beauty

Spots on the skin in pregnancy

Introduction

The spots on the skin during pregnancy represent a disorder typical of many pregnant women, related to the enhancement of melanin pigmentation in some areas of the body.

During pregnancy, in fact, the mother's body undergoes radical transformations and metabolic and physiological adaptations: during these changes the skin is also involved, which due to the excessive production of melanin is characterized by the presence of more or less dark spots. Not surprisingly, the spots on the skin during pregnancy are known with the term "gravidic mask" or "chloasma gravidarum": a phenomenon related to the hormonal alteration typical of the period of pregnancy.

Incidence

The gravidic mask affects mostly brown women with dark-olive complexion (phototype IV, V and VI), but it is not said that pregnant blondes with fair skin remain immune to the problem. Spots in pregnancy, therefore, represent an asymptomatic dermatosis (no symptoms of any kind), not inflammatory, which affects about 70% of pregnant women.

Causes

The altered hormones (estrogens and progesterone in particular) force the melanocytes to a super-job: these, being cells used for the production of melanin (which gives color to the skin), generate an excess of pigment, which is accumulated on the skin constituting a brown spot, more or less intense shade. Generally, the appearance of spots coincides with the third or fourth month of gestation and represents a reversible condition: in the immediate post-partum period, in fact, chloasma gravidarum tends to disappear and the skin returns to normal.

It is not possible to predict the appearance of the spots and their intensity: the pregnancy, in fact, involves some unforeseeable problems and the stains fall exactly into this category.

Skin and Pregnancy

The changes in the skin are subtle: already in the first month, when the brown spots are not yet developed, the skin at the level of the cheeks tends to redden as a consequence of the increased volume of blood, which highlights the superficial blood capillaries. The cheeks redness should not be interpreted as a negative condition, on the contrary often the facial skin appears more brilliant and shiny thanks to this fact.

In some cases, the gravidic spots are accompanied by a strengthening of the pre-existing dark areas; in practice, if before the pregnancy the woman presented freckles (lentigo simplex), in the months of sweet expectation these spots could undergo browning, expand or even develop new lentigo and moles. Angiomas may also be more evident, as well as the nipple areola: in the latter case the condition is almost never reversible, because the area, even in the postpartum period, will remain darker without lightening (as it happens, instead, for most pregnancy stains).

Features

Characteristics of Pregnant Skin Stains

Generally, the spots on the skin during pregnancy (gravidic mask) manifest themselves at the level of the face, in particular they involve the cheeks, cheekbones, chin, forehead and upper lip.

The spots appear smooth and not in relief. They are asymmetrical, irregular and have a variable and unpredictable extension.

As mentioned, the spots that make up the gravidic mask are completely asymptomatic and do not represent a health hazard; despite this, they can be considered by pregnant women as a particularly unwelcome aesthetic disorder.

Psychological damage

Considering the delicate period in which the woman is subjected, the gravidic spots could in some way involve problems of a psychological-social nature. The future mother sees her body change and transform itself into structure and size: therefore, if in addition to this physiological adaptation other factors are added, such as the brown spots that "disfigure" the face, the woman's psychology could be heavily affected. In this regard, it is worth repeating that gravidic spots represent an absolutely reversible phenomenon.

Herbal Remedies

The herbal medicine can help to lighten the condition: in herbal medicine there are many topical products based on natural extracts, useful to lighten skin blemishes. However, it is important to remember that - even if the use of some plant extracts does not harm the child - it is always advisable to consult the specialist before applying any product to the skin.

The glycyrrhetinic acid of licorice and the arbitrarine richly contained in the bearberry exert a good lightening action, because they act at the level of the mechanisms that regulate the production of melanin, inhibiting the activity of tyrosinase (enzyme responsible for the production of colored pigment) . Camomile is also known for its lightening potential: applied to the stain it antagonises the cytokines produced by keratinocytes, and is considered capable of weakening the melanogenesis induced by ultraviolet radiation from the sun. The mechanism of action of chamomile is different from that of bearberry: in fact, in the case of chamomile, the enzyme tyrosinase is not affected.

Chemical substances

The use of depigmenting chemicals (such as, for example, kojic acid, azelaic acid, etc.) is not recommended during pregnancy, because it could negatively affect the health of the unborn child. Furthermore, as already analyzed, the gravidic spots disappear after the birth of the baby, therefore the treatments with lightening substances would be almost useless, as well as potentially dangerous.

Useful Tips

Unfortunately, there are no safe treatments to completely prevent the appearance of pregnancy spots; nevertheless, the doctor can advise the woman on a series of useful precautions to avoid aggravating the problem: for example, it is a good habit to avoid sun exposure in the absence of adequate protection. Although the sun does not represent the cause that triggers the spots (as happens, however, for solar lentigo), light rays could still increase the production of melanin pigment, making the disorder more visible.