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CHAPTER 6

Skin health, beauty and concerns in pregnancy

While for many women the effects of pregnancy on the skin are positive, with people commenting on how they are glowing, some are troubled by niggles or conditions they never expected.

COMMON SKIN CONCERNS

It’s easy to become concerned and unhappy if pregnancy wreaks havoc on your skin. There are five common pregnancy skin problems which many women experience.

1.Stretch marks

Stretch marks are mostly caused by genetics, but diet and hydration of the skin also play a role. They occur due to tearing of the collagen bundles just below your skin. To help keep them at bay, you need to enhance the elasticity and cell strength of your skin. After pregnancy, the stretch marks will fade somewhat, which makes them less visible. Unfortunately, they will never disappear completely.

Self-help tips:

✓Take the tissue salt remedies Calc fluor and Ferrum phos three times daily throughout pregnancy to help with skin elasticity and strength.

✓Apply a nourishing lotion or natural, vitamin E- and A-enriched tissue oil to areas more prone to stretch marks, like the abdomen, breasts and thighs. If you’re allergic or sensitive to skincare products, look for lotions or oils tested for sensitive skins and made by a reputable company. Remember to make sure the product is safe to use in pregnancy; read the label carefully, or contact the company to find out.

✓Make sure you don’t carry excess weight before pregnancy and keep active to stay toned and supple while expecting your baby.

See your midwife or doctor:

You could discuss persistent stretch marks that leave severe scars after birth, but there is very little to be done about them, short of surgery – which will leave scars too and may not eradicate the problem entirely.

2. Itching

Itching is very common, especially on the abdomen and the breasts, but also sometimes in areas like the buttocks, labia, upper arms and thighs. No-one really knows why itching occurs in pregnancy, though changing hormones and stretching skin are often considered the culprits. Fortunately, although distressing and uncomfortable, it’s mostly not serious.

Self-help tips:

✓Stop using harsh soaps, skincare products and detergents for a few days to see if you’re sensitive to one of these.

✓Use a natural, vitamin E-enriched tissue oil.

✓Add a pot of rooibos tea or a handful of bicarbonate of soda to your bathwater.

✓Dab dry cornflour on the itchy areas.

✓Eat more sweet potatoes, carrots, good quality fish and dark, leafy green veggies, as the high amounts of vitamin A and vitamin D in these food sources could help.

✓Take the tissue salt Nat mur and homeopathic calendula tablets.

See your midwife or doctor:

•If you experience severe itching on your hands and soles of your feet, your tummy and later the rest of your body.

•If you feel ill and nauseous, your urine is dark and your stools are a pale colour, you are very swollen or if your skin seems sallow or yellowish.

3.Hyper-pigmentation

Up to 70% of women get hyper-pigmentation, or darkening of the skin, during pregnancy. It is also normal for freckles, moles and blotches to become bigger or darker. This is generally caused by high levels of the hormones progesterone and oestrogen, and by an increase in melanin levels during pregnancy. Symptoms usually disappear a few months after birth.

If you have hyper-pigmentation, you may experience a darkening of:

•The areolae around your nipples.

•Certain patches on your face, especially around your mouth (called chloasma), and over your nose and cheeks (almost like a butterfly shape).

•The line from the pubic bone to the navel in the middle of your belly (called the linea nigra).

•Areas like the genitals, inner thighs and under arms.

•Any areas exposed to the sun.

Self-help tips:

✓Avoid prolonged exposure to the sun; use a hat and pregnancy-safe sunscreen during the day – zinc preparations are very effective.

✓Stay away from sunbeds.

✓Don’t use bleaching creams or herbal preparations that might harm your baby.

✓Use gentle, preferably organic, skin creams so you don’t irritate the areas of pigmentation.

See your midwife or doctor:

•Most medication for pigmentation can’t be used during pregnancy. If you have severe hyper-pigmentation that doesn’t fade within a few months after birth, ask your doctor to prescribe a treatment.

•Ask your doctor to remove any moles that are bothering you.

4.Acne

Many pregnant women struggle with acne – especially intense women who stress easily! Pregnancy acne is also more prevalent in brunettes and darker skinned women. Pimples may be distributed over any part of the body but the face, back and upper arms are common areas.

Self-help tips:

✓It’s important to nurture yourself and relax as much as possible, because of the link to stress.

✓Cut down on red meat and fermented foods like pickles, which increase acidity levels in the body.

✓Eat more fruit and vegetables, and include cooling digestive spices like dill, fennel and mint in your diet.

✓Do not mix fruit with other foods, to help counteract acidity.

✓Keep your meals simple, with not too many ingredients at one time.

✓Drink eight glasses of water a day and avoid caffeine drinks.

✓Cleanse the problem area with a weak solution of rooibos tea.

✓Take the tissue salt remedies Ferrum phos and Calc sulph, and homeopathic calendula tablets, which all support skin health.

✓Walk briskly for 20 minutes a day to improve circulation to your skin.

See your midwife or doctor:

If none of the self-help measures relieve the problem.

5.Dry or flaking skin

To get rid of dry, flaky skin during pregnancy, you need to know what’s causing it. It could be triggered by a new skin product, a change in diet or sometimes even your vitamin supplement. If you can identify the trigger and avoid it, you should see an improvement.

Self-help tips:

✓Use omega-3 plant oils and eat foods that are high in omega-3, like dates, avocados, nuts and seeds.

✓Apply vitamin E-enriched cream or oil that is in a hypoallergenic base.

✓Add a pot of rooibos tea to your bathwater and dab cooled rooibos directly onto the area.

✓Take homeopathic calendula tablets internally three times a day and apply calendula cream to very itchy skin.

See your midwife or doctor:

If you feel unwell or none of this advice helps, do see your doctor.

COSMETIC SAFETY IN PREGNANCY

Some chemicals in body lotions and creams can be harmful to your baby. It’s important to read the labels of every product you use, and to choose only those that specify that they’re safe for use during pregnancy. To be extra safe, avoid any products that contain these ingredients:

•Salicylic acid: This is found in various cleansers, toners, exfoliants and chemical peels. It’s also known as beta-hydroxy acid or BHA.

•Retinoids: These are often found in anti-aging moisturisers and tissue oils. Retinoids taken in pill form cause serious birth defects, so it’s best to avoid creams that contain these too. Other names include Retin-A, retinoic acid and tazarotene.

•Phthalates: These are found in a variety of products including skincare products, plastics and food packaging. They’re often referred to only as “Fragrance”. It’s extremely difficult to avoid them completely, but try to limit your exposure as much as possible.

In pregnancy, beauty treatments must be used with caution. Some are safe, some are not.

•Chemical bleaching or peels: These chemicals are dangerous for your developing baby and should be avoided. If you have chloasma (dark patches of skin during pregnancy), avoid soy-based skincare products as they’ll only make it worse.

•Waxing: This is safe, but go to a reputable salon and make sure the beautician knows you’re pregnant. Note that because there’s more blood flowing to your skin, a wax will be more painful than you’re used to, especially if you go for a bikini wax or Brazilian.

•Tanning: Gentle exposure to the sun is good for you, but make sure you don’t burn, and stay out of the midday sun as Baby may overheat in the womb. Stay away from sunbeds completely. Don’t use tanning lotions or sprays as the chemicals may be harmful to Baby.

•Hair dye and treatments: Professional products are mostly safe if used infrequently. Go to a good salon and make sure the stylist knows you’re pregnant.

•Manicures and pedicures: Nail polish may contain toluene, dibutyl phthalate and formaldehyde, which are all dangerous for Baby. Avoid painting your nails during the first trimester, then choose nail polish that doesn’t contain any of these chemicals.