Skin changes during pregnancy

Isn’t it enough that we have to deal with heartburn, swelling, varicose veins, cramps, weight gain and much more? Some of us also suffer from brown spots, stretch marks, itchy skin and acne. We're not all blessed with 9 months of pregnancy glow!

Acne during pregnancy

At the beginning of my pregnancy I suffered from a few spots, but nothing bad. Pregnancy can trigger acne or make existing acne worse. This is all down to hormones stimulating oil glands and causing blocked pores, which then leads to spots.

BHA/Salicylic Acid: A topical exfoliant often used in acne medications. BHA is a derivative of aspirin. Because pregnant women are cautioned against taking aspirin, it's best to not use products that contain BHA.

The exfoliating properties of glycolic acid make it a terrific choice for acne-prone skin, to help slough away the dead surface skin and prevent grease glands from clogging, which would otherwise cause spots. Because it's derived from sugar cane and is therefore “natural”, it can even be used on women who are pregnant. This is great news for women who break out during pregnancy when many popular treatments are not advised (such as retinol or salicylic acid). 

Dry skin during pregnancy

The turnover of skin cells is accelerated during pregnancy, so make sure you nourish and moisturise more than normal to keep skin looking healthy.

Itchy and sensitive skin during pregnancy

QV Skincare is probably the most extensively studied cleansing and moisturising skincare range in the world.
It's been tested in thousands of people with skin conditions such as eczema, acne, rosacea, psoriasis and dry & sensitive skin. The Cetaphil range is specially formulated to provide effective, gentle skincare to help your skin look and feel its best.

Melasma: The Pregnancy Mask

Skin becomes more susceptible to pigmentation during pregnancy. Even limited sun exposure can cause dark discolourations to appear around the eyes, on the cheeks, forehead and above the upper lip. Please make sure you are applying a high, broad-spectrum sunscreen daily, even on cloudy days.

If you still end up with hyperpigmentation, don't fret. You can treat it with Kojicol acid which is a lightning agent. Please wait until you have had your baby before using these products. Lactic acid (an AHA) is safe to use regularly during pregnancy and lactation. This gentle AHA penetrates deep into the skin and breaks up areas of uneven pigmentation. Please note Alpha Hydroxy Acids, (sometimes listed as AHAs, glycolic acid or lactic acid) are considered to be safe.

Stretch Marks

More scared of developing stretch marks than giving birth? Silderm is a clinically proven range of safe-for-pregnancy products to prevent & treat stretch marks.

iS Clinical is the ONLY brand of products that are safe to use during pregnancy and breastfeeding.