne can have a serious effect on the self-esteem of adults as well as teenagers, and you may be worried about scarring. So what are the treatment options?

Pregnancy acne treatment

Regular exercise will help to control your breakouts as it increases circulation of blood to the skin, carrying away toxins and impurities from the inside. Drinking plenty of water can have a similar effect.

Cleansing your face can help but do not use harsh soaps. If you strip the skin of all its oils, the glands will simply produce more and more, increasing the problem.

When it comes to medication, you must be very careful. Unfortunately some of the most effective oral acne remedies are unsuitable for pregnant women because they are believed to cause deformities in many babies. So make sure that your dermatologist knows you are pregnant.

Do not use any creams or lotions that contain Tretinoin for the same reason. Always read the label and consult a health professional if you are unsure about whether something is safe for you to use. Do not assume that something you may have used as a teenager will be effective or safe now that you are expecting a baby.

If you are already taking acne medication and then you find that you are pregnant, contact your doctor right away. There could be serious consequences if you continue to take certain medications for acne during pregnancy.

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