Pregnancy Mask: How To Remove Spots On The Face

2023 Author: Lynn Laird | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-08-25 09:49

When you were “diagnosed” pregnant, an explosion of feelings rocked you. By the way, the joy has been tarnished a bit from the expected body changes. Either the weight gain, or various ailments, or the mask of pregnancy that will make you ugly, you say. Surely you have learned about the need for folic acid, which is very useful for the development of the fetus, but what attitude to take towards dark spots on the face is another topic. Can we avoid them? How to get rid of it? All the answers in our article below.

Pregnancy mask: disease or random harmless problem?

If you are pregnant and have noticed dark spots on your face that weren't there before, don't panic. This is probably just a case of pregnancy mask, another consequence of your current physiological state that you can add to the list of pregnancy symptoms. The good news is that most often melasma (a medicinal term) is benign, therefore, is not dangerous and not of concern to your health. The bad news is that this pregnancy face mask can stay on for a little while after birth. However, there are a few proven tips and tricks and you can try to get rid of the inconvenience. In case you are relying on taking vitamins and minerals, be aware of vitamin A's involvement in immune function.

What is a pregnancy mask?

Of Greek origin, the term melasma means black. Either hyperpigmentation or discoloration of the skin, with dark brown, grayish or beige colored patches covering the face, the pregnancy mask is really depressing. Not only the pounds and rounded shapes, but also those smudges that spoil your happiness to wear the little darling. In fact, the most commonly affected areas of the face are the forehead, upper lip, upper cheeks, and nose, but they can also make an appearance on the lips, as well as other parts of the body. In any case, melasma can affect anyone (even men), especially those with thyroid disease or women who take contraceptives or HRT drugs.

Except for the name melasma, the dark spots are also called cholasma, chloasma faciei or sun spots. In shape, they can be round or irregular, large or small, and all different shades of brown or gray.

What causes melasma?

Namely, it is caused by the stimulation of cells called melanocytes which transfer melanin. This is because these are the same cells that produce the black line on the belly (linea nigra) and darker nipples during pregnancy. Hormonal changes during gestation are the main cause of melasma. The other causes are genetic predisposition, skin irritation and sun exposure. So, exposing your face to the sun can exacerbate the pregnancy mask as the UV rays trigger and intensify the pigment change, so the melasma may take longer to go away. In general, you are used to certain beauty procedures that we advise you to avoid during pregnancy.

Should you be worried about melasma?

Categorically, no! It is very rarely a sign of worry. If your pregnancy face mask is not accompanied by itching, pain, redness, raised skin, bleeding, tenderness, or extreme changes in size, color, or general appearance, you probably have nothing to fear. On the contrary, if you have only one condition of this symptom, see your doctor immediately.

Likewise, do not associate melasma with food. Our editorial team recommends that you follow the diet guide to have a healthy baby, even if you are a vegan mom.

How long does the pregnancy mask last?

Certainly, dark spots can last throughout pregnancy and usually up to a year after childbirth. In some cases, however, melasma may remain present until some form of pregnancy mask treatment is undertaken. It's not certain that you will get melasma during pregnancy, but if you're predisposed to getting it, there isn't much you can do to prevent it. Although sun exposure can make it worse and you are advised to wear sunscreen every day, sun protection for the face and hair is not unnecessary. Anything that irritates the skin, like waxing or hair removal creams and any other strong facial lotion, should be avoided as they can make the condition worse.

It is important to note that once you have had melasma, it can always come back if you don't take care of your skin and stay out of the sun. Even when it's wilted, melasma can come back to the same place, even more intensely. It is therefore imperative to wear sunscreen every day and reapply it throughout the day if you are forced to stay outdoors. It is also advisable to wear a sun hat to protect your face. Either way, we all know that too much sun on your face ages the skin, so that's just another reason to rock the sunscreen and put on a hat.

The best ally against melasma: Total Block sunscreen

Since melanin is activated by ultraviolet rays, you can limit its production and avoid having your face covered with brown patches. It is essential to use a very high protection sunscreen (SPF 50 or 50 +), even in winter. Indeed, it should be noted that it sometimes only takes 5 minutes of unprotected exposure to obtain hyperpigmentation. In addition, frequent applications of Total Block sunscreen are essential to ensure sufficient protection.

How can you get rid of melasma?

Probably, you can expect the pregnancy mask to become weaker and weaker on its own soon after childbirth, when hormones start to return to normal level. It can fade at the same rate as the linea nigra which is usually gone in the first year. If you don't feel like waiting around for Mother Nature to take her course, here are some steps you can take to reduce the onset of melasma after birth.

Our top tips for trying to avoid the pregnancy mask

Of course, the best way to avoid the appearance of dark spots or suffer from pigmentation disorders is above all to take care of your skin on a daily basis by following some relevant advice.

1. Cleanse your skin with soothing water, for example, thermal water.
2. Exfoliate it to remove impurities, dead skin and to help it benefit from the skincare products you are about to apply.
3. Hydrate it to reform the protective hydrolipidic film of the epidermis.

Besides adopting this routine, there is not much to advise. To avoid the appearance of unsightly patches due to the pregnancy mask, pregnant women should avoid prolonged exposure to the sun during the hottest hours of the day. Indeed, even the best sunscreen cannot guarantee total protection over time. So, in case of unavoidable exposure, here are three tips to preserve your complexion.

1. Apply a mineral powder with SPF on your sunscreen. This will strengthen the protection already provided by the cream. The powder will also strengthen the protection applied in the first layer.
2. Wear a wide-brimmed hat or cap that sufficiently covers your face.
3. Stop smoking because tobacco consumption promotes melasma.

Pregnancy and tobacco

Did you know that… smoking and pregnancy are not really what you would call a great combination for fetal health and development. You should also know that cigarettes are harmful to the skin. They have an oxidizing action on the cells and alter the elasticity of the skin: the latter dries out more easily and becomes more sensitive to the development of dark spots.

You already have a pregnancy mask: how to find a uniform complexion?

Note that it is often not recommended to treat melasma while you are still pregnant. This is because the use of a depigmenting treatment can have harmful effects on the fetus and, most of the time, the brown spots disappear on their own once the hormonal level returns to normal. It is essential to be patient as it can take a few months after giving birth, especially if you are breastfeeding. If the pregnancy mask persists beyond 6 months after childbirth or breastfeeding, you can use different solutions to remedy it.

What effect can a treatment with depigmenting active ingredients have?

Even as we already mentioned that removing the pregnancy mask can be an impossible mission, but you should try. It is recommended to use anti-dark spot creams with depigmenting active ingredients to get rid of the pregnancy mask. Among the most recognized for their effectiveness in reducing spots, we find: azelaic acid, vitamin C, fruit acids AHA, kojic acid, citric acid and peels. In the event of a very pronounced pregnancy mask, the concentration of active ingredients in creams is sometimes too low. In this case, you could resort to a peel under the supervision of a dermatologist.

What is the result of laser treatment?

This other severe melasma treatment involves removing excess melanin pigment by photothermolysis. Note in large letters: the peel should not be applied to a pregnant woman. This can be done after childbirth and if you are breastfeeding when breastfeeding is finished.

Although we wrote above that the pregnancy mask is difficult to avoid when you are prone to different factors, macadamia oil will not harm you. With moisturizing and regenerating properties, it can be applied topically to treat dark spots and stretch marks.