21
Jan
How to Treat Acne During Pregnancy
Did you know that more than 50 million people in the United States alone suffer from acne? Acne is one of the most common skin conditions around and is most prevalent during adolescence. However, what many people won’t tell you is that you might get a surge of acne during pregnancy.
Acne can be embarrassing and hard to hide, so what kind of options for acne treatment during pregnancy are available? Fortunately, this guide will walk you through everything you need to know so you can minimize and prevent any acne breakouts. First, however, let’s take a closer look at why acne during early pregnancy (and throughout pregnancy) occurs in the first place.
Why Acne During Pregnancy Happens
You most likely know that acne surges during puberty because of all the changes in hormones as people grow out of their childhood years and into their adult years. Hormones also are an important factor when it comes to face and body acne during pregnancy.
During the first trimester of pregnancy, your body’s hormones will drastically increase. This increase in hormones is the main contributor to acne. This is because increased hormones tend to accelerate your body’s production of oil that can cause acne on the face and body.
Keep in mind that not everyone who is pregnant experiences acne. There are people who are more prone to experiencing acne breakouts during pregnancy. For example, if you tend to experience acne before your menstrual cycle or if you have a long history of acne, you will be more likely to have acne while you are pregnant.
The good news is that if you make it through your first trimester without any acne, you most likely won’t experience acne breakouts in your later trimesters. If you do experience acne during your pregnancy, you might find it difficult to treat. This is because several different acne treatments are not safe to take while pregnant since they can have adverse effects on your developing baby.
However, this does not mean there is no hope when it comes to finding a safe acne treatment. You also shouldn’t worry too much about your pregnancy acne since it is a natural side effect of pregnancy and it usually goes away on its own later on in your pregnancy or after you give birth. First, let’s take a look at what you can do to prevent acne in the first place.
How to Prevent Pregnancy Acne
Preventing pregnancy acne can be difficult since the acne is mainly caused by your fluctuating hormones. However, that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t keep a good skincare routine. After all, no matter what your hormones are doing, keeping your face clean is a great way to keep your skin healthy.
You should wash your face around two times every day. Washing your face more can dry out your skin and washing it less can leave it too oily. If you exercise regularly or sweat a lot, you should also wash your face since sweat can cause acne if it’s left to sit around on your face.
Keep in mind that you should choose the right cleanser for your skin. Most people do well with a gentle, oil-free cleanser. This kind of cleanser will help to avoid irritating your skin.
If you want to exfoliate, you should get a washcloth and gently rub it in circles across your face with warm water and a cleanser. This will help to remove any dead skin and oil that could clog up your pores and cause acne. After you clean your face, you can apply a toner to tighten up your pores and then apply moisturizer.
Washing your hair every day is also important for your skin, especially if you have oily hair or use a lot of hair products. This is because if your hair touches your face, the oil from your hair can clog the pores in your skin. You should also aim to touch your face as little as possible since the bacteria on your hands can cause inflammation on your face.
So, now that you know how to prevent acne, how can you treat the acne you already have?
How to Fight Acne During Pregnancy
It is recommended that pregnant women check with their doctor before trying acne medications because some medications may be harmful to the baby. This is because many topical acne medications can absorb into your system and adversely affect your baby.
Instead, most dermatologists recommend over-the-counter spot treatments. For example, benzoyl peroxide spot treatments are some of the most popular treatment options among pregnant women. Very little of this medication is ever absorbed into the body, usually no more than 5%.
Because of this, benzoyl peroxide is one of your safest acne treatment options. There are also azelaic acid and erythromycin acne treatments that your doctor can safely prescribe for you. Benzoyl peroxide can come in different forms, but creams are best for spot treatments.
All you need to do is take a bit of the cream and dab it on your pimples. The benzoyl peroxide will help to reduce the inflammation and to dry out your pimples so they will go away faster. You should double-check that the treatment that you choose doesn’t have salicylic acid since this ingredient can also be harmful to your baby.
Treating Your Acne During Pregnancy
By the end of this article, you should know everything about how to treat acne during pregnancy. While it can be difficult to deal with, there are plenty of options when it comes to reducing your pregnancy acne.
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