Skin Problems

Pregnant women often look radiant, with glowing complexions. Pregnancy alters the skin's texture, drying it out somewhat as the production of sebum goes down. This is helpful for oily skins, which look less shiny.

- You may see some acne develop round about the fifth month, caused by higher hormone levels. Be careful not to abrade the skin with excessively harsh cleansing products.

- The 'pregnancy mask' is formed of yellow or brown patches on the face that come on especially after exposure to the sun. This discoloration will fade gradually over time, but is liable to reappear with any further sun exposure. To avoid it, be sure to protect your skin by using a total sunblock

- The increased hormone levels occurring at the fifth month are also responsible for other instances of hyper-pigmentation, involving the whole body the areolas of the breasts darken, and in 90 per cent of women a dark line develops from the navel down to the pubis

- Many women worry about stretch marks, although they are in fact fairly rare. They may appear on the thighs, abdomen, and breasts in the sixth month of pregnancy, in the form of purplish streaks that gradually fade to a pearly white after the baby is born. They were long thought to be caused by the stretching of the skin, but we now know they are related to an often-hereditary loss of the skin's elasticity. They do fade with time, but no treatment can get rid of them completely.

These skin complaints are not really serious, but are still a cause of concern to expectant mothers. A few simple changes to your diet can help prevent them, or at least minimize them.