10 things your skin needs when you're pregnant

Pregnant women have to face certain hormonal changes during their pregnancy period. 

Pregnancy is a time when your entire body goes through change and your skin and hair won't remain unaffected by the hormonal imbalances. The clothes you wore earlier, will no longer fit you and the beauty routine you followed before your pregnancy, suddenly becomes ineffective or is not good enough. However, some of the pregnant women have glowing and radiant skin, while some of them have acne on their face, due to hormonal changes. So what do you need to do? Nothing much, you just have to follow certain tips to keep your skin healthy and beautiful during this special phase of your life.

Becoming a mother, especially a first-time mother, is an experience of a lifetime, yet it accompanies a lot of difficulties. From morning sickness to dietary changes and skincare hardships, your day-to-day life begins to follow a totally different routine to care for yourself and for your growing baby. Since now you are mother-to-be, you need to pay extra attention to everything. Pregnant women need to be more cautious about their skin and health during the duration of their pregnancy. Below we have discussed and listed 10 skin needs that pregnant women should follow.           

1. Eat right 

Pregnant women should eat plenty of fruits and vegetables and should drink a lot of water throughout the day, in order to flush out the toxins from the body. Eating fruits and vegetables during pregnancy will help keep your baby healthy. Having the right diet prevents skin dullness.    

2. Skincare routine

During the pregnancy, the pregnant ladies need to look after their skin and should use skin products like moisturizers, sunscreens, and cleansers for their proper cleaning. They can also take the suggestions of their dermatologists for maintaining the health of their skin. Pregnant women try using more organic and natural ingredients-based products. 

3. Try glycolic acid for Acne Flare-Ups

If you are not lucky enough to have glowing skin during your pregnancy, do not worry at all! Wash your face gently with a soap-free cleanser two times a day. If you have acne breakouts, try having glycolic acid as a safe option but avoid taking it in a larger quantity. It is suggested to take them in smaller quantities during pregnancy. Glycolic acid helps prevents acne, reduces fine lines, brightens the skin, and reduces skin hyperpigmentation.  

4. Get Adequate Sleep

If you are pregnant, try to take a maximum of 8 hours of sleep at the night. Having a sound sleep will help you in removing the puffiness from your eyes and will not let you look sallow. So, sleep well and look beautiful both from outside and inside.   

5. Use a moisturizer

Pregnant women face the main skin problem of dry skin. Therefore, it is advised to keep your skin moisturized always. Use moisturizers to reduce the itchiness caused by dry skin. To get the best skin results use natural moisturizers like olive oil, coconut oil, and aloe vera gel.      

6. Use sunscreen

During the pregnancy, the skin becomes more sensitive and it becomes difficult for the skin to deal with the sun’s harmful rays. Never ever try to step out without sunscreen especially when you are pregnant. You can also use protective clothing like built-in SPF, a hat, and sunglasses to protect your skin. You must use sunscreen of SPF 30 or above that every 2 to 3 hours and can save your skin from the sun UV rays. 

7. Say no to retinoids and isotretinoin

If you are using skin products containing retinoids or salicylic acid, and isotretinoin during your pregnancy, stop using them because they can cause birth defects. As the use of retinoids can cause birth defects. If you are pregnant or are trying to conceive, do not apply retinoids and isotretinoin-based products. They may make your skin acne-free or glowing but can be dangerous too. Instead of retinol, you can use Bakuchiol as a natural alternative to retinol and is also safe for pregnant women.          

8. Add Vitamin C serum to your face and body care routine

The use of vitamin C serum acts wonders to your skin during pregnancy. Vitamin C brightens dull skin. It has antioxidants qualities in it and is safe to be used in pregnancy. Vitamin C serum helps in repairing the tissues, heals the skin and keeps it healthy.   

9. Drink plenty of water and stay hydrated

When you are pregnant, your body needs more water than an average person, for producing more blood, amniotic fluid, carrying nutrients, building new tissues, and enhancing digestion. Water is useful for flushing out the wastes and toxins from your body. Drinking lots of water will maintain the hydration level of your body and will make your skin glow. 

10. Including vitamins and antioxidants in the diet

Pregnant women face the situations like wrinkles and aging. If they want to get rid of all these issues, they need to include more vitamins and antioxidants in their diet. Vitamins including vitamin E, vitamin K, vitamin B3, and green tea, and antioxidant-rich foods like blueberries, strawberries, and kale protects your skin from getting damaged. They are also responsible for maintaining collagen.     

Conclusion: 

Pregnancy does not come alone, it comes with more challenges for a woman. Pregnant women have to deal with skin-related issues like skin darkening, dry skin, dullness in the skin, acne breakouts, fine lines, hyperpigmentation, and dark patches on the skin. They are all caused due to hormonal changes that occurred during the pregnancy. You can keep your skin nourished and glowing by following the above-given tips or as per the advice of your dermatologist.