Pregnancy is a beautiful process for women to go through. It brings so much joy to mothers-to-be as they are growing a new life inside of them. It changes a woman and gives her a new perspective on things.
Mothers-to-be will start making a checklist of things they need to do for their growing baby. This is also the time that they will start to notice changes to their body.
One of the major things to happen to a woman when she becomes pregnant is the hormonal shift. According to dermatologist and director of the Specialist Skin Clinic & Associates, Dr Cheong Wai Keong, this hormonal shift during pregnancy can lead to a string of changes in the skin and body.
On one side, pregnant women may experience what is called a “pregnancy glow”. While this is typically seen to be a good thing, what is actually happening to the skin is that it is becoming oilier. This could lead to more clogged pores and more imperfections such as acne.
The good news is that this can be easily managed through thorough cleansing and removing all excess dirt and particles from your pores. Since during this time, your skin is oily, it is best to go with non-comedogenic skincare products, including sunscreen and makeup. The lighter weight it feels on your skin, the better!
On the other spectrum of skin conditions, pregnant women can expect to see a darkening of the skin around their nipple and genitalia. Some women will notice the formation of a dark line down the middle of their abdomen, stretch marks on the abdomen and hair loss after the delivery of the baby.
In certain serious cases, Dr Cheong says that pregnancy can also cause a woman to experience skin problems like melasma (which is a pigmentation problem manifesting as dark patches on the face) or being more acne- or eczema-prone.
Melasma is a common problem among pregnant women and can appear on the face in patches on the nose, forehead, cheeks and chin. Pregnant women who are exposed to the sun may also find these pigmentation marks appearing on their arms and neck. Melasma is sometimes referred to as the “pregnancy mask”. Many mummies-to-be that experience this might feel a slight loss of confidence with their skin because of the blemishes. But it is not something to worry about!
Melasma’s effects are not permanent and can be avoided completely. A proactive step for a pregnant woman to take to avoid melasma is by using sunscreen. Dermatologists recommend that sunscreen is used everyday and reapplied often if the pregnant woman is exposed to the sun very often.
Since pregnant women are susceptible to pigmentary problems such as darkened patches on the face, suncare is especially important to minimise worsening of pigmentation. Additionally, acne tends to heal with darker marks during pregnancy and is worsened by exposure to the sun, making sunscreen one of the most important things to add to your daily routine, adds Dr Cheong.
Thankfully, the use of sunscreen will be able to help combat these issues. La Roche-Posay’s Anthelios XL Ultra Light Fluid has demonstrated efficacy to prevent melasma in pregnant women, having been tested on pregnant women.
A clinical study conducted in Morocco found that out of the 185 pregnant ladies that used Anthelios Ultra Light, only 3% had new Melasma versus a usual 53%, showing the efficacy of the sunscreen. It is favoured for its high UV protection and its ultra-safe formula for pregnant women.
Dr Cheong advises that pregnant women should also avoid products that contain prescription retinoids such as isotretinoin, tretinoin or adapalene. Anthelios XL Ultra Light Fluid contains no parabens, no fragrance and is non-comedogenic. Therefore, it is suitable for all skin types and can be used throughout pregnancy.
Lastly, Anthelios XL Ultra Light Fluid is also known for having a lightweight texture that leaves no white marks, non-sticky and is absorbed quickly by the skin. Dr Cheong believes that sunscreen is the best method of preventing and minimising darkening of the skin that can occur during pregnancy.
So with all those tips in mind, pregnant women will have no problem going out into the sun! #PlaySafeintheSun with Anthelios XL Ultra Light Fluid. Find out more about the product with this video:
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