How To Combat Pregnancy Acne

Avoid Giving Acne Treatments

Anything that is not natural should be consulted with your doctor. There are medications that you should avoid at all costs if you are pregnant. Tetracyclines, salicylic acid, trethinone, and isotrentioin are products that could affect your little one.

Regardless of whether it is a cream or a generic drug, many of these substances can harm your baby. Negative problems range from birth defects to miscarriage or infant death .

Therefore, before using any chemical product, the ideal is to first consult with your doctor. And remember that everything you need is in nature and in your eating habits. A little patience and thats it.

How To Tackle Acne During Pregnancy

We all know the stereotype of the radiant expectant mother, with her glowing, picture-perfect, clear skin, but the reality of unpredictable pregnancy hormones can be somewhat different.

For women affected by adult acne, not knowing how their skin will react – or how to keep it under control without many of the most commonly prescribed treatments – may be a concern during pregnancy or when planning to conceive. But there are a number of safe options to keep acne at bay while you’re pregnant.

Reviewed byDr Sarah Jarvis MBE

15-Mar-19·4 mins read

According to dermatologist Dr Anjali Mahto of the British Association of Dermatologists : “Acne during pregnancy is surprisingly common and, for many, tends to occur during the first and possibly second trimester.”

It’s triggered by surges of the hormone progesterone, which increases oil production, and she adds: “Dermatologists have noted that pregnant women with acne may be more self-conscious of the change in appearance pregnancy can bring.”

Using Other Acne Treatments During Pregnancy

Its more difficult to say what can safely treat acne while youre pregnant. Researchers dont give pregnant women medications, so there are no studies to tell us what happens when pregnant women use a treatment.

What we know comes from animal studies and women who have used acne treatments while pregnant. From this, researchers have learned the following about acne medications:

Adapalene : Most experts recommend stopping this treatment during pregnancy.

Antibiotics : Applying clindamycin during pregnancy is thought to be safe. Before using it while youre pregnant, its best to check with your obstetrician or dermatologist.

Antibiotics : Cefadroxil is an antibiotic that can help clear severe acne. In giving pregnant animals large amounts of this antibiotic, researchers havent seen birth defects.

The antibiotics that are often used to treat acne, such as azithromycin and clarithromycin, also seem safe during pregnancy. A few women, however, have had a baby with a birth defect while taking one of these. We dont know for certain whether the antibiotic caused the birth defect.

Pregnancy and antibiotics

Stop taking doxycycline, minocycline, or tetracycline by your 15th week of pregnancy.

Azelaic acid: This is thought to be safe to use during pregnancy. In animal studies, researchers havent seen birth defects.

For this reason, experts recommend that doctors be very cautious when they prescribe dapsone to women who are pregnant.

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How To Get Rid Of Pregnancy Acne: 4 Essential Tips

Posted by The Spoiled Mama on October 28, 2016

There’s a fine line between a healthy pregnancy glow and pregnancy acne — and that line is usually an icky oily one. Whether you’re battling a couple blemishes or at war with a full-blown oil slick, we’ve got the details on how to treat acne in pregnancy.Pregnancy acne: What’s the deal?As usual, blame it on your out-of-whack hormones. Extra hormones in your body cause oil glands to go into overdrive, which can cause breakouts. The good news, however, is breakouts tend to be milder than those from your adolescent nightmares and the duration is much shorter! The extra oil production can be controlled simply by tweaking your skincare regimen.

How To Prevent Hormonal Acne During Pregnancy

Though a surge in hormones during pregnancy can also lead to a “pregnancy glow,” it is also what causes acne. “It is a double-edged sword,” explains Dr. Gohara. “Some women are glowing and some women are more predisposed to acne. Some women have zero acne before and then acne during pregnancy. Some people have acne before then no acne in pregnancy.” In other words, there is no rhyme or reason for acne during pregnancy. “You can’t predict whether it is going to happen to you,” she says. Which means it can be nearly impossible to prevent.

You also can’t predict what type of acne you will have, or where it will occur. “I have seen it occur both on the chin, and everywhere, and also in different forms,” says Dr. Gohara. She has seen pregnant people experiencing everything from whiteheads and blackheads, to deep cystic acne and inflammatory acne. “It is all acne at the end of the day,” says Dr. Gohara.

The good news is that the lifestyle changes many people make naturally when they become pregnant, like eliminating alcohol and highly processed foods and drinking more water, also decrease your likelihood of acne and inflammation during pregnancy, says Dr. Gohara.

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How To Cover Up Acne During Pregnancy

Makeup can be the first line of defense. Concealer and foundation can camouflage hormonal acne and discoloration. “I recommend non-comedogenic products that are oil-free, and I encourage diligent cleaning-off of any makeup each night before bed,” says Dr. Nazarian.

Be sure to pick products that do not contain irritating ingredients. “I suggest avoiding parabens, fragrance, oils, and alcohol, as these ingredients can further irritate the skin,” says Aguilar. “Mineral-based foundation powders offer a breathable yet lightweight coverage.”

If you prefer to forgo makeup completely, you can try other at-home tricks. “Ice your breakouts morning and night for one to two minutes to reduce the inflammation and help with painful cysts,” says Brownlee. She also recommends changing your pillowcases daily or every other day and washing them with a laundry detergent designed for sensitive skin.

Is Bad Skin A Sign Of Early Pregnancy

Some women notice sudden breakouts and ask themselves: am I pregnant? And true enough, increased acne and changes in the skin can be a symptom of early pregnancy. Especially if you dont suffer from spots normally, this could be a sign that your hormone levels are changing.

In some cases, women may start to experience acne symptoms before theyve missed a period. Of course, the only way to know for sure is to take a pregnancy test. Sudden bouts of acne alone do not constitute confirmation either way.

If you are pregnant, then you may find that the acne starts to settle once your hormone levels begin to stabilise. In the meantime, its important not to pick or squeeze the pimples, or you may be left with scars.

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Products To Use For Pregnancy Acne

Salcura

Salcura’s Antiac range, which deeply cleanses, soothes irritation, and prevents infection, is so popular that the makers even offer a 30-day money back guarantee because they’re so confident in its results. Antiac’s star ingredient in the range is Sea Buckthorn, a champion of skincare, containing 25 times more vitamin C than an orange. Sea Buckthorn is also rich in omegas and skin essential vitamins, targeting infection to leave your skin refreshed and revitalised. The Salcura Antiac range includes a Daily Face Wash, Daily Face Wipes, Activ Liquid Spray and Activ Gel Serum, which will all help to keep spots at bay while also keeping baby safe.

RELATED: Top tips for a healthy pregnancy

Sudacrem

For stubborn spots, many women like to use a targeted treatment or cream on the breakout in a bid to make it disappear. And Sudocrem’s Skin Care Cream is the perfect choice for this for pregnant women. It has the same ingredients as the brand’s world-famous Antiseptic Healing Cream but in different proportions, and has the backing from celebrities including Cheryl Cole, who welcomed her son Bear in March 2017.

Bakel

Dr Barbara Kubicka, a London based physician, recommends the skincare line Bakel as it has zero preservatives, colourants synthetic fragrances, petroleum derivatives, silicones, alcohol, PEG, PPG or heavy metals. She says it’s particularly good for “reducing sebum and for its anti-inflammatory properties”.

Universkin

Do You Break Out More When Pregnant With A Boy Or Girl

The gender of your child is irrelevant when it comes to pregnancy breakouts. No scientific evidence shows more or less when youre pregnant with a boy or girldespite any superstitions to the contrary. The hormone changes producing acne happens with pregnancy in general.

That being said, if youre pregnant with multiple children, you have a higher hormone loadwhich means you are a bit more likely to get pregnancy acne than if you were having a single pregnancy.

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Treatments Generally Considered Safe

While the treatments below are considered safe to use during pregnancy, you should talk to your healthcare provider before using any acne medications.

Glycolic acid: Glycolic acid is an alpha hydroxy acid that helps exfoliate the skin and unclog pores. You can find it in many OTC products, and it’s considered very safe to use during pregnancy. Start off slowly, though, because it may irritate your skin.

Benzoyl peroxide: Benzoyl peroxide is found in many over-the-counter and prescription acne medications. It hasn’t been fully studied in pregnant women. However, it’s one of the most widely recommended acne treatment medications and most healthcare providers consider it safe to use during pregnancy. You and your healthcare provider will have to weigh the pros and cons of this medication and decide if it’s right for your situation.

Erythromycin: If your dermatologist decides you need a prescription medication for your inflammatory acne, erythromycin is an option. This antibiotic helps reduce acne-causing bacteria. It’s not the most effective acne treatment, though, and is most often prescribed along with another acne treatment.

Acne treatment facials: This is a completely non-medicated option for treating your acne. During an acne facial, an esthetician will deeply cleanse, exfoliate, and do extractions to clean out your pores. It’s a nice way to pamper yourself during your pregnancy just be sure to let your esthetician know you’re pregnant.

Causes And Prevention Of Pregnancy Acne

Acne is the most common skin disorder in the United States, and affects up to 50 million people, according to the American Academy of Dermatology. Acne symptoms occur when the body produces too much sebum, or oil, which then becomes clogged within pores with dead skin cells to form a bacteria called P. acnes. The condition of acne can be triggered by a number of things, including genetics, stress, and namely, hormones, which is most often the culprit when it comes to pimples during pregnancy.

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What Not To Use

Its also important to avoid certain medications, skincare products, and home remedies altogether during your pregnancy. All of these have contraindications for pregnancy, whether its associated with birth defects, hormone disruption, or can cause developmental problems, according to Dr. Skotnicki:

• Lavender oil
• Oral retinoids including Absorica, Amnesteem, Claravis, Myorisan, Sotret, and Zenatane
• Topical retinoids including Retin-A , Differin or Tazarotene
• Hormonal therapy
• Oral tetracyclines

Some people recommend taking vitamin A and zinc supplements, but there is no strong evidence to support their use for the prevention or treatment of acne. Talk with your OB-GYN before taking any supplements. Your prenatal vitamin should be sufficient for your needs.

Rachel Nazarian Md Faad

Often, these breakouts decrease as the pregnancy continues into the third trimester.

If you do experience better skin in your third trimester, keep in mind that hormone fluctuations are not over. This may mean your acne will reappear.

“Hormones continue to fluctuate during the fourth trimester after the baby has arrived,” says Natalie Aguilar, a dermatological nurse and celebrity aesthetician. “Nursing a baby also stimulates hormones so that our body can continue to make milk. Even if one decides that nursing is not for them, it takes a while for our once-elevated pregnancy hormones to return to normal.” This can delay your return to clearer skin.

Additionally, lifestyle factors while pregnant or while caring for a newborn can also lead to breakouts. “Fatigue can cause our skin to become sluggish and prone to breakouts that may not be hormone-related,” says Aguilar.

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How A Dermatologist Cleared Up Her Pregnancy Acne

Patients often say their acne is as frustrating as it is painful. I feel their pain! During my current pregnancy, I have been dealing with inflammatory acne nodules, which run deep below the skins surface. Larger and more painful than zits or blackheads, these hot, red nodules are more common during pregnancy. They also can leave post-inflammatory pigmentation behind.

Although masks can help cover up some of this acne, they also make things worse. This isnt a great look for a dermatologist part of my job is to help people keep their skin looking good, but even we can have problems with pregnancy acne and maskne!

In a recent study of women with acne, almost half of patients reported that appearance-related concerns negatively affected their social, professional, and personal lives. Many of them noted symptoms of depression, anxiety, and social isolation. Add these feelings to the other body changes in pregnancy and it can significantly affect your mental health.

But the good news is acne inpregnancy can be treated safely. Here are four tips to help clear up and prevent pregnancy-related acne breakouts.

1. Take a hands-off approach.

When acne first appears, our natural instinct is to:

• Pick, pop, or touch, which will only further clog the pore, damage the skin, and spread the outbreak.
• Try too many treatments, which can cause further skin irritation.

Related reading:Why we touch our faces so much and how to break the habit

2. Get a spot-on treatment.

Wash Your Face Gently And Regularly

When I was pregnant, taking care of my skin fell through the cracks. Overwhelmed with all I needed to do, I didnt take the time to care for my skin, often collapsing into bed at the end of the day with all the build-up of the day stuck on my face yuck! Dont be like me take the time to care for yourself.

The best way to keep pregnancy acne at bay is to follow classic skin care tips and to keep your skin super clean. Wash your skin with a gentle, oil-free cleanser at least twice a day. Use your hands, soap up your face, and rinse with cool water to close your pores. Never employ brushes or wash-clothes, which are too harsh and can cause inflammation or chaffing.

For a gentle safe cleaner that is recommended by dermatologists, consider Cetaphil Daily Facial Cleanser. So safe you can use it on babies, this cleanser is free of irritants, thoroughly cleans the skin, and doesnt leave any oily residue. I use and love this product daily!

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Can Early Acne Predict The Baby’s Gender

A lot of women usually gage their gender prediction on pregnancy symptoms based on old wives’ tales. For example, some old wives’ tales mention that when you are carrying a girl, she can steal your beauty, therefore not experiencing a pregnancy glow. According to Medical News Today, women who suffer from early pregnancy acne, blemishes, or breakouts should be carrying a girl. Having a boy usually means clear skin – or so they say. There isn’t enough evidence to turn this old wives’ tale into a fact.

Dont Use Acne Medications

Most acne medications including retinoids, oral isotretinoin, spironolactone, oral tetracyclines , and combination birth control pillsare off the table if you’re pregnant or breastfeeding. Certain drugs used to treat acne may cause serious birth defects.

• RELATED: Pregnancy Skincare: What’s Safe for Your Face and Body

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Why Acne During Pregnancy Is Common And How To Get Rid Of It

• Blog
• Why Acne During Pregnancy Is Common and How to Get Rid of It

Everyone talks about the glow that comes with pregnancy but for many, the increase in oil secretion can cause breakouts, even in women who havent had acne for years. Theres no culprit that we can blame for acne during pregnancy, but dermatologists project that these breakouts are caused by the same thing that causes them during teenage years: hormones. Specifically, a hormone called androgens. If you are breaking out during your pregnancy, heres what you may want to know about how long it will last, why it happens, and how to safely treat it.

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