You should also avoid using any skincare products that irritate or inflame your skin, such as exfoliants. Sutton recommends women use plant-based products instead. Following pregnancy, Sutton suggests a treatment plan that includes both the prescription and plant-based products, and sometimes chemical peels to reduce the dark patches. Simmons actually found her case got worse after her son was born. Simmons, who now uses sunscreen every day, does worry that her case could become worse if she were to have another child.
Read more: The truth about stretch marks The difference between an itchy pregnancy belly and obstetric cholestasis. Being pregnant How to treat your pregnancy melasma Are there dark patches popping up on your face? Will I still have melasma after my pregnancy? Are darkened spots on skin during pregnancy ever a sign of illness? Sources BabyCenter's editorial team is committed to providing the most helpful and trustworthy pregnancy and parenting information in the world.
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It often presents as a darkening in skin color around the mid or upper forehead, lateral cheeks, and upper lip. Pregnancy melasma is a pretty straightforward skin condition. These discolorations are flat, clustered, asymmetrical splotches. The intensity of pregnancy melasma can fluctuate throughout the year, darkening in the summer and lightening up in the winter.
The underlying cause of pregnancy melasma is unknown, beyond an overproduction of melanin, the pigment that gives your skin its color. Other hormonal alterations, such as birth control medication and hormonal replacement therapy can also trigger melasma in nonpregnant people. This is because radiation from ultraviolet rays acts as a catalyst for melanin production. What is known is that there is a genetic component in the development of melasma.
They include medications, makeup, and cosmetics that irritate your skin or make it more sensitive to sunlight, the blue light emitted from your devices, and underlying thyroid disease.
Pregnancy melasma, and melasma in general, fall into three categories based on how deep into the skin the dark spots are: epidermal, dermal, and mixed. Epidermal melasma resides in the surface of the skin. Dermal melasma is light brown or bluish, with blurred borders.
It is not visible under blacklight and is much more challenging to treat. First and foremost, try to resist the urge to self-diagnose. Only a dermatologist will be able to tell you for sure if you have pregnancy melasma. Belkin says his pregnancy melasma diagnoses center around the timing of its appearance and its placement.
He goes on to explain that the shape of the discolorations matters as well, since melasma coalesces in patches, as opposed to being distinct spots—which would likely be other kinds of hyperpigmentation, such as sunspots.
The most effective way to treat pregnancy melasma is to see your dermatologist as soon as you start to see its hallmark patchwork appear. After all, as it progresses, it gets more difficult to treat. Some factors that may influence how much of your skin becomes hyperpigmented include:. Melasma is a benign, painless condition. These may be signs of an underlying condition. Melasma that is triggered by pregnancy can fade after you have given birth, particularly in cases where the mother never experienced melasma beforehand.
If you had melasma before the pregnancy, however, it might not fade on its own without treatment. However, diligent treatment and sun-protective measures can lighten your melasma and restore your clear and smooth complexion.
Not at all! Melasma during pregnancy is considered a cosmetic condition , meaning it only affects a thin layer of your outer skin.
Therefore, from a medical perspective, you should not worry that melasma will affect your pregnancy. Melasma during pregnancy can be treatable, but since hormonal and other unknown factors cause it, it can be challenging to treat effectively. However, if you are set on seeking treatment, always consult your doctor first.
Most hyperpigmentation medications have poorly understood side effects relating to pregnancy. For example, it is not known if and how certain ingredients in standard treatments, such as hydroquinone or retinoids, may affect your unborn baby.
Although there are many over-the-counter treatments for hyperpigmentation, always seek medical advice before using them. Outpatient melasma treatments include laser treatment, chemical peels, and wave devices. These are considered more aggressive forms of treatment. Although they can be used during pregnancy, most doctors do not recommend taking this course of action. This is because, as discussed, melasma can improve on its own after you have given birth.
Since the pregnancy term is relatively short, most doctors will recommend less aggressive treatments or a wait-it-out approach. Home remedies can be useful in helping reduce skin discoloration. Some of the options available are lemon juice, turmeric powder, aloe vera gel, oatmeal, and papaya, among others.
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