Try these natural remedies to manage pigmentation during pregnancy For moms-to-be, the mask of pregnancy or Melasma is a nightmare in their beautiful pregnancy journey. This is hyper-pigmentation of the skin where dark spots usually appear over the forehead or cheeks due to increased production of hormones.
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Contents
Why is my skin darker after pregnancy?
Melasma – Elevated levels of estrogen and progesterone trigger melanocytes, causing dark spots to appear on the skin.
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Can you tone loose skin after pregnancy?
– Excess skin around the belly is normal after pregnancy. Many factors can influence the severity of loose skin, including age, weight, and dietary, lifestyle, and genetic factors. Women can do little to prevent loose skin after pregnancy, but a healthful, balanced diet and moderate exercise during and after pregnancy may minimize it.
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When does melanin go away after pregnancy?
Is my linea nigra related to melasma? – The same increased production of melanin that causes the facial splotches of melasma also causes the linea nigra, or dark line that you may notice running down your belly. The linea nigra will probably fade back to its pre-pregnancy color several months after you deliver your baby, but may not completely disappear.
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How do I get rid of my dark belly after pregnancy?
What else can I do to help regain my pre-pregnancy belly? – Exercise can help to tone stomach muscles and burn calories (Evenson et al 2014, Amorim Adegboye et al 2013), You can do light exercise like walking and stretching even in the early weeks after having your baby (POGP 2017),
- If you stopped exercising during your pregnancy or are a newcomer to fitness, start slowly and gradually build up your exercise levels (POGP 2015),
- Fitness aside, all new mums can begin pelvic floor exercises and work on gently toning up lower tummy muscles as soon as they feel ready (Evenson et al 2014, POGP 2017),
This may help you to get back to your pre-pregnancy shape and help to flatten your tummy (POGP 2017), When you feel up to it, take your baby out for walks in his buggy (Evenson et al 2014), Getting out and about will help to lift your mood and exercise your body gently (Evenson et al 2014, NHS 2019b),
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Does skin Lighten after birth?
– Research from 2017 found that babies’ skin changed significantly as they aged. Researchers noted that babies’ skin became lighter and less red between 2–20 months old. Additionally, babies’ skin was found to increase in yellow pigment until they reached 20 months old.
- But this research was performed on a small sample size, and the racial and ethnic backgrounds of the babies in the study is unclear.
- Various ethnic skin tones may transition differently, becoming either darker or lighter over time.
- There is limited research available on when exactly a person will know their baby’s true skin color.
If a person has questions or concerns about their baby’s skin color, they should speak with their healthcare professional.
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Do women’s faces change after pregnancy?
Women who’ve had babies look different. Here’s how pregnancy can permanently change a body Weight gain, larger nose, sensitive boobs. There are plenty of temporary changes a woman experiences during pregnancy, and in the days following birth. Yvonne Butler Tobah, obstetrician and gynecologist at Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn., said a year postpartum usually resets body back to normal, but there are a few changes that can be permanent: Skin: A woman’s face, areolas, stomach and moles often darken during pregnancy, and might stay that way. An increase in estrogen is usually to blame. Butler Tobah said an easy way of telling if a woman has had a baby is to check her belly for a pregnancy line (linea nigra), which usually fades after pregnancy but might never really go away. The same goes for darkening of the central part of the face, often known as the mask of pregnancy. Stretch marks, scars from skin tears as skin expands, can also fade but might not go away. Hips: Bone structure can change after pregnancy, making women’s hips slightly wider. Added weight during pregnancy can also play a role. Breast: Pregnancy can change a woman’s breasts, but how is largely individual. A third of women develop smaller breasts, a third have larger (meaning fat accumulation remains) and a third see no change after baby. Sagging is caused by fat accumulation and breast feeding has nothing to do with breast changes, Butler Tobah said. Brain:, according to a study published in a few months ago. Due to the time frame of the study, which was conducted by researchers in the Netherlands and Spain, it is not known whether the effects are permanent or temporary. But, Butler Tobah said there is a marked emotional change that takes place. In some cases, this could manifest into postpartum depression or, can connect moms or loved ones who need help with trained professionals. Connect with them or by calling 1-800-944-4773. Follow Ashley May on Twitter: : Women who’ve had babies look different. Here’s how pregnancy can permanently change a body
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Why do I look older after having a baby?
– Telomeres, which are stretches of DNA at the end of chromosomes, protect our DNA and make it possible for our cells to divide. Longer telomeres are associated with longer lives and better health. As people age and as cells divide and replicate, those telomeres shorten.
Given that there is hyper cell production during pregnancy, it makes sense that those telomeres would shorten and, therefore, appear to age dramatically. “During pregnancy, more cells need to be produced for carrying and nurturing the fetus, such as in red blood cells, placental cells, and more,” said Dr.
Kim Langdon, an Ohio-based retired OB-GYN who writes at Parenting Pod, “In addition, the cells in all organs such as the heart and uterus enlarge. This is known as hypertrophy — and when cells hypotrophy, their telomeres shorten.” Meanwhile, the epigenetic age begins to climb.
- This is an estimate of a person’s biological age based on changes in the DNA that are caused by environmental factors, such as toxins and stress.
- In other words, pregnancy puts a lot of pressure on the body.
- I’m not really surprised,” Langdon told Healthline about the findings.
- Every OB-GYN knows the extreme stress to the system that pregnancy causes.” Throughout pregnancy, the blood volume increases by 50 percent as does the cardiac output, which puts strain on the heart.
The kidney function increases and the lungs have reduced capacity, which causes breathlessness. Why, then, did the pregnant women seem so much better off? It may all come down to the immunological, hormonal, and physiological changes that take place during pregnancy to support development of the baby.
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How long does it take for belly skin to go back after pregnancy?
Your postpartum belly, week-by-week – Delivering your little one (or multiples) doesn’t get you from baby bump to washboard status overnight. Of course, every woman’s experience is unique. Some moms seem to recover pretty quickly and, for others, it can be a long slog. Use this guide as a general frame of reference:
When you leave the hospital or birthing center. Most pregnant women can lose up to 12 pounds after giving birth. The exact amount of weight loss depends on the baby’s size as well as the weight of the amniotic fluid and placenta. Even after delivering your baby,, and that’s to be expected. The first six weeks post-delivery. Your belly will gradually slim down as your uterus shrinks back to its usual size and excess fluids are flushed out of your body. Your stretched-out abdominal muscles and lax skin will most likely begin to firm up. If you had a cesarean section, it can take a good (and six weeks or longer to fully recover from your surgery). Six to eight weeks postpartum. By now, your uterus has probably returned to its normal position in your pelvis after shifting during pregnancy. You’ve shed some weight, but you may not reach your pre-pregnancy weight for weeks or months. Your stretched-out abdominal muscles may require some toning up.
Does breastfeeding cause skin pigmentation?
Pigmentation – Dr D’Anna says oestrogen produced during breastfeeding can also induce elevated pigmentation levels in the skin, called melasma. “This is hormone driven, and needs special care,” she says. “Using a vitamin C serum can help protect the skin with its potent antioxidant properties.
Delicate skin: Foolproof ways to prevent baby rashes in winter
Written by Sally Heppleston.
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Does melanin increase after birth?
Key milestones in your baby’s skin –
| Weeks pregnant | Milestone |
| 5 weeks | Skin starts to form. |
| 18 weeks | Layers of skin have finished forming. |
| 19 weeks | Vernix coats the skin. |
| 21 weeks | Lanugo completely covers baby’s body. |
| 23 weeks | Fingerprints and footprints start to form. |
| 24 weeks | Baby’s skin is wrinkled, translucent, and pink to red in color. |
| 35 weeks | Skin is becoming smooth. |
| After birth | Melanin production increases, darkening the skin. |
Learn more:
Benefits of skin-to-skin contact with your newborn 5 baby skin issues to expect in the first year
How long does pregnancy hyperpigmentation Last?
Extensive hyperpigmentation during pregnancy: a case report 1 Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Bugando Medical Centre, Box 1370, Mwanza, Tanzania Find articles by 2 Department of Internal Medicine/Dermatology, Bugando Medical Centre, Box 1370, Mwanza, Tanzania Find articles by 1 Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Bugando Medical Centre, Box 1370, Mwanza, Tanzania Find articles by Received 2011 Apr 9; Accepted 2011 Sep 19.
©2011 Massinde et al; licensee BioMed Central Ltd. This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited. Skin hyperpigmentation is common during pregnancy and often is due to endocrinological changes.
Usual patterns include linea nigra, darkening of areola and melasma. We report a rare diffused hyperpigmentation condition in a pregnant woman of dark colored skin. A 19-year-old Tanzanian primigravida at 32 weeks gestation presented at our antenatal clinic concerned about an insidious but progressive onset of unusual darkening of her abdominal skin and both breasts.
Her antenatal record was unremarkable except for this unusual onset of abnormal skin color. Findings from her physical examination were unremarkable, and she had a normal blood pressure of 120/70 mmHg. Her abdomen was distended with a uterine fundus of 34 weeks. Almost her entire abdominal skin had darkly colored diffuse deep hyperpigmentation extending cephalad from both iliac fossae to involve both breasts to 2-3 cm beyond the areolae circumferentially.
She had a fetus in longitudinal lie and cephalic presentation, with a normal fetal heart rate of 140 beats per minute. Other examination findings were unremarkable. The impression at this stage was exaggerated pigmentation of pregnancy. No medical treatment was offered but she was counseled that she might need medical treatment after delivery.
She progressed well and had spontaneous labor and normal delivery at 38 weeks gestation. She was lost to follow up. Unusual pregnancy-related skin hyperpigmentation can occur with no adverse consequences to pregnancy, although may worry a pregnant woman. Reassurance and conservative management may be all that is required to allay a patient’s concerns.
Hyperpigmentation during pregnancy is commonly due to endocrinological changes. The usual pattern will be seen as linea nigra, melasma and darkening of areola, axillae and medial thighs, Extensive hyperpigmentation, however, is unusual, especially in people with dark colored skin,
- Such hyperpigmentation may sometimes be associated with hyperthyroidism,
- We present a case of an unusual pattern of pigmentation in a primigravida seen in her mid-third trimester, who had an unremarkable pregnancy, labor, delivery and postpartum period.
- A 19-year-old Tanzanian primigravida at 32 weeks of gestation sought care at a tertiary hospital antenatal clinic.
She presented with concerns of an insidious but progressive onset of an unusual darkening of her abdominal skin and both breasts. The darkening was not associated with itching or irritation of the skin. She booked for antenatal care at a peripheral clinic and her progress had been unremarkable except for this unusual onset of abnormal skin color.
- She had no previous history of allergies or family history of skin condition.
- She was not on any medication except for prescribed iron and folic acid tablets given during antenatal consultations.
- Her past medical history was unremarkable with no history suggestive of goiter or hyperthyroidism.
- On physical examination, her general condition was fair.
She was not pale and had no lower limb edema. She had a pulse rate of 70 beats per minute that was regular. Her blood pressure was 120/70 mmHg. Her abdomen was distended with a uterine fundus of 34 weeks. A linea nigra was clearly seen, but in addition almost the entire abdominal skin had dark colored diffuse deep hyperpigmentation, extending from both iliac fossae to involve both breasts (nipples and areolae) to about 2-3 cm beyond the areolae circumferentially (Figure ).
- She had a fetus in longitudinal lie, cephalic presentation with a normal fetal heart rate of 140 beats per minute.
- Other system examination findings were unremarkable.
- The impression at this stage was exaggerated pigmentation of pregnancy.
- No medications were prescribed, but she was reassured that the condition should have no effect on her pregnancy and its outcome.
She continued attending antenatal care regularly. She had spontaneous onset of labor and normal delivery of a baby girl weighing 3200 g with an Apgar score of 9 and 10 at the first and fifth minutes respectively at 38 weeks gestation. Our patient did not return for follow-up during her postpartum period.
She was contacted by phone three months after delivery and she reported that her skin condition had not resolved. We lost contact with her thereafter. Skin hyperpigmentation is common in pregnancy and often is well described and completely benign in nature, The physiology of hyperpigmentation appears to be related to the increased production of estrogens, and perhaps to increased levels of progesterone or a melanocyte-stimulating hormone,
In selected areas of the body such as the linea alba and areola, hyperpigmentation is probably related to the distribution of melanocytes, but extension of these cells beyond these parts may explain unusual patterns of distribution, as in this case,
The intensity of the hyperpigmentation, however, may be related to environmental factors or even intake of some drugs, although other causes may include pre-existing conditions, such as hyperthyroidism, and a genetic predisposition, Nevoid hyperkeratosis of the nipple and areola should be considered in the absence of abdominal involvement.
Dermal melanocytosis is another rare condition that could present similarly to our case; in this condition pregnancy and sun-exposure are thought to be the triggering factors, Most pregnancy-related skin hyperpigmentation is benign and is usually resolved after delivery (usually within a year), although women may be concerned,
- Medical treatment is rarely required.
- In cases where the condition persists, bleaching agents may be used, although at times their effectiveness may be unsatisfactory,
- Proper counseling and assurance is the only reliable alternative in such cases,
- Although skin hyperpigmentation is common in pregnancy, extensive pigmentation, as in this case, is rare.
Patients may be cosmetically concerned, but all that is required from the health professional is reassurance that the condition has no adverse affect on pregnancy outcome. Written informed consent was obtained from the patient for publication of this case report and accompanying image.
Wade TR, Wade SL, Jones HE. Skin changes and diseases associated with pregnancy. Obstet Gynecol.1978; 52 (2):233–242. Elling SV, Powell FC. Physiological changes in the skin during pregnancy. Clin Dermatol.1997; 15 (1):35–43. doi: 10.1016/S0738-081X(96)00108-3. Blereau RP. Three cases of hyperpigmentation of pregnancy. Consultantlive.2002; 42 (10) Tunzi M, Gray GR. Common skin conditions during pregnancy. Am Fam Physician.2007; 75 (2):211–218. Ingber A. In: Obstetric Dermatology. Lebwohl M, editor. Jerusalem: Springer; 2009. hyperpigmentation and melasma; pp.7–17. Szabo G. The number of melanocytes in human epidermis. Br Med J.1954; 1 (4869):1016–1017. doi: 10.1136/bmj.1.4869.1016.
Articles from Journal of Medical Case Reports are provided here courtesy of BioMed Central : Extensive hyperpigmentation during pregnancy: a case report
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Does skin color change after birth?
– Babies can have a variety of skin colors when they are born. A baby’s skin color can change over time and should settle fully at around 20 months old. Due to the nature of genetics, a baby may look more like one parent than the other, or may not look like either.
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Does your skin change after having a baby?
What causes postpartum skin changes? – Your skin — your body’s largest organ — stretched and morphed to accommodate your newborn (or multiples). Pregnancy-related skin changes arise for a number of reasons, including:
Hormonal swings Vascular changes Glandular changes Structural changes in your skin Pre-existing skin conditions that worsen (or sometimes improve) during pregnancy
Postpartum skin changes are mostly the continuation of pregnancy-related issues, but occasionally certain conditions like acne only crop up after giving birth. Is it any wonder that your skin is acting up? Give it time. It may take a while for the effects of pregnancy to wear off and your skin to return to normal.
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