Skin care for mothers-to-be

During pregnancy, levels of oestrogen and progesterone hormones are increased, and the body’s vascularity (blood flow) is also enhanced. While the latter renders a pinkish/radiant hue to the skin, the hormonal change causes a rise in oil and sweat secretion, as a result of which, the face looks shiny and glowing.

However, excess oil secretion can cause acne and therefore pregnant women should steer clear of high glycaemic index foods, such as processed carbs like bread and cheese, sugar and sweets, including sweet mangoes, says Dr Manjot Marwah, consultant dermatologist and hair transplant surgeon and director at Dr Manjot’s Clinic.

Dr Manjot Marwah

"Another skin problem during pregnancy is pigmentation. Melasma (brown patches on the skin), also known as chloasma, can be avoided by using a sunscreen having a minimum of 30 SPF. Also, eat iron-rich food, take iron and vitamin B12 supplements. Maintain the iron level even after pregnancy to resolve pigmentation problems," she advises.

Thirdly, at this time, some women may find an increase in skin moles and appearance of linea nigra or a vertical dark line going down from the belly button.

Don’t worry about this, as this skin condition automatically reverses post pregnancy. Stretch-marks are quite upsetting for women too. If they use moisturizing lotions, creams or oils twice a day right from the third month of pregnancy (even before the pregnancy becomes visible), stretch-marks can be minimized or controlled to a great extent," she adds.

Dr Sheetal Agarwal, consultant gynaecologist at Apollo Spectra, Delhi, says, "Most pregnant women suffer from Hyper-pigmentation or darkening of the skin, which occurs due to an increase in melanin level during pregnancy. Melanin is the substance in the body mainly responsible for skin colour (pigment). Skin tags are another common issue in pregnant women. It can be described as a small flap of tissue that hangs off the skin but is not cancerous and is painless unless something rubs against them. They can be usually spotted on the neck, chest, back, under the breasts and in the groin."