Congratulations, you’re having a baby!
You might be one of the lucky ones with glowing skin that everyone dreams of. Or, you might be like the rest of us and experience severe discolouration, skin tags, varicose veins and breakouts — or bacne as I was “lucky” enough to endure. “Have a baby,” they said… right?!
When you’re fortunate enough to fall pregnant, you experience all sorts of changes in your body, both inside and outside — and yes, it’s all worth it — but between all the extra estrogen and progesterone, hormonal fluctuations can cause your skin to do some crazy things. Fear not, though, most of these “horror” skin conditions can be treated and do tend to go away sometime after your baby is born — you might just need a helping hand — and thankfully, we have Rose.
Dermal Therapist and Director of Elixir Skin Fitness in Adelaide, Rose Bonasara has been working in the skin health industry for more than twenty years. Treating preteens right through to golden oldies, she knows skin better than anyone.
Over to you Rose!
Image Credit :: Wayne Pearson
What happens to your skin when you fall pregnant?
Pregnancy can affect skin in so many ways. Some women have beautiful skin their whole lives — and all of a sudden, they fall pregnant and end up with acne. Other women get melasma pigmentation stimulated by hormones, also known as a “pregnancy mask”, which is a difficult condition to treat because there isn’t a lot you can do about it while pregnant.
When you’re pregnant, your skin barrier changes significantly, so all of a sudden, your products might not be working anymore and your skin can become reactive, dry and irritated. And because every woman’s experience is different, pregnancy skincare and treatments need to be tailored to the individual.
Why do some people glow and others don’t?
It’s just luck of the draw, unfortunately! Different skin conditions can flare up out of the blue from the skin’s extra oil production due to all those new hormones, which can then lead to changes in your skin’s microbiome.
Image Credit :: Wayne Pearson
Are there treatments to avoid while up the duff?
Yes. Skin is unpredictable in the way it reacts to certain treatments when pregnant, so there are certain things you should avoid while the bun is in the oven.
Light-based devices, like Laser and Omnilux, are generally avoided. However, with approval from your doctor, I can use the Omnilux infrared wavelength to manage irritation and extreme inflammation.
Certain peels that have actives like AHA and BHA’s are generally avoided, but in saying that, there are some you can use during pregnancy that can be positive — I just always need to assess your skin first.
Research shows that Vitamin A consumed topically and orally during pregnancy can cause congenital birth abnormalities. So, if you’re pregnant, I’d remove Vitamin A and C from your skincare regime. Even though it’s a minuscule amount when taken topically, we can’t guarantee it won’t be absorbed into the bloodstream, and I always prefer to err on the side of caution. However, the good news is there are alternatives! Bacatual Pectas is a plantbased alternative to things like Vitamin A and Retinol, so you can still manage conditions like acne safely.
Sunscreen is still very important during pregnancy, as your skin is a lot more reactive to certain things, like the sun. Just avoid chemical based sunscreens, as they can irritate the skin.
The great news is once you finish breastfeeding, you can re-introduce certain actives and procedures and treat the skin again as normal.
And trust me, I’m a mum of three beautiful grown-up children, the skin horror stories are all worth it when you look at your gorgeous babies!
There’s nobody like Rose in the skin biz. Pop in and meet her at Elixir Skin Fitness, Norwood Parade, Beulah Park.
Your experience and results may vary. Always consult your medical professional for advice on what’s best for you.
