Pregnancy is a journey where you’ll experience more changes in 9 months than any other time in your life. It is a complete transformation of the body, mind and soul. As these changes are occurring, they can often have a significant impact on our largest organ - our skin.
Pregnancy can bring a variety of changes to the body, some small and some large. Some of these changes will disappear the moment we give birth, and others will take time to disappear, with some remaining permanent.Â
SKIN CHANGES AND CONDITIONS DURING PREGNANCY (AND HOW YOU CAN SAFELY TREAT THEM)
Skin changes throughout pregnancy are common, and although you have no control over the raging surge in hormones that often cause these changes, there are ways that you can safely manage and minimise symptoms.
PigmentationÂ
Hyperpigmentation is common throughout pregnancy thanks to our hormones, which stimulate an increase of melanin output in the body. Scars often become darker and the line down the middle of the belly (linea alba) that many pregnant women experience can also appear. According to Healthline, up to 70 percent of pregnant women also experience melasma, which causes pigmentation on the face. In most cases pigmentation and melasma eases or completely disappears after giving birth.
How to treat it:
Pigmentation (Melasma in particular) can be worsened by exposure to the sun, so SPF should be applied everyday. Even if you’re not actively sitting in the sun, small amounts of exposure to UVA/UVB could be adding to your pigmentation. Investing in a natural Vitamin C Serum can help reduce the intensity of pigmentation while brightening your complexion. Vitamin C is a powerful antioxidant that protects the skin from environmental stressors, including sun damage, and holds many benefits for the overall health of the skin.Â
We recommend LAMAV’s Daily Vitamin C Serum as it contains all the benefits of Vitamin C with additional support from carefully selected bio-active ingredients to further target and treat an uneven complexion. Rumex Extract is used to treat hyperpigmentation by inhibiting the enzyme that causes the development of pigmentation in skin. Organic Brown Seaweed is clinically proven to be highly effective at reducing age spots and pigmentation by 20% in just 60 days! The addition of Kakadu Plum, Licorice Root and Turmeric Extract also provide a burst of antioxidant and anti-inflammatory support to protect and brighten the skin.
Acne
Once again, we have our out of control hormones to thank for this unwelcome visitor during pregnancy. Some of us breeze through with 9 months of glowing skin, while others experience breakouts that resemble a teenager going through puberty. A surge in progesterone is the culprit here, causing an increase in sebum production which can block pores and encourage bacteria growth, leading to breakouts.Â
How to treat it:Â
As frustrating as acne might be, now’s not the time to go hard or go home when it comes to skincare. Pregnancy is a time where skin can be particularly sensitive and temperamental so its best to take a gentle approach. Use a cleanser that will assist to balance oily skin without completely stripping it. It’s also best to remove harsh active ingredients and abrasive scrubs that could further aggravate already inflamed skin.
We recommend LAMAV’s Sweet Orange Balancing Cleanser due to its gentle yet effective ingredients list. This cleanser is suitable for daily use on all skin types, however is particularly beneficial for oily and acne prone skin thanks to the inclusion of ingredients such as AHA’s, Lactic Acid and Papaya Fruit Enzyme that provide a deep clean while refreshing and repairing inflamed skin.
Stretch MarksÂ
Although the surge in hormones can have unwelcome side effects such as acne and nausea, they are necessary for the development of milk ducts and assisting ligaments and joints to relax, making more room for the uterus to grow and hips to expand in preparation for birth.
Throughout pregnancy our body experiences big changes and our skin must accommodate for our expanding bust, belly and hips by stretching itself significantly. Stretch marks are very common amongst women of all sizes throughout pregnancy and for most of us they won’t completely disappear. However, their appearance can be reduced.
How to treat it:
The best way to treat stretch marks is to take a preventative approach. Everyone should practice self-care when it comes to skin, and that includes the often forgotten skin on our body. Providing a boost of hydration is the most simple and effective way to support our skin’s overall health, particularly when going through the significant stretching the occurs throughout pregnancy. Opting for a body oil over a moisturiser will provide your skin with a deeper hit of hydration and a self-care ritual to look forward to every day. Gently massage the oil over your entire body, paying particular attention to areas that need it the most - think breasts, stomach and hip areas.
We recommend LAMAV’s Ayurvedic Body Oils. These luscious oils are more than just a moisturiser, they’re an experience. Created following traditional Ayurvedic Methods to ensure the benefits of every ingredient is maintained, they deeply nourish the skin while reducing the appearance of scarring and sun damage. Your skin will thank you for the glow!
Skin Sensitivity
Throughout pregnancy there can be surprising shifts in the things we like and don’t like. You may find yourself suddenly repulsed by the thought of your once favourite foods and certain smells may now make you feel like running to the bathroom. Our skin is no different. If you’re experiencing irritated skin or showing signs of eczema, your go-to skincare that you’ve been using for years could now be causing problems thanks to those raging hormones increasing our skin’s sensitivity.Â
How to treat it:
Indulging in a 10 step skincare routine is not what your skin is asking for right now, it’s time to go back to basics. Simplifying your routine will not only give your skin a break, it will also make it easier to identify which products may or may not be causing irritation. Skip the potent active ingredients and opt for a gentle cleanser and deeply reparative oil or moisturiser to give your skin time to breath and repair its barrier.
We recommend LAMAV’s Hydra Calm Cream Cleanser for a gentle and restorative cleanse. This ultra-rich cleansing cream is formulated with soothing ingredients such as Aloe, Avocado and Chamomile to deeply hydrate and calm the skin as it removes impurities.
For a nourishing burst of moisture to further repair and protect the skin, you can’t go past LAMAV’s Omega 3, 3, 7 & 9 Antioxidant Oil. It will support lipid barrier repair while reducing redness and irritation, for calm, smooth skin.
PREGNANCY AND BREASTFEEDING INGREDIENT SWAPS
If there was ever a time to be cautious with what you put into and onto your body, it has to be through pregnancy. There are a few cosmetic ingredients that have been linked to health concerns, and it’s recommended they be avoided throughout pregnancy and breastfeeding as a precaution to avoid harm to you or your baby’s development. Thankfully we now have many natural and gentle alternatives when it comes to skincare ingredients, and if you’re pregnant what better time to make the switch to something organic.
Vitamin A - Swap to Bakuchiol
Vitamin A is an important nutrient and one that’s required for the health of our skin, immune and eye health. Topical Vitamin A such as retinol and retinoids should be avoided throughout pregnancy as they are not only linked to birth irregularities in high doses, they can also cause serious irritation (particularly to skin that is already prone to sensitivity). Thankfully, we now have Bakuchiol - a 100% plant derived natural alternative that shares similar benefits to retinol. Studies have shown bakuchiol can increase cell turnover, encourage collagen production and brighten the skin. Try LAMAV’s Bakuchiol 4% Natural Retinol Alternative.
Salicylic Acid - Swap to naturally derived AHA’s
Salicylic Acid penetrates into the pores to dissolve dead skin cells, assisting to prevent pores from becoming congested and prone to breakouts. While it is considered a generally safe ingredient, you can get some absorption, particularly when using leave on products in higher doses. When pregnant its best to avoid leave on products containing Salicylic Acid or avoid the ingredient altogether if possible.Â
Salicylic Acid is an effective ingredient when it comes to treating and preventing breakouts, but there are other naturally derived ingredients that work just as well when it comes to battling acne. AHA Fruit acids are a natural and gentle way to achieve deep exfoliation and encourage cellular turnover. Try LAMAV’s AHA Face Exfoliant to deeply exfoliate and brighten the skin while encouraging collagen production for added age defence benefits.
Hydroquinone - Swap to Vitamin C
Often prescribed by dermatologists to treat pigmentation and melasma, hydroquinone is known to have a high absorption rate so it’s best to steer clear of it throughout pregnancy and breastfeeding. Vitamin C is known as nature’s skin brightener, naturally brightening the skin while improving the effects of sun damage and pigmentation. Try the Vitamin C Brightening Oil and Rumex Day Cream from LAMAV’s Brightening Range to reduce signs of pigmentation and even your complexion all while nourishing and protecting the skin from environmental stressors.
Regardless of the changes you experience throughout pregnancy it’s important to remember that most are temporary and being kind to yourself and gentle with your body (including your skin) should be a priority to ensure the overall health of you and your growing baby.
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