You might have noticed that your skin tends to change a lot during pregnancy. Dark patches, dull skin, and acne are some of the common skin changes that most women tend to experience. Unfortunately, the list doesn’t stop here. Even your hair can take you on a wild ride.
One day you notice fuller, voluminous hair, and the next day you are shedding hair at an abnormal rate? But what is the root cause of these changes? Well, it’s mostly your pregnancy hormones going crazy inside your body.
The good news is that most of these concerns are harmless and normally resolve completely by the end of your pregnancy. However, in order to maintain your skin and hair in top condition, you might have to up your beauty routine by a few notches and use products that are gentle, mild, and contain pregnancy-safe ingredients only.
7 Skin And Hair Changes During Pregnancy
Let’s take a look at some of the common skin and hair changes that most expecting mamas experience during their gestational period and the best ways to fix them and keep them in great condition.
Dry Skin
Dry skin is a common symptom of pregnancy. Due to rapid fluctuations in your hormones, your skin tends to lose firmness and moisture easily. This can lead to itchy and flaky skin, and make your skin red. You will probably experience dryness in your face, arms, neck, breasts, and thighs.
The best way to alleviate dryness is by including natural body butter in your skincare regimen. Use a body butter that is formulated with ingredients like shea and cocoa butter, rosehip oil, and seabuckthorn oil. All of these ingredients are super-nourishing, hydrate dry skin, and provide 24-hour moisturisation. Make sure to apply the body butter twice a day, once after your bath, and before going to bed. This will help replenish your skin and reduce dryness.
Pregnancy Acne
An increase in blood flow, oil production, and hormonal changes may lead to breakouts or acne. If you already have an underlying acne problem, it could become worse when you get pregnant. Although acne doesn’t cause any risk to your pregnancy, you should be super careful while choosing your products. Do not choose abrasive skin products as they could irritate your already sensitive skin.
Instead, opt for mild and pregnancy-safe products to control your breakouts. You can consider including green tea-infused products in your regimen. Green tea has rich anti-inflammatory and antifungal properties and helps kill acne-causing bacteria.
First, use a natural green tea-based face wash to cleanse your face. This will help purify your skin and control oil production. Next, layer up a green tea-infused face cream to moisturise your skin, balance hydration, and control acne. Follow this routine daily to get relief from painful acne.
Hair Loss And Thinning
Although hair loss and thinning are common symptoms of pregnancy, losing close to hundred strands a day can be quite alarming. Hair loss and thinning occur due to various reasons like hormonal changes, poor nutrition, or a deficiency in thyroid hormone. By making some dietary changes, such as including protein and vitamin-rich foods (spinach, kale, bananas), and following a proper hair care routine, you can tackle this problem efficiently.
You can also try including a hair strengthening oil in your haircare routine. Look for an oil that is packed with ingredients like amla, bhringraj, and coffee to help control hair fall and breakage. Use the hair oil twice a week and then proceed to wash and condition your hair.
Hyperpigmentation
Hyperpigmentation is a hormone-related skin condition and is usually characterised by dark and brown patches on the skin. This usually occurs because the pregnancy hormones trigger the production of pigments. It mostly affects women with sensitive skin and can turn worse when exposed to sunlight and pollutants.
In case you are experiencing hyperpigmentation during pregnancy, we suggest you wear sunscreen daily. Choose a sunscreen that is organic and mineral-based and contains zinc oxide, carrot seed oil, and red raspberry seed oil. Make sure to slather the sunscreen all over your body before stepping out to prevent sun damage and control hyperpigmentation symptoms.
Changes In Hair Texture
You may also experience certain changes in your hair texture, such as your non-frizzy hair becoming extremely prone to frizz. You can tame your frizz and flyaways by switching to shampoos, conditioners, and serums that help lock in moisture and nourish the hair from the roots.
There are a lot of effective treatments for hair frizz, but most of them might be unsafe for your growing baby. Therefore, it is recommended that you consult your doctor first before getting any chemical treatment.
Stretch Marks
As your belly grows bigger to accommodate your growing baby, your skin stretches quite a bit. This gives rise to stretch marks in your abdomen, hips, buttocks, and breasts. These marks usually disappear after delivery but you can still reduce their appearance by applying a natural stretch oil daily. Make sure that the stretch oil contains rosehip and jojoba oil to nourish and moisturise your skin. Apply it daily, twice a day to see effective results.
Dull And Brittle Hair
Some women also experience dull and brittle hair during pregnancy. The hair may also lack volume and shine. To fix this situation, you can always try using a protein-based shampoo to revive your hair and get a nourished shine. Your shampoo must contain coconut-based cleansers to soften and volumnise your hair. Also, try to go easy on your hairstyles and use heating tools to a minimum.
The skin and hair changes that you face during pregnancy might make it difficult for you to achieve that pregnancy glow. But worry not, by following a consistent and pregnancy-safe beauty regimen you will achieve the glow of your dreams easily.
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