Skin Changes During Pregnancy

Most women experience some changes in their skin during pregnancy. Some find their skin becomes less oily and softer. Others develop acne. Skin changes of this type are due to the hormones of pregnancy; skin usually returns to normal after your baby is born.
Many women believe their skin becomes more alive and glowing while they are pregnant. Although there is no medical fact to back this belief, many women seem to "glow" during pregnancy.

Surface Skin Changes
In some women, a vertical line appears along the midline of the abdomen, called the linea nigra. The linea nigra fades markedly after pregnancy but does not usually disappear completely.
Occasionally irregular brown patches appear on the face and neck of a pregnant woman, called chloasma or mask of pregnancy. We believe this change is caused by the hormonal changes of pregnancy. Usually dark patches disappear completely or get lighter after your baby is born. (Oral contraceptives may cause similar pigmentation changes.)

During pregnancy, you may develop small red elevations with branches extending outward on your skin. These changes are called vascular spiders, telangiectasis or angiomas. They usually occur on the face, neck, upper chest and arms. After pregnancy they fade, but they may not disappear completely.
The palms of your hands may turn red during pregnancy. The condition is called palmar erythema and is fairly common. Palmar erythema is probably caused by increased estrogen and has no other symptoms. It's fine to use lotions on your hands, but the redness may not disappear until after delivery. Vascular spiders and red palms often occur together.

As you progress in your pregnancy, your doctor needs a point of reference from which to measure the growth of your uterus. Some doctors measure from the belly button. Some measure from the pubis symphysis, the place where pubic bones meet in the middle-lower part of your abdomen.
Abdominal measurements can reveal a great deal. For example, a higher-than-expected measurement at 20 weeks may alert your doctor to the possibility of twins or an incorrect due date. A lowerthan-expected measurement may mean your due date is wrong or that there may be some other problem. In either case, your doctor would probably have you evaluated further by ultrasound.

Moles
Pregnancy can cause moles to appear for the first time or cause existing moles to grow larger and darken. If a mole changes, have your doctor check it.

Itching Skin
Itching, also called pruritis grauidarum, is a common problem later in pregnancy. About 20% of all pregnant women suffer from it. The itching is harmless but can be annoying. As your uterus grows and fills your pelvis, abdominal skin and muscles stretch to accommodate it. Stretching the skin can cause itching.
Don't scratch-it can make itching worse. Use lotions to help reduce itching; you may use some cortisone creams occasionally. Discuss it with your doctor.

Stretch Marks
Stretch marks, also called striae distensae, may occur more often in older women. They are areas of stretched skin that become discolored. Marks usually occur as your uterus grows larger and stretches abdominal skin. They can also occur on the breasts, hips or buttocks.
Stretch marks usually fade and aren't as noticeable after your pregnancy, but they don't disappear completely. To date, no one has found a reliable way of avoiding stretch marks. Women have tried many kinds of lotions with little success. There is no harm in using lotion products, but they probably won't help.

Some new treatments seem to help a great deal. The use of RetinA or Renova in combination with glycolic acid is fairly effective. Prescriptions are needed for Retin-A and Renova; you can get glycolic acid from your dermatologist. Cellex-C, with glycolic acid, also improves the appearance of stretch marks. The most effective treatment, but the most costly, is laser treatment. This is often done in combination with the medication methods described above. These treatments are done after pregnancy.