Pregnancy Breakouts & What You Can Do

During pregnancy, the body experiences a variety of physiological changes such as darkening of areas of skin or nails, acne, and many others. In this article, we focus on understanding pregnancy breakouts, their cause, and management mechanisms.

What causes pregnancy breakouts?

Pregnancy breakouts are one of the most prevalent skin changes that occur during the first and second trimester in pregnancy due to hormonal changes in the body (Vora, 2014). The hormones responsible for breakouts are testosterone and androstenedione which belong to a group of hormones called androgens. High levels of androgens cause the glands in your skin to produce an oily substance(sebum) which can clog your skin pores leading to breakouts. 

Pregnancy breakouts are manageable medically or through the use of home remedies (Eske, 2019). However, here’s a word of caution! Do not use medical treatment before consulting with your doctor. We further proceed to understand the management of pregnancy breakouts using home remedies.

How to manage pregnancy breakouts using home remedies

• Eat healthily and drink water

A lot of sugar, unhealthy fats and refined foods can do injustice to your skin. You can choose to cut back on these or switch to healthy foods like whole grains and healthy fats. Eating skin-friendly foods such as fresh fruits and vegetables work greatly in managing pregnancy breakouts. Water makes your skin moist and clearer.

• Take foods rich in vitamin-A

Foods rich in vitamin A keep your skin healthy and an increased intake of these foods will help deal with the breakouts. However, excessive intake of vitamin A might cause birth defects. Kindly consult your doctor before increasing your vitamin A intake.

• Take foods rich in zinc

During pregnancy or lactation period, most women are diagnosed with zinc deficiency. Zinc is helpful to the body in various ways including prevention of skin breakouts as highlighted by this study in 2014. One can treat the pregnancy breakouts by taking foods rich in zinc. 

• Try using honey

Honey has compounds with antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties that help treat breakouts.

You can use honey by applying it directly to the parts of your face or body affected by the breakout. You can also make a face mask that is, mix honey with lemon juice or lavender oil which also helps in clearing pregnancy breakouts.

• Improve facial hygiene

Cleaning your face gently with a soap-free cleanser at least twice a day, preferably during your morning shower and just before you go to bed could greatly work in reducing pregnancy breakout. During cleaning, put more attention around your hairline and the jaw area where most of your pores tend to clog. Also, wash your hair regularly especially if its oily and make sure you use clean towels, hats, and pillowcases.

• Have a go with a Pregnancy Facial

Yes, that’s right – expecting mummies shouldn’t have to lose out on a soothing facial! Some salons offer bespoke or tailored facial treatments to suit the sensitive skin of a pregnant mummy, so facials like the Hydration Replenish Facial or our Signature Marine Detox Facial are safe. They contain ingredients that will only do your skin wonders!

Bottomline:

Pregnancy breakouts are one of the most common changes that women experience during pregnancy and it should not by any means cause alarm. As highlighted, it is a condition manageable through home care remedies or medical drugs.  Proper and healthy eating coupled with skincare goes a long way to cure pregnancy breakouts.