Acne During Pregnancy

Acne is the worst nightmare for all of us. Women who never had to battle acne for the whole of their life, suddenly have to come to terms with acne when they conceive. Acne during pregnancy is considered as the worst pregnancy symptoms which can take away your joy of becoming a mother, to some extent. Incidentally, women who never got as much of a pimple on their skin suddenly find it turning into a war zone with pimples, spots, black and white heads etc. All this, can be attributed to hormones which are rampant during pregnancy. Problem with acne during pregnancy is that you have to check every acne medication that you take for your baby's safety. Thus, you are often left with limited treatment options. In this article we are going to look at some safe acne treatments during pregnancy.

What Causes Acne During Early Pregnancy

As mentioned above, hormones are the main culprit of acne during pregnancy. During early pregnancy, the levels of hormone progesterone are very high. Progesterone is similar to male hormones in function and secretes androgens. Androgens are responsible for overstimulating your sebaceous glands for producing more sebum or oil. These eventually clogs your pores and leads to acne, black heads and other skin problems. It is observed that acne outbreak gets very much under control by the end of second trimester. If you always had a clear skin, then your acne will clear itself after you deliver your baby. However, expect it to last a little longer if you opt to breastfeed your baby. Women who always had an acne problem or experienced acne during ovulation may find their acne getting worse during pregnancy. They may actually have to switch to acne medications after getting a green signal from their OB-GYN. Those with mild acne breakouts can get away with mild medications or certain effective home remedies for acne. 

Treating Acne During Pregnancy

Acne medications that are to be given to a pregnant woman need to be checked for harmful ingredients. Some ingredients may enter the bloodstream and cause birth defects in babies. Hence, always consult your OB-GYN before taking any over the counter acne medication. Benzoyl peroxide is considered as a safe acne medication for face or back acne during pregnancy. However, one must not use salicylic acid for the same purpose. Azelic acid and Erythromycin are some other acne medications that can be taken after consulting a doctor. However, these medications of hormonal acne treatment are to be taken only when you face severe outbreak of acne. Best acne treatment for mild to moderate acne is regular skin care. Cleanse your face twice or thrice a day with a mild cleaning agent like neutrogena or dove. This should control the production of sebum, which in turn would reduce acne breakout. 

Acne During Pregnancy and Gender of the Baby

Interestingly, acne during pregnancy is also associated with the gender of the baby. However, this is just an old wives tale. Based on this tale of acne during pregnancy, boy or girl predictions are often made. It says that, if you do not experience any acne breakouts, you will have a baby boy. Whereas, if you do get acne during pregnancy you will have a baby girl, who will steal your beauty! Although, these predictions have 50% chances of coming true, there is no scientific evidence to prove them. 

Acne during pregnancy is a temporary phase and your skin will soon regain its original beauty. Hence, stop fretting over it and forfeit harmful medications for the sake of your baby. Many women just ignore it and continue to care for their babies.