Your skin in pregnancy

Sulekha is in the seventh month of her pregnancy. For the past few weeks she has noticed darkening of the skin of her neck. She also has noticed a dark line developing over the midline of her abdomen. Is this normal in pregnancy? Her grandmother is asking her to apply turmeric paste over her face and neck to reduce the pigmentation. Will that help?

Changes that occur due to the baby are expected and are well accepted by women. Backaches, swollen feet and increasing weight do not alarm pregnant women. But most women are caught by surprise by the changes that happen to their skin, hair and nails. Most of these changes are hormone related and will disappear after the delivery.

Common skin changes in pregnancy

Darkening of skin

The skin normally contains the pigment melanin which is what gives the brown colour to our skin and hair. This pigment increases during pregnancy. Women might notice dark spots appearing over their breasts, face and neck, abdomen, and thighs. More than 90 percent of pregnant women will get these dark areas. Turmeric paste or other home remedies will not prevent this.

Some women develop a brownish discolouration, called chloasma, around the eyes, nose, and cheeks. Exposure to harsh sunlight can make it worse. Some women also notice a faint, dark line that runs from their umbilicus to their pubic hair. This is called linea nigra.

Stretch marks

As your abdomen and breasts grow during pregnancy, they may become stretched and marked with reddish lines. By the end of the pregnancy almost all pregnant women will get stretch marks on their abdomen, and sometimes on the buttocks, breasts, or thighs. The number of stretch marks you get depends on your genetic makeup. Just apply plenty of moisturising lotion to the skin to keep it supple. Stretch marks will eventually fade but will never completely go away.

Remember, there is little you can do to keep stretch marks from appearing. Do not waste money on lotions and creams which promise to prevent stretch marks.