| The skin may undergo any number of changes during | | | | 90 per cent of pregnant women. Increased amounts |
| your pregnancy. This is because the body is | | | | of hormones also disrupt your skin's protein balance, |
| undergoing many changes such as weight loss and | | | | making it thinner than usua. Fortunately after |
| there is also a huge increase of hormones in your | | | | pregnancy, the coloured pigmentation in the stretch |
| body. Skin changes are common and don't pose a | | | | marks gradually fades, and the streaks become lighter |
| serious health risk but check with your GP if serious | | | | than the skin surrounding. |
| problems such as blistering last more than a few days. | | | | Some women are simply lucky with more elastic skin |
| Due to other issues, not related to pregnancy, could | | | | meaning they wont get stretch marks as their skin is |
| possibly bring about skin discolouration, you should | | | | more elastic. You can't stop a stretch mark, but you |
| check with your GP or midwife if you notice changes, | | | | can try to minimise them by avoiding putting on weight |
| such as a change in the size or shade of a mole, or if | | | | too rapidly, rubbing oil or lotion high in vitamin E over |
| pigmentation changes are accompanied by pain, | | | | your abdomen to keep it supple, eating a healthy diet |
| tenderness or redness. If it is necessary your doctor | | | | and undertaking gentle exercise. It may take some |
| will be able to diagnose the problem and prescribe | | | | amount of time for them to fade after pregnancy. |
| appropriate treatment . | | | | Other Conditions |
| Acne | | | | Skin tends to be more stretched during pregnancy not |
| Pregnancy can trigger acne that you may not have | | | | only due to high hormone levels but also because it is |
| experienced since adolescence. When increased | | | | more delicate and stretched. Skin conditions may |
| hormones are produced during pregnancy, they also | | | | worsen such as eczema and soaps and detergents |
| cause the increased production of sebum, blocking | | | | may irritate the skin further. When exposed to sunlight |
| pores and resulting in greasy skin and pimples. | | | | your skin may be more sensitive than previously. |
| Use a gentle cleanser and your skin and only use oil | | | | As you put on weight chaffing may become an issue |
| free moisterisers. If you prefer not to use skin | | | | when the skin becomes moist and red under your |
| products, keep your skin fresh and clean by patting it | | | | breats and between your thighs. Your skin may then |
| dry rather than rubbing, so that you minimise irritation to | | | | become inflamed and blistered and you may notice an |
| the acne. A few weeks after your babies birth your | | | | odour. This is a condition named intertrigo. |
| skin should return to normal. | | | | Finally the skin may be put through a difficult time |
| Stretchmarks | | | | during pregnancy possibly suffering from acne, stretch |
| Depending on your skin colour, these ligns will appear | | | | marks and chaffing among other conditions, but |
| reddish or a brownish colour usually in the breast, | | | | remember the joy of childbirth makes it worth the |
| abdomen and thigh areas. As your skin stretches | | | | suffering in the end. |
| during pregnancy they may appear and effect around | | | | |