Acne During Pregnancy - How to treat acne in pregnancy

Acne in pregnancy is very common, whether you have previously had acne or not. If you are planning to get pregnant, it is important to discuss your acne treatments with your doctor. Many of these can harm the unborn baby. Women have complained of acne appearing mainly on the face, chest and back areas. Occurrence can be different in every woman, and while some will have moderate to severe outbreaks others will not be conflicted with acne during pregnancy at all. As with pregnancy itself, each case is different. Women that are affected during a first pregnancy may not have acne during subsequent pregnancies, or vice versa.

You might feel very much scared of the thought of those odds of acne scar formation which is quite obvious on your part. But, as a matter of fact it is quite common to have acne in pregnancy and you can really beat it with the help of a proper treatment regimen. It has been estimated that almost 50% of adult women experience acne flare ups during premenstrual period and pregnancy and there is nothing abnormal about it. During pregnancy the serum level of male hormones, androgens, goes on top giving rise to a sudden hormonal imbalance in female body. This erratic upsurge of male hormones influences the oil glands underneath epidermal skin layer to secrete huge amount of body oil or sebum. Surplus sebum, instead of reaching the skin surface, clogs up the hair follicles intermingling with follicular lining dead cells and acne causing Propionibacterium acnes bacteria. This eventually leads to several types of acne lesions and inflammation not only on your face but also on several parts of your body.

Pregnancy Skin Care Tips

Fortunately there are steps you can take to keep your skin in tiptop shape even with acne during pregnancy. While you may not avoid acne during pregnancy, you can do your best to maintain a healthy pregnancy glow. Here are some tips for maintaining your best appearance during pregnancy.

1. Always get plenty of sleep. Getting enough sleep will allow you to look refreshed and will help keep your skin healthy and less wrinkle prone.
2. Use sunscreen religiously. Even if you don't suffer from melasma, your skin is more sensitive during pregnancy. You should always use a moisturizer or sun block with an SPF 15 or higher.
3. Clean your face and neck regularly. Pimples will be much worse if pores are clogged. Be sure to clean your face using a gentle cleanser and light moisturizer during pregnancy.

Just by maintaining a few simple rules in your everyday life and following some treatment procedures as per the direction of your doctor you could get rid of this skin disease completely. Do not over cleanse your skin or rub with a harsh scrubber in an attempt to wipe off your acne pimples as early as possible, which otherwise could backfire your overall endeavor, adding more acne lesions to your face. Over cleansing would strip away the surplus oil from your skin which would lead to more irritation and breakouts. A few medicines which you might be able to use for acne in pregnancy without putting your fetus in risk for major malformations are benzoyl peroxide, azelaic acid, and erythromycin.

Acne treatment during Pregnancy

* Retin-A is a cream which is applied on the affected area to reduce acne. It is also known as Tretinoin.
* Use an astringent that is non-medicated.

[Article Source: http://www.positivearticles.com]

It is not uncommon for pregnant women to experience breakouts at any time during pregnancy or later. The skin returns to its normal condition within a month or two after the baby is born.

Read more on makeup. Check out for skin care tips and acne.

If you are copying this article for publishing on a website or ezine, please use the "Ezine Ready" button from the righthand menu.