During pregnancy, you’re hit with a lot of things, it’s not just the hormones and the heightened sense of smell, but you have supplements you need to take, you need to try and somehow stress less, not lose weight but not gain it fast either, and so on. Then there are other things like hair and skin care. Now sure, pregnancy glow is cute.
But nobody talks about the dry skin, sudden sensitivity, and the complete upheaval of your usual skincare routine. One day, everything is fine. The next, your face feels like sandpaper, your favorite moisturizer suddenly stings, and your reflection has decided to feature a brand-new batch of dark patches that weren’t there yesterday.
Basically, hormones do whatever they want, and your skin is along for the ride. There’s pregnancy rosacea, melasma (aka the pregnancy mask), and a dryness level that makes even the best hydration feel like they’re doing nothing. And if you already deal with conditions like eczema or psoriasis then pregnancy seems to just kick these into overdrive as well. But what can you even do about any of this though?
Hydration is Everything
Pregnancy doesn’t just make you drink water like it’s your full-time job, but it also sucks the moisture right out of your skin. You 100% need to be super hydrated during the next nine months. If not, you’re going to deal with dryness and flakiness, and that tight, uncomfortable feeling becomes the new normal.
This is the time to ditch anything harsh (you’re actually supposed to) and instead use hyaluronic acid, ceramides, and squalane. But yes, you still need to keep chugging water too.
Be Smart About Sun Protection
Pregnancy has a funny way of turning your skin into a UV magnet. Melasma (aka the pregnancy mask) shows up like an uninvited guest, leaving patchy brown or gray discoloration, usually on the face. While sure, it often fades after birth, sun exposure can make it worse, and sometimes permanent.
So, this is not the time to skip sunscreen. But not all sunscreens are the same at this moment in your life, so you’ll need a pregnancy-safe mineral sunscreen with zinc oxide or titanium dioxide to keep your skin protected without the risky chemicals.
Keep It Calm and Gentle
For some, pregnancy means flushed cheeks and a sudden “glow”, but for others, it’s rosacea, irritation, and breakouts galore. For most women, their hormones are working against them and their skin.
And since go-to treatments like retinoids are a no-go, it’s time to rethink the approach. So, like it or not, less is more, and you need to avoid fragrances too. Instead, look for soothing ingredients like aloe vera, green tea extract, and Centella Asiatica (and so on) to calm irritation without causing flare-ups.
If you have eczema for example, then there might be a chance that the ointments you usually use can’t be prescribed to you during pregnancy, but in that case, something like Phothera home phototherapy delivers at-home light treatments that help keep inflammation and discomfort at bay (without the need for the usual creams). So this could be something to look into. But overall, take a gentle approach.
Skincare That Works for You
Pregnancy doesn’t last forever, but while it’s here, your skin still deserves some love Sure, it’s far from ideal to have to manage this at the moment, but again, it’s just something that you’re really going to have to just do.
