Hormonal Changes Cause Skin Problems during Pregnancy

Feb 4
09:18

2011

Jay Sanders

Jay Sanders

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Many changes happen in the body of a pregnant woman. Some are expected, such as getting a larger tummy and breasts. Other things aren’t totally expected to occur, yet many people experience various problems due to hormonal changes. Skin changes are quite common.

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  Various things can cause skin changes during pregnancy. For example,Hormonal Changes Cause Skin Problems during Pregnancy Articles women already suffering from psoriasis prior to becoming pregnant can find a worsening of symptoms while pregnant. Another example is having perfect skin prior to pregnancy, but after becoming pregnant, developing little papules called prorigo of pregnancy. Hormonal changes also cause skin conditions that will give your skin an unsightly appearance during pregnancy.

 

Nearly all pregnant women develop a skin condition called hyperpigmentation. The skin shows unusual dark areas and is caused largely by too much pigment in the skin. This skin condition can show up more in women with dark skin. Hyperpigmentation typically affects armpits, private areas, rings around the nipples, scars and birthmarks. It can also affect a pregnant woman’s face. This is called melasma and is often called the mask of pregnancy. Seventy percent of pregnant women develop this skin condition.

 

Estrogen changes during pregnancy are normal but can also cause instability and clogged blood vessels. Congested vascular tissues can cause such skin conditions as spider veins. These can turn up on the arms and face of greater than 60 percent of pregnant women. This same congestion can also cause redness on the palms, particularly on women with an ivory complexion.

 

There’s no other skin condition that’s more prevalent during pregnancy than stretch marks. These are the purple and pink lines that show up on your stomach, breasts, thighs, buttocks, and arms. More than 90 percent of pregnant women develop stretch marks. These get particularly bad during the last trimester of the pregnancy. Any woman, regardless of age or physical condition, can develop stretch marks during pregnancy. It’s been found that there are also hereditary factors involved as to whether or not a woman develops these stretch marks.

 

The thing that women need to keep in mind, if they have any skin problems while they are pregnant, is that these are typically temporary. Once they’re holding that little bundle of joy in their arms, it can all be forgotten.