How to care for the skin during and after pregnancy
The skin during pregnancy can undergo some changes that usually bother the woman in the aesthetic aspect, such as spots on the face, and stretch marks on the abdomen, hips and breasts, however, they can be avoided easily and effectively by following the following recommendations
Stretch marks
One of the skin problems that most concern pregnant women are stretch marks, which as you know, usually appear by stretching the skin of the abdomen during the growth of the baby, leaving these marks in the form of small scars, nothing aesthetic and permanently.
All pregnant women hope to reach the end of this stage without these annoying marks, which will depend on their genetics, that is, the type of skin varies in each person and so also some will have more tendency than others to the appearance of stretch marks.
Although information abounds about home remedies to get rid of stretch marks, these don’t really work, the key is actually prevention. To do this moisturizing and hydration are the effective measures to avoid them, also taking into account, of course, feeding and moderate weight gain.
There are also treatments and creams to eliminate stretch marks. Most are suitable for pregnant women. As we have mentioned, prevention is important so you can use these creams during pregnancy to keep your skin in good condition and prevent the appearance of stretch marks.
Hydration
Drinking water is the best way to keep skin hydrated, especially in hot weather when we increase sweating. The loss of fluids through urine, which is usually more frequent in pregnancy, should also be taken into account.
Moistening
Moisturizing the skin with creams and lotions from the first month of pregnancy is vital for the prevention of stretch marks. Today there are creams on the market specially created to avoid and attenuate them, however, a good moisturizer with vitamin A and E will be enough, applying it 2 to 3 times a day.
Feeding
Eat healthy with the consumption of fruits, vegetables and fibre, which helps the skin to have the vitamins and substances necessary to prevent stretch marks. Foods such as potatoes, whole grains, beets and green leafy foods, are rich in silicon that helps the production of collagen.
Carrots, loquats and apricots are rich in vitamin A essential for skin healing. Vegetable oils, vegetables and cereals contain vitamin E which is an antioxidant and a natural barrier against the sun. Citrus fruits, such as oranges and strawberries, contain vitamin C which provides elasticity and firmness to the skin.
Also, junk foods should be avoided, with high levels of sugar and non-nutritive carbohydrates that cause weight gain, as well as the appearance of stretch marks due to excessive stretching of the dermis. An increase of 10 to 15 kg gradually at most, is recommended to prevent stretch marks.
Spots
As for skin spots during pregnancy, they usually appear on the face, this is due to the increase in melanin caused by estrogen and progesterone. This hyperpigmentation appears in more than 50% of pregnant women in the last months of gestation.
Although in most cases these spots are reversible after pregnancy, they can also be avoided and attenuated with the daily use of a broad-spectrum sunscreen SPF 55, or more, if you are exposed to the sun as on the beach in the countryside.
If you are on the beach or pool it is necessary to use a more powerful, waterproof protector and apply it every 3 hours. If these spots have already appeared, it is recommended not to expose yourself to the sun in the morning hours until at least 13:00 h and of course not to use bronzers.
Other recommendations
Skin tightening causes itching, and scratching should be avoided so as not to mistreat her. It is recommended to massage the area with natural oils such as rosehip, coconut or almonds, in order to relieve that feeling of discomfort and in turn moisturize it.
Sometimes oily skin can get more oily during pregnancy, in these cases, it is recommended to clean with a gel and apply chamomile or aloe vera masks once a week, then wash and moisturize with cream for oily skin.
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