Pregnancy Care

Are you one of the lucky women whose skin glows with pending motherhood? Or are you one of the unlucky ones who has constant pregnancy skin care problems? Whichever one you are the birth of the new baby will overshadow any hormonal changes that take place in your body.

But of course those women who do suffer with skin problems such as acne, pigmentation, you want to know that help is just round the corner - right?

If you find yourself with acne - this being the number one skin problem in pregnancy according to Ellen Marmur, MD, chief of dermatologic and cosmetic surgery at Mount Sinai Medical Center in New York City - there are things that you can do.

One thing you must remember is that you have to be very careful and choose your pregnancy skin care and beauty products wisely because your hormones are definitely in overdrive during this 9 months of your life hence the reason you most probably are suffering with acne, or dark blotches of skin spattered here and there; or other unsightly spots and bumps.

Marmur states that the most common areas that acne appears is round the chin and mouth area.

Some ladies skin because of the extra hormone activity has excessive amounts of oil and it is partly because of this that you start to get the unforgiving zits on your face which you thought were a thing of the past.

It is as Marmur says important to get it treated as early as you can otherwise you could end up with those dreadful spots after the baby is born.
You can't just use any treatment to fight your acne, as you have to remember that certain products are harmful to the foetus.

An assistant clinical professor of dermatology and microbiology at NYU Medical Center in New York City, Sumayah Jamal, MD, PhD quite categorically says that any skin product that contains benzoyl peroxide, salicylic acid, or any of the retinoids should be given a wide birth.

At this point you might think that you have been left alone and are worried about how you are going to get rid of your acne. Don't fear!

Jamal has some remedies that you can try which are not dangerous to your unborn baby and that is sulphur-based topical products with ingredients like glycolic acid or alpha hydroxy acids or any at-home microdermabrasion treatment.

Not all women however, will respond to those treatments but you can also try says Jamal the prescription cream erythromycin cream and azelaic acid which will not harm your baby.

During your pregnancy you may not be able to use the same beauty or skin care products that you did before you became pregnant because hundreds of skin or beauty items are loaded with artificial chemicals.

So for your baby's sake be very careful what you apply to your skin. Whether it is to clear up acne or just to moisturize or cleanse as the porous nature of our skin means that whatever we apply topically to it, it is soaked through the pores and starts on its journey to the blood stream.

Always, always check the label and if you are unsure about a product then ask your mid wife or doctor. It is better to be safe than sorry.

It isn't only the baby that could suffer from these products - some of the ingredients used in skin care are very toxic and have been related to cancer causing. So even after the birth think about your own health and choose your skin creams and lotions just as wisely.