The period of pregnancy comes with a lot of changes in the body of a woman. You may gain weight or grow lean. Some others develop a large appetite while others have little or none at all. This shows us that everyone’s body has a unique response to pregnancy. In this blog, we shall explore how your skin changes when you are pregnant and most importantly how you can manage it!
Informative right? And don't worry, we won't make it very technical with all these fancy scientific words.
What Causes The Skin To Change During Pregnancy?
During Pregnancy, the skin can change and develop different kinds of pigmentation or better still, colouring. You may also feel quite itchy here and there and this is normal. Do not fret. However, for women who already have certain skin diseases such as psoriasis, it can get a bit better or worse during pregnancy. You may realize that your nipples may get darker and experience dark lines developing horizontally or vertically across the belly. The line is called Linea Nigra and all these are caused by the hormones progesterone and estrogen, which increase the amount of the pigment melanin in your skin. These hormones are also responsible for the itchiness you feel when you are pregnant. Nevertheless, itchiness under the palms or the feet can be caused by problems in the bile ducts, gallbladder and liver and can develop into severe problems and increased risk of intrauterine death.
Normal or Not?
It is fairly normal for your skin to get darker and this is caused by pigmentation changes as explained earlier. Some women get back their natural skin after delivery. Some take months or years to change back to their natural skin while some women have the dark skin staying forever. Note that If you experience any symptom of skin change outside the ones mentioned here or you have severe itchiness, it may be unusual and as such, you should let a doctor check it out.
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Is There A Remedy?
Due to the production of more melanin in the skin caused by the hormones, to prevent your skin from the dark brown patches, you must avoid bright sunlight. You can either stay in the shadow or use sunscreen to prevent the pigmentation. With regards to the itchiness, there are medical treatments you can undergo to heal the sensation of itchiness. Nonetheless, you should see a doctor first for professional inspection and prescription.
Take Care of Yourself!
Changes in your skin are normal during pregnancy. The line that forms on your belly has become a mark that most pregnant women admire. However, more severe pigmentation can be prevented and managed. See a doctor if your skin change is unusual. Do not forget that the itchy feeling during pregnancy can either be a result of the increased hormones and pigmentation or problems with the gallbladder or liver. As such you should seek medical advice to also ascertain the health of your baby if it has effects on its health.
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