Pregnancy Acne: Why Do I Now Have It And Can I Avoid It?

During pregnancy, a woman's body changes in many different ways, and one unexpected side effect is pregnancy acne. It is estimated that about 50% of pregnant women experience acne problems at some point during the 9 months of pregnancy, and some women experience severe acne problems during this time.

It is important that you are cautious about your acne treatment during pregnancy, because you need to make sure that the treatment is safe for your baby. Certain types of acne products may be associated with birth defects, so you need to be very proactive about using safe skin care during pregnancy in order to avoid those defects.

Why Pregnancy Acne Occurs

Why are pregnant women more likely to suffer from acne problems? During the first trimester of the pregnancy, the hormone levels are increasing to stimulate the pregnancy functions within the body. As the hormones increase, one of the side effects is an increase in oil production from the sebaceous glands in the skin. The increased production of oil can increase the risk of clogged pores, because the oil becomes backed up from the dirt and dead skin cells in the pores.

Most of the time, the acne problems occur during the first trimester. So, if you make it through the first 3 months without pregnancy acne problems, then it is likely that you will experience the same skin health through the rest of your pregnancy.

One way to predict if you will experience pregnancy acne is by the way your skin responds to your menstrual cycle. If you often experience breakouts when you are on your period, then it is more likely that you will have breakouts when you are pregnant.

Safe Skin Care During Pregnancy

Since certain medications and skin care treatments can lead to birth defects, it is important that you research each remedy before you try it. Some women strive to use natural products whenever possible, because they want to support the health of their baby. If you are pregnant, you should avoid any questionable product and medication. Only use things that have been proven to be safe during pregnancy.

Once you find an effective acne treatment during pregnancy, then it is important that you stay consistent with the treatment throughout the duration of the pregnancy. If you stop using the treatment, then you might begin to experience breakouts once again.

Here are a few tips for safe skin care during pregnancy. These remedies are natural, and you can follow them to avoid pregnancy acne:

Shampoo your hair on a regular basis, in order to avoid oil buildup at your hairline and prevent acne breakouts near your hair.

Don't over-cleanse, you shouldn't wash your face more than two times a day. Washing too often will dry out the skin, which in turn stimulates more oil production to moisturize the skin.

Use lukewarm water when you are washing your face, instead of hot water. Luke warm water is more gentle on the skin, and hot water can be so harsh that it throws off the moisture balances in your skin.

Each time you wash your face, use a clean wash cloth instead of re-using a wash cloth that you used earlier.

Find a non-abrasive, alcohol-free, gentle cleanser that is safe for pregnancy, as well as a high quality moisturizer to use right after cleansing your face.

Instead of rubbing your skin harshly with a towel, a better method is to gently pat the skin dry.

Use water-based make-up instead of oil-based products. Look for products that are labeled with the terms "nonacnegenic" or "noncomedogenic".

Wash your face every night before bed. Never sleep with your makeup on!

Avoid This Acne Treatment During Pregnancy

Medication is the main acne treatment that should be avoided during pregnancy, because of the many negative health effects that it can have on your baby. Specific medications that should be avoided include: hormone therapy, topical retinoids, oral tetracyclines, and any product containing salicylic acid. Read the labels on the over the counter acne products, because salicylic acid is commonly found in beauty products.

By following these tips, you can achieve clearer skin and feel more confident about your appearance during pregnancy. There is no reason to suffer from pregnancy acne for 9 months, because there are safe treatments that can be used to help you achieve beautiful skin.