You may have the best skincare regimen with a cabinet full of products. But even then, you may not be prepared for all of the skin changes that can come with being pregnant. These can include, but are not limited to:
- Itchy skin during pregnancy
- Skin tags during pregnancy
- Melasma (the mask of pregnancy)
- Pregnancy-related acne
We’ve put together our 10 best pregnancy skin care tips to help you get that glowing skin that everyone talks about.
Tip #1: Hydrate
Be sure to drink plenty of water while you’re pregnant, even if it makes you feel like you have to pee every 5 minutes. Staying hydrated is good for you and the baby, but it’s also good for your skin. Water helps maintain your skin’s elasticity and can help with dry skin.
Tip #2: Moisturize
Moisturize in the morning after your shower and again at night before after removing your makeup. Hormonal changes and your growing baby can cause tight, itchy skin. Moisturizing twice a day combats that and gives you smooth, supple skin.
Tip #4: Try to Prevent Stretch Marks
If your mom had stretch marks, or you had them with a previous baby, you’re more likely to develop them during pregnancy. You can try using pregnancy-safe creams early on when stretch marks first appear and gently massage them into the stretch marks. You’ll need to do this every day for weeks. These creams and lotions don’t work on mature stretch marks.
Tip #5: Get Plenty of Sleep
Although the further along you get into your pregnancy the harder it can be to find a comfortable sleeping position, you need to ensure you’re getting enough sleep. Fatigue can lead to health problems as well as make your skin look tired and dull. If you can work in a daily nap, that can work wonders.
Tip #6: Don’t Panic if You Get Melasma
Melasma, or “the mask of pregnancy” is hyperpigmentation that affects some women during their pregnancy. You may get light brown, dark brown, and/or blue-grey patches on your skin. There are pregnancy-safe treatments that can reduce the appearance of melasma, and it will eventually fade after your hormones return to normal.
Tip #7: Eat Right
Your OB will likely give you advice on what to eat for a healthy pregnancy. But they may not mention what to eat for healthy, glowing skin. Be sure to incorporate the at least some of following vitamin-D rich items each day: (make 2 columns)
- Almond milk
- Milk
- Eggs
- Meat
- Mushrooms
- Oily fish
- Orange juice
- Yogurt
Related Reading: What to Eat (and Drink) for Your Skin Health
Tip #8: Relax, and Pamper Yourself
Pregnancy can be a stressful time, especially if this is your first baby or you have health issues. That stress shows up in your face, causing fine lines and wrinkles. Book a facial or a prenatal massage to help ease the tension. You deserve it.
Tip #9: Avoid Products with Harmful Ingredients
You may not have read the labels on all of your skincare and beauty products, but you should. You don’t want to use anything that could harm your unborn baby. Ingredients to avoid include:
- Retinoids/Vitamin A
- Salicylic acid/willow bark
- Hydroquinone
- Formaldehyde
- Phthalates
- Chemical sunscreens
That last one – chemical sunscreens – doesn’t mean you should forgo sunscreen while you’re pregnant. You just want to use a mineral-based sunscreen containing zinc oxide or titanium oxide.
Tip #10: Find an Aesthetician Experienced in Pregnancy-Safe Skin Care
Lastly, find an aesthetician experienced in pregnancy-safe skin care. Not all are. At Aesthetics at Cima Health, we understand the skin changes that pregnancy can bring, and we have pregnancy-safe treatments for many of them. We can help with dry skin, itchy skin, acne, melasma, and stretch marks.
For hair that shows up in unexpected places, you should know that will likely disappear once your hormones return to normal after giving birth. And if you get skin tags while pregnant, we can remove those after you’ve given birth.
Schedule a Consultation
Fluctuating hormones and the changes that come with being pregnant make it even more important to have a good self-care regimen and skincare regimen. We provide a range of pregnancy-safe skin care treatments to help you pamper yourself and look your best. Schedule a skincare consultation today to see what the possibilities are. And you’re in experienced hands when you visit Aesthetics at Cima Health.
From the initial consultation to the treatment room, we offer the highest quality aesthetic services, individualized to your needs. We are more than clinicians; we understand how hard it can be to carve out time for yourself to look and feel your best when you’re expecting. We help you make the most of your time by offering the best range of treatments before, during, and after your pregnancy.
Book an appointment today.
