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WOMEN'S & CHILDREN'S | Family Maternity Center | Pregnancy Resource Center | Pregnancy Library | Pregnancy Tips | Beautiful You: The skinny on skin: It changes during pregnancy
Beautiful You: The skinny on skin: It changes during pregnancy
Skin changes are common in pregnancy. Splotchy skin, itching, or a dark line running straight down your tummy are all symptoms of skin changes that are very common during pregnancy.
Good care is key
General skin care during pregnancy requires attention to hydration and diet. Drinking at least eight 8-ounce glasses of water per day and eating a well balanced diet will help keep your skin healthy. Be sure to use a soap-free cleanser and moisturizer for clean, supple skin.
Except for a few rare disorders that must be taken very seriously, most pregnancy-related skin conditions are simply a nuisance but not serious medical problems. Here are some of the most common:
- Itching. This is one of the most common and annoying skin problems. Usually topical steroid creams or antihistamine creams are extremely effective. You might also consider trying herbal remedies like ointments or oils. However, as with other herbal products, check first with your healthcare provider before using them during pregnancy. You should go to your doctor if:
- Itching is severe or interrupts sleep.
- Itching develops into a rash.
- Hyperpigmentation. If you have this condition, which involves a darkening of the skin, you're in good company. Ninety percent of pregnant women experience some degree of this, according to the American Academy of Dermatology. Although there is no treatment for it, hyperpigmentation will go away after pregnancy. Nipples and pre-existing moles can get darker. The Academy cautions women not to confuse hyperpigmentation with a melanoma, a kind of cancer. If you have a mole that darkens or changes, be sure you see your provider and tell him or her that you are pregnant.
- Melasma. This is a darkening of the face that is experienced by 70 percent of pregnant women. Depigmenting creams can be used to lessen its appearance or foundation may cover it.
- Linea nigra. This is a dark line that runs down the abdomen and may develop during the first or second trimester. There is no treatment, but it will disappear after pregnancy.
- Stretch marks. These appear in about 90 percent of pregnant women. They can be very red during pregnancy, but fade to silvery white after the baby is born.
Seek help for these (rare) conditions
- Impetigo herpetiformis. This is a condition that develops only during pregnancy and can present risks for both mother and baby. Symptoms include red patches of skin with pimples, accompanied by fever, diarrhea and vomiting. It usually occurs during the third trimester, and can put the baby at risk for stillbirth and birth defects. Seek treatment immediately if you have these symptoms.
- Intrahepatic cholestasis of pregnancy (ICP). This disease is another condition that occurs in pregnancy. ICP is characterized by severe itching in the third trimester. There may be jaundice, problems absorbing fat, and vitamin deficiencies. Mild cases can be treated with antihistamines or special creams, but severe cases require other treatment. Many doctors believe early delivery of the baby is necessary to avoid birth defects and death.
- Pemphigoid gestationis. This is a rare (1 in 60,000) autoimmune disease that is the most serious skin condition of pregnancy. It is characterized by blisters. The condition can put the baby at risk for premature delivery or stillbirth.
Date last reviewed: October 2002.
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