Pregnancy is one of the most memorable periods in the life of every woman: anticipation of motherhood, preparation for a joyful event, cheerful bustle and pleasant chores. But at the same time, the expectant mother’s body is reconstructed and begins to present unexpected and not always pleasant “surprises.” This affects a woman’s weight and, of course, the condition of her skin. Acne during pregnancy is a common occurrence, but nevertheless, it can ruin your mood for a long time. What are the main reasons for their occurrence?
The main causes of acne
Acne during early pregnancy appears due to hormonal changes occurring in the expectant mother. The body is actively preparing to bear a child: large doses of progesterone are released into the blood, which stimulate the development of the fetus and the preparation of the uterus for its attachment.
But progesterone also affects the functioning of the sebaceous glands, which begin to actively produce sebum. This can lead to clogged pores and, as a result, acne. This is why acne during pregnancy is considered a natural phenomenon. Especially if a woman had oily or combination skin before pregnancy and has experienced acne before.
Also during pregnancy, a woman is most susceptible to attacks from fungi and viral infections. Therefore, pimples on the skin can be a signal of the presence of a parasitic subcutaneous mite.
The protective barrier of a pregnant woman's immunity drops slightly, so herpes and an allergic reaction to foods to which the body previously reacted normally may appear. There are other reasons why acne may occur during pregnancy.
Causes of acne on the face
Often, acne begins to appear on one or another area of the face and body, because the internal organs do not cope well with their functions. During pregnancy, this problem is especially relevant, because the body experiences a double load.
For example, acne located on the chin indicates that the digestive system does not cope well with processing food, and its remains begin to produce toxins. In this case, you need to pay attention to the health of your stomach and intestines, and perhaps go on some kind of diet. And as soon as everything returns to normal, the acne will disappear.
Another reason for the appearance of acne on the chin is ovarian dysfunction and hormonal imbalance.
But acne on the forehead during pregnancy is a signal of disturbances in the functioning of the stomach and pancreas. If you limit your consumption of smoked, sweet and fatty foods, you can completely avoid their appearance.
Pimples in the lip area are another “bell” from the intestines. They may indicate constipation, so it's worth adding as much fiber to your diet as possible.
Causes of acne on the shoulders and back
Acne may appear suddenly on the shoulders or back early in pregnancy. If we exclude a reason such as poor-quality clothing (for example, made of synthetics, which does not allow the skin to breathe), then they may be evidence of interruptions in the functioning of the endocrine system. Sometimes it is a signal of the development of diabetes mellitus.
Causes of acne on the stomach
Acne on the abdomen during pregnancy can be the result of a common heat rash or hormonal changes. For the same reason, a pregnant woman may find pimples on her buttocks.
Contraindications for treating acne during pregnancy
Treatment of acne during pregnancy should be approached with caution. Especially when it comes to the use of any medications. And the first on the list of prohibited products are vitamin A-based drugs, or retinoids. By the way, retinoids can also be included in anti-aging cosmetics. The main thing to remember is that their use during pregnancy can lead to the development of birth defects in the baby.
Acne during pregnancy should never be treated with salicylic acid-based medications. Acid, like retinoids, leads to various types of pathologies in the fetus. And even peeling with its help is undesirable, since salicylic acid can enter the bloodstream through the skin.
The extremely popular baziron, tetracycline, diffirin and other hormonal ointments are also at risk. They are not recommended for use even during breastfeeding. So what acne treatment methods remain in a pregnant woman’s arsenal?
The main methods of treating acne during pregnancy
What to do if acne breaks out during pregnancy?
When the problem is based on changes in hormonal levels, the pregnant woman, in fact, cannot do anything. Hormonal levels are corrected only with hormonal drugs, and they are strictly prohibited for expectant mothers.
Most often, rashes are still associated with the nature of the diet. A lot of coffee and sweets, smoked and canned food is just an extra burden for the digestive system. And then, how can this food be useful to the body? Almost nothing! But an abundance of fresh vegetables and fruits will not only provide vitamins, micro- and macroelements, but will also improve the functioning of the intestines and stomach, and relieve the pancreas.
Well, proper skin care will help speed up the healing of wounds after acne and the process of eliminating them.
General recommendations for skin care during pregnancy
A problem such as acne during pregnancy can be solved through proper skin care. Again, given that many masks and creams contain substances that are dangerous to a pregnant woman, you will have to prepare your own cosmetics with your own hands.
For example, you can buy blue and white clay and make masks based on them. Clay is a wonderful environmentally friendly antiseptic, absolutely harmless. If you mix clay with a decoction of linden, calendula or chamomile, its soothing and disinfecting properties will increase by 2 times. In addition, clay masks can be made not only for the face and body, but also for hair.
A mask made from honey and aloe juice works great to combat acne.
Another proven method is wiping your face with various ice cubes: based on a decoction of calendula, chamomile, and also from birch sap.
The only pharmaceutical product that is not contraindicated for pregnant women is “Zinerit”. But even if you decide to use it, it is better to first consult with your gynecologist.
Preventing acne during pregnancy
When acne appears during pregnancy, how to treat the rash becomes problem number one: pharmaceutical products cannot be used, well-known cosmetic companies also cannot offer the best options. Therefore, it is better to prevent their occurrence.
Firstly, the expectant mother should carefully read the composition of all cosmetic products that end up on her shelf. During pregnancy, acne may simply be a reaction to the toner or cream you use.
A pregnant woman should pay special attention to personal hygiene - acne during early pregnancy is often the result of poor quality self-care. Linen needs to be changed more often, washing and bathing more thoroughly.
Squeezing pimples is strictly prohibited. This only makes the situation worse. You can “pull out” the contents of a pimple with a regular clay mask - this is a more hygienic method.
And once again it is worth mentioning nutrition - without a balanced diet and quality food, you can hardly count on clean and healthy skin.
In general, our skin is a wonderful indicator of the internal state of the body. And acne is one of the ways to attract the attention of the expectant mother to any unwanted processes occurring in the body. Therefore, you should not be upset by their appearance. It is better to find out the reason and take more careful care of your health, and therefore the health of your baby.
As you know, pimples can form on any part of the skin, so their appearance on the butt is not surprising. Moreover, such an intimate part of the body can suffer from inflammation no less than the face, back or décolleté. And if most men turn a blind eye to this under the pretext that no one sees anyway, then for women, acne on the butt is a significant problem that brings discomfort and uncertainty (especially in the summer), and sometimes even itching and pain.
Of course, you can get rid of acne on the buttocks using many methods, ranging from simple treatment at home to more complex therapy in medical institutions. However, no specialist can guarantee that they will not arise again until the cause of their formation is identified and eliminated. Let's consider what factors can provoke the formation of pimples in such a delicate place.
Causes of acne development
The main reason for the appearance of both small and large pimples is considered to be dryness of the epidermis, which arises due to the presence of a small number of sebaceous glands and their reluctance to secrete the required volume of subcutaneous fat. As a result, an inflammatory process begins on the overdried dermis, which becomes many times more sensitive to external irritants (clothing, furniture intended for sitting or sleeping). The situation can be aggravated or act as a separate source of acne formation on the buttocks by a disrupted mechanism of self-cleaning of the skin, and, as a consequence, blockage of sebaceous pores by keratinized scales and dirt.
Also, a common cause of acne in women is hormonal instability due to the rapid increase in the level of steroid hormones, mainly androgens. By influencing many biochemical reactions, they contribute to an increase in the number of sebocytes - secretory cells of the glands, and a change in the composition of sebum (as a rule, it becomes thicker and more viscous).
Other reasons why acne appears on the butt include:
1. Uncomfortable temperature in the intimate area, that is, hypothermia (hypothermia) or, on the contrary, hyperthermia (overheating).
2. Poor quality or synthetic underwear, to which the skin responds with signs of allergy (redness, small rash, itching, irritation).
3. Uncomfortable, tight clothes (for example, tight tights, silhouette-correcting shorts, tight jeans and other wardrobe items that are fashionable today).
4. Ignoring the basic rules of everyday hygiene (the No. 1 reason for the formation of acne on the butt among those who wear dirty things, do not change their underwear in a timely manner, or do not carefully care for such a delicate area).
5. Physical inactivity is a disorder of body functions due to a sedentary lifestyle (in this case, not only the musculoskeletal system is disrupted, but also the digestive, respiratory, and circulatory systems, and, consequently, the risk of developing inflammation increases).
6. Problems with the activity of the gastrointestinal tract (since the gastrointestinal tract ceases to cope with its responsibilities of removing decay products from the body, the dermis begins to help it, accumulating toxins, which leads to the formation of acne).
- vitamin deficiency (in this case, pimples on the butt are an indicator of a lack of vitamins B and D);
- hypersensitivity to certain medications or foods, powders, hygiene products, and so on;
- imbalance in diet;
- intense sweating (sweat is a strong irritant);
- colds, infections (frequent culprits in the formation of purulent pimples on the buttocks).
Separately, it is necessary to say about the causes of acne on the butt in women during pregnancy. The fact is that pregnant women may additionally suffer from acne due to progesterone, a female steroid hormone that is largely responsible for the normal course of pregnancy and the health of the child.
However, despite the importance of its role, progesterone helps to increase the production of sebum, and therefore an increase in the fat content of the epidermis - the source of acne. Another reason for the formation of pimples on the butt during pregnancy is dehydration (especially in the 1st trimester). At the time of hormonal changes, insufficient fluid intake leads to “undiluted” hormones, which also makes sebum production more active.
How to treat?
Often, abscesses, boils, and even some diseases of sexually transmitted etiology are masked under acne. Therefore, at the slightest suspicion, you should immediately consult a specialist doctor to diagnose the disease and select appropriate therapy. If only the problem of the dermis is hidden under the inflammatory elements, then treatment can be based on:
- cauterization with salicylic acid (do the procedure for at least 5 days);
- daily application of tea tree oil after bathing;
- periodically lubricating pimples on the butt with iodine solution (spot on 3 times a day);
- taking baths with the addition of a decoction of medicinal herbs (chamomile, chicory, horsetail, celandine, calendula) to the water;
- using tar soap (local treatment is more appropriate, since soap is very drying);
- using a mask made from cosmetic clay diluted with water (preferably green) with the addition of wheat germ oil (this remedy can be used for single pimples and when the entire butt is covered in pimples);
- drying the skin with baby powder (if the rash is caused by excessive sweating).
Pharmaceutical drugs are certainly effective in therapy. So, if pimples have appeared on the butt, the desired result will be given by such medicines as Dalacin (gel), Zinerit (ointment, lotion), Skinoren (cream, gel), Curiosin (solution, gel). The use of these and other medications must be agreed upon with a dermatologist. Before use, it is also important to study the instructions to become familiar with the contraindications.
Therapy during pregnancy
When treating acne in pregnant women, about 98% of commercially available anti-acne products are considered prohibited. This is explained, of course, by the content of substances harmful and dangerous to the fetus in these drugs. For example, highly effective retinoids (both aromatic - tazarotene, adapalene, and not - isotretinoin, tretinoin) tend to have a teratogenic effect, that is, disrupt the normal development of the embryo. Medicines containing benzoyl peroxide can also cause fetal pathology. What should pregnant women do when acne appears on their butt?
First, you need to consult a specialist who will prescribe a medication approved for use. Secondly, it is necessary to monitor the functioning of the digestive system, increase the intake of protein in food, and eat more fruits, vegetables, dairy products and crumbly cereals. And sometimes, in order to get rid of acne on the butt, pregnant women only need to drink the right amount of water a day.
A pregnant woman undergoes a significant transformation over the course of 9 months. Many people say that all pregnant women look somehow especially beautiful, because being a mother suits you so well! But against the backdrop of other external changes - an enviably rounded tummy, breast enlargement, changes in the condition of the hair, the appearance of a mysterious sparkle in the eyes - this very face does not always look as harmonious as we would like. Pigment spots may suddenly appear on it (the so-called pregnancy mask) or acne, exactly the same as in teenagers, may bloom.
Causes of acne during pregnancy
People say that girls take away beauty from a woman, so the appearance of acne during pregnancy was considered an indirect sign of the birth of a daughter. But there is another version that acne indicates that a woman is carrying a boy. In fact, gender determination and acne during pregnancy have nothing to do with each other. Their appearance is determined by hormones.
As you know, the hormonal background of a pregnant woman is constantly changing, very actively and violently, and the consequences of these changes are very difficult to predict. Theoretically, the higher the progesterone level and the greater the “amplitude of fluctuations” of the hormones, the more likely it is that a woman will break out. Most often this occurs already in the first trimester of pregnancy.
The hormone progesterone, in addition to performing its direct functions of maintaining pregnancy, significantly increases the production of sebum. And this is precisely the cause of acne, because the pores of the skin become very clogged.
The likelihood of acne during pregnancy and when the female body is dehydrated increases. At the same time, the concentration of hormones in the blood increases, and the manifestations in the form of acne intensify.
How to deal with acne during pregnancy?
You are unlikely to be able to change your hormonal levels to eliminate acne. The process goes on by itself, naturally. And all that remains for you is to come to terms with this temporary trouble. Remember: acne does not pose any danger to the child and the pregnancy itself, but this is the most important thing now. But, of course, we also don’t forget about aesthetics and skin health.
Daily hygienic skin care is a must! And with its indispensable hydration. The idea that oily skin does not need to be moisturized is wrong. Choose high-quality soft skin care cosmetics - without alcohol, fragrances, salicylic acid, hormones and other unwanted ingredients.