Caring for Your Skin During Pregnancy

Pregnancy is a time during which a woman's body goes through many changes. Many times these changes are rather frustrating. One of the most especially frustrating types of body changes that occurs during pregnancy is changes to the skin. For a woman who is already naturally prone to having breakouts of acne, pregnancy can amplify this problem. The changing hormone levels that occur during pregnancy cause the pregnant woman's skin to produce more oils, which leads to more acne and skin blemishes. In fact, during pregnancy, a woman's acne is likely to not occur only on the face, but also on other places on the body. Because of these things, it is important to care for your skin properly during pregnancy.

The first thing to keep in mind about caring for your skin during pregnancy is that you need to take caution when using certain skin medications. While it is true that over-the-counter skin medications that contain benzoyl peroxide have been tested and proved to be safe during pregnant, there are some medications that may not be safe for you to use during pregnancy. These skin medications include ones that contain Tetracycline, Salicyclic Acid (a common ingredient in over-the-counter acne treatments), Tretinon (sold under the brand name Retin-A), and Isotrentinoin (sold under the brand name Accutane).

Another important part of caring for your skin during pregnancy is just keeping your skin clean. While this is probably the most obvious way to care for your skin, it is often the most overlooked as well. You should make sure that you clean your skin with an oil-free facial cleanser, and you should avoid any soaps that contain irritating substances such as oils. You should also make sure that you are thoroughly rinsing your skin with lukewarm water to remove any residue from the soap.

Stress can also affect your skin during pregnancy. During pregnancy, stress management is extremely important, not only in terms of your overall health, but even in terms of caring for your skin. Along with stress, keeping an healthy diet and regularly exercising can help to keep your skin healthy. Regular daily exercise can help to increase blood flow to the skin, and will help it to be more tone and stay more healthy.

Each pregnancy, expectant mother, and unborn child is different. Your pregnancy may not progress the same as the information found here. The information here is based on the average pregnancy. It's not meant to be a replacement for any advice your may receive from your doctor. If you have any concerns about your pregnancy, we advise you to contact your doctor.