You don’t need to be pregnant to know about its ups and lows, but speaking about having a real taste of the contrasting joy and discomfort of this period is another story. As they say, “it takes one to know one.” Hence, you really need to have personal experience to really get into the shoes of pregnant women all over the world. Despite having that sense of fulfilment and priceless happiness that pregnancy brings, we cannot deny the fact that it also causes a lot of discomfort and skin problems, which are brought about by hormonal changes. You are not pregnant if you won’t experience them. The good news is there are effective pregnancy skin care tips that could address all of these issues. Read this article if you want to learn about the remedies of the common skin problems faced by pregnant women. Even if you’re not pregnant or trying to get pregnant, chances are you have a pregnant sister, friend, co-worker, classmate or patient who need these pregnancy skin care tips.

1.  When it comes to pregnancy skin care tips for treating ance, one crucial fact is that you should be more careful since there are certain drugs that can be harmful to your baby such as Accutane and Retin-A. According to dermatologist Sumayah Jamal, MD, PhD, “You should not use any products that contain benzoyl peroxide, salicylic acid, or any of the retinoids. They are not safe to use during pregnancy.” She also added that instead of using these products, you can resort to sulphur-based products and those that contain glycolic acid, alpha hydroxyl acids, topical erythromycin (with prescription), or witch hazel. In addition, you should avoid abrasive scrubs or exfoliants since your skin is too sensitive for them. Instead, what you can use are milder oatmeal-based facial scrubs that will help in unplugging your oily pores.
2.  Another common skin care problem is the presence of the so-called pregnancy mask and other skin pigments that are not present before pregnancy. Chloasma (or pregnancy mask) appears as brownish or dark yellowish discolorations that occur anywhere on the face sometime during the second trimester. However, these patches are most usually seen on the forehead, upper cheeks, nose and chin. Apparently, they are really hard to hide and nothing can be done to prevent them since they are natural effects brought about by the actions of progesterone and estrogens to the melanin cells in the skin. The good news is that they can still be reduced by limiting sun exposure, which stimulates melanin production. Always apply sunscreen when you are outdoors! And if you’re still dreaming about a sun-bronze glow
   According to Dr. Jamal, there are products with skin-lightening ingredients that are safe to pregnant women – including azelaic acid, topical vitamin C products, Phytocorrective Gel by Skinceuticals and Aveeno soy-based products. If everything else fails, don’t give-up because you can still safely cover these dark pigments using a high-pigment concealer or foundation.
3. According to studies, almost 90% of pregnant women develop stretch marks particularly during the sixth and seventh month of pregnancy. Now, you might just wish you belong to the other 10%. The truth is you just have to accept that stretch marks are part of being pregnant, and though they can’t be removed during pregnancy; there are also effective procedures such as pulse dye laser that can help in removing these marks after the baby is born. However, if you still want to try some pregnancy skin care tips for stretch marks, dermatologist Ken Beer, MD of Palm Beach says that you can use glycolic acid creams or those that contain green tea.
4. As baby bump grows, the abdominal skin of pregnant women also stretches and tightens, which causes additional skin care problems such as uncomfortable drying and itching. In addition, hormonal changes are also responsible for these discomforts. PUPPP or pruritic urticarial papules and plaques of pregnancy are among the common belly itches that occur during pregnancy. It starts its way from the belly button during the 3rd trimester and spreads out over the entire belly, as well as the nearby areas like the thighs, breasts and buttocks. Although PUPPP isn’t harmful at all, you can still try some pregnancy skin care tips that specifically address this issue. According to Ellen Marmur, MD, chief of dermatologic and cosmetic surgery at Mount Sinai Medical Center in New York City, you can try steroid creams with your doctor’s prescription. If you are not comfortable on putting chemicals into your skin, then you can try applying a cloth dipped in warm milk into it.

Enjoy your pregnancy with these helpful skin care tips! You’re a part of a very special miracle that is happening to you and your partner so try to stay relaxed and enjoy the ride!