Sure, the only skin change for some moms-to-be is a gorgeous, rosy glow. But at some point or another during your pregnancy, some pimples (or maybe more than a few) will start to pop up.
Acne can be a common — yet oh-so annoying! — side effect of growing a baby.
What causes pregnancy acne?
It’s not guaranteed that your face will break out during pregnancy, but there’s a good chance that zits or splotches will strike even if you’ve never been plagued by pimples before.
The breakouts, which tend to hit sometime around week 6 of pregnancy, have to do with hormone surges, of course. Specifically, progesterone causes your glands secrete more oil, called sebum.
All that extra sebum can clog up pores and cause bacteria to build up, leading to breakouts.
How do you treat pregnancy acne?
Lifestyle changes are your best bet these days. Many of the conventional treatments used to get rid of acne are off limits during pregnancy.
So instead, focus first on taking care of your skin — and of yourself overall. Some complexion-clearing strategies that help:
- Use a gentle face cleanser. Your best offense is a good defense: Prevent flare-ups by taking good care of your skin during pregnancy. Clean your face gently with a mild, soap-free cleanser twice a day, once in the morning and once at night. Make sure to wash and rinse thoroughly, especially where pores tend to get clogged, often around your hairline and jaw.
- Avoid over-washing. Not only do you have extra sensitive skin during pregnancy, but over-washing strips your skin of its natural moisture. This in turn causes your oil glands to go into overdrive trying to replenish what you’ve removed, making your skin more prone to breakouts.
- Avoid scrubbing or squeezing. Resist the urge to get aggressive, tempted though you might be. As your mother always warned you (and this time she’s right), these tactics will only make zits last longer and can cause scars.
- Moisturize. While it might seem counter-intuitive, using an oil-free moisturizer can actually help minimize the irritation. Sometimes skin that’s overly dried by harsh acne soaps is more prone to breakouts.
- Keep it clean. In addition to washing your face twice a day, wash your hair on a regular basis, especially if it’s oily. Keep your pillowcases, towels and any hats you wear regularly clean, and get in the habit of wiping down your phone too.
- Choose oil-free skin-care products. Look for skin care, makeup and even hair care products that are oil-free and labeled non-comedogenic or non-acnegenic (formulated not to cause acne).
- Slather on SPF. Too much sun not only increases your risk of skin cancer and causes early aging of the skin, but it can also bring on other blotches during pregnancy. Whenever you’re going to be outside, use sunscreen of at least SPF 30 — and make that an oil-free one. Better still, wear a wide-brimmed hat and sunglasses as extra protection..
- As best as possible, keep stress in check. It’s easier said than done, but try to take time to put your feet up and unwind each day. Feeling frazzled won’t give you pimples, but it can worsen acne you already have.
- Eat more vitamin A. Increase your dietary intake of vitamin A — which helps keep skin healthy — through foods such as milk, fish, eggs and carrots. But steer clear of vitamin A supplements and products, since getting an excess amount may have a harmful effect on your growing baby.
- Fill up on wholesome foods. Speaking of diet, cutting back on sugar and refined grains may help clear up your skin. Opt for more whole grains, fruits, vegetables, nuts and fish instead. Believe it or not, dark chocolate can also be a skin-friendly food. Eat it in moderation (the darker the better), since chocolate does contain caffeine.
- Drink plenty of water. Just one more reason to stay hydrated: Drinking enough water helps your skin stay moist and looking its best overall.
- Ask your doctor about topical treatment. He or she can recommend which topical acne treatments are okay to use. You may also be able to use creams that contain erythromycin or other antibiotics — as long as they’re cleared by your practitioner. Exfoliating scrubs made with glycolic acid, fruit acid and other alpha-hydroxy acids are probably okay since they don’t penetrate the skin, though they may cause irritation. Don’t use any medication, topical or oral, unless it’s been prescribed or cleared by a practitioner who knows you're pregnant.
What products aren’t safe for pregnancy acne?
Many of the creams and meds that are typically used to zap zits contain ingredients that could potentially harm your growing baby, so you’ll want to steer clear. Acne products to avoid during pregnancy include:
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- Retinoids. Serious breakouts in adults are sometimes tackled with such strong-arm products as Retin-A and other topical retinoids (like tretinoin, tazarotene and adapalene). All of these are completely off-limits until after you deliver and wean, since they can be absorbed through the skin into your breast milk and your — and your baby’s — bloodstream.
- Doxycycline and minocycline. These are another definite no-no, since their use during pregnancy can negatively affect your baby. In fact, it’s best to avoid virtually all oral acne medication during pregnancy (though oral erythromycin may be prescribed safely for severe acne).
- Oral isotretinoin. It poses the risk for birth defects, premature birth or miscarriage.
Topical salicylic acid and benzoyl peroxide, two chemicals found in a huge range of skin care and drugstore products, are generally okay to use in small amounts during pregnancy, according to American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) as well as the American Academy of Dermatology (AAD).
However, not all experts consider them safe for expecting women. If you’re considering using a product containing one of these ingredients, talk with your doctor first.
Does pregnancy acne predict a baby’s sex?
Probably not. While one very, very small study tied worse pregnancy acne to having a girl, much more research is needed before experts can say if those pimples are related to your baby’s sex.
Still want to play the guessing game? These other pregnancy symptoms might be just a little bit more reliable.
Does pregnancy acne go away after birth?
It would be nice if those pesky pimples went poof the moment your baby was placed into your arms. While pregnancy acne does eventually get better as your hormones return to their pre-pregnancy state, it doesn’t always happen overnight.
In some cases, postpartum hormonal fluctuations paired with sleep deprivation and the stress of caring for a newborn can be yet another acne trigger.
Try to stick with the same healthy skin care habits you had during pregnancy (easier said than done, we know). And ask your doctor about the acne treatments that were off-limits during your pregnancy. Even if you’re breastfeeding, some topical treatments may now be okay.
Hormonal birth control may help too. If the pill had helped keep your acne in check before becoming pregnant, you’ll likely notice an improvement in your skin once you start taking it again.
Keep in mind, though, that the mini-pill — a progestin-only birth control pill often recommended for breastfeeding moms — won’t help acne and can actually make it worse.
Above all, try to be patient. A fresh wave of postpartum pimples (or ones from pregnancy that never seemed to go away) isn’t fun. But eventually, your skin will settle back down.
Pregnancy-safe acne products to try
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