Pregnancy Wreaks Havoc On Your Skin
HELLO, BREAKOUTS!! I haven’t had breakouts like this since I was a teenager. My chin, cheeks, and hairline (yes, my hairline!) have all been invaded. And it isn’t going away. Oh, and we aren’t just talking my face. My back and chest resemble maps of volcanic islands. I dug up some research to figure out why my skin is suddenly 31 going on 13 and here is what I found[1]:
The same hormones that are supporting this sweet little human can also lead to unwanted acne. Is acne EVER wanted?! The flare ups tend to occur the most during the first trimester when hormones surge the most. Does this mean that it is less common later in pregnancy? According to the article, YES! Should I go ahead and get excited? NO! I don’t want to count any chickens before they hatch. And to be honest, it’s so bad right now, it’s going to take all of 6 months for it to clear up. So what’s a girl to do?
I can’t rely on retinol anymore. I was using it to prevent pre-mature aging from living in a tanning bed for a few years. That was back in the day when I ignored health warnings. I used retinol nightly. It kept my skin from performing its monthly hormonal circus act on my chin. Birth control helped too. Now I don’t have either of these weapons in my arsenal, so what do I do? Pretty much nothing. These breakouts may be my fault. I’m afraid to put anything on my skin. I’m a strange combination of fearful and paranoid right now. It keeps me at a constant standstill. However, with research and lots of questions directed at my ob-gyn, I’m getting over that fear.
Let’s get down to some facts. Many acne medications aren’t safe to use during pregnancy. But there are some pregnancy safe ingredients that can help tame this hot mess which is on my face and torso. I’m going to befriend one or more of the following: lactic acid, tea tree oil, and/or sulfur. I need them to work some supernatural super power on my volcano chains. My ob-gyn said that if over-the-counter brands didn’t work, there are a couple of prescription medications that are pregnancy category B and safe to use during pregnancy. I’m not going to resort to a prescription YET, but I’m not completely ruling it out. If this stuff gets painful enough for me to tap out, I’m not above it.
I know there are some skin care lines out there made specifically for pregnancy (like this one) which makes me feel better. I might try it out. I’ve been saying that for a week. Then I get overwhelmed by the selection. Then I dig deep into reviews. So deep that by the time I’m done, I’m looking up products I don’t even need. Pregnancy skin care then becomes a distant memory. But now it’s back in the spotlight. When I first start using a product, any product, I expect it to deliver amazing, overnight results. Knowing this is unrealistic, I will report back with a 2-week update on my skin and what I’ve been using. Has anyone else struggled with pregnancy breakouts? How did you calm the storm?
[1] https://www.mother.ly/life/youre-glowing-6-ways-your-skin-changes-during-pregnancy?utm_source=newsletter
Add comment