Pregnancy: all links so far

pregnancy

• Acne, medications, pregnancy—“I need your help!” (new!)

• Can you get facials while you’re pregnant? In a word: YES!

• “I’m pregnant! How will my skin change?”

• New mommies have no time!

• Post-pregnancy skin sensitivity

• Pregnancy & Chloasma

• Pregnancy and Skin Care

• Pregnancy & stretch marks

• Pregnancy & tired legs

• Pregnancy: Some factors that may be affecting your skin

• Pregnant with Problem Skin

• Proactiv—Solution? Part I —this includes a story about one of my pregnant clients and her skin issues

Acne, medications, pregnancy—“I need your help!”

I have acne on my chin area and have struggled for years to address it. I don’t eat a lot of sugar and don’t eat dairy and eat very little wheat. My dermatologist has me on Oracea, which is an oral antibiotic that is 40mg doxycicline. It’s supposed to act as an anti-inflammatory and it has reduced my breakouts. He also has me using a benzoyl peroxide 4% wash once a day, and a clindamycin topical. I still always have about 2-3 breakouts on my chin at all times, and when some heal, others form. They tend to be puss-filled.

I read your book and had read many entries on your blog, and I know that all of this is contrary to what you recommend. Yesterday I got a facial and started using Yonka Gommage, which already feels great. I also use a clay mask. I plan to use the gommage and clay mask regularly. 

What I’m wondering is how I can smoothly transition away from the oral and topical antibiotics to a more natural skin regimen without creating major disruptions. I have a few events coming up this summer and I don’t want to make a radical shift that will cause my skin to get worse. Do you have suggestions for how to make this transition? For example, should I stay on the oral medication for another month while weaning off of the topical?

First, if you have a special event coming up, I recommend staying on everything you are using since it sounds like it does have a positive effect. You can always quit using it, but you might not get you skin back in control if you go off. There’s no reason to cause extra stress, wondering what your skin will do if you go off the medications before your events. You have the rest of your life to change things! Stay on the meds from your derm, and do use the gommage and mask—frequently.

With that said, the medications are probably just keeping things at bay. The real issue to me is why are you breaking out in the first place. Without finding out this crucial piece of information, you are just mopping up the mess every time something spills—but you want to find out why the spills are happening in the first place. (Is it the cat?!) Answering that question is where time and experimentation will come into play.

I agree that I don’t want to disrupt things if the meds are keeping things at bay. One thing that really concerns me is that I’d like to try to get pregnant in the next 6-12 months, so I know I need to get off the meds but don’t know how to make the transition.

Have you talked to your pediatrician? Are topical antibiotics a no-no for sure? Even tho you said you don’t eat much sugar, I’d like to know about that part of your diet. What, how much, and any other specific information you can give me.

I think topical antibiotics are okay but the oral is definitely not okay.

Opps, sorry. I misread and didn’t see one is oral. Yes—not while pregnant!

Another question in my mind is how the gommage works with the benzoyl peroxide wash. My doctor wants me to use the 4% wash once a day, but since it’s an exfoliant, can I use the gommage in addition to that? I think the BP and clindamycin are supposed to work in concert. Can I incorporate the gommage into my regimen with all of the other things I use or will my skin be confused?

I don’t eat any processed sugar but I do eat dried fruit. I eat LÄRABARs, which I think are high in sugar. I usually eat one or two apples a day as well. I sometimes eat raisins or dates or figs, but always in moderation. I wonder if that is contributing to the problem?

I looked up “a” LÄRABAR. Unfortunately they contain a whopping 23 grams of sugar, which is not only a lot, it is almost more than the recommended daily allotment of sugar. If you are sensitive to sugar, and you probably are, that alone can cause problems.

I always say anything grown and eaten as it is grown in nature is fine. Apples, even grapes, which are high in sugar, won’t be the culprit in a breakout condition. But dried fruits—not as nature really intended—are high in concentrated sugars and obviously void of water. As you might have read in this post (Sugar in your precious Frappuccinos!) although raisins are obviously not the big offender with that client in that article, they may have been contributing—well they were contributing to her daily intake of sugar.

All of this is extremely helpful and I welcome any more information you might have! Thanks again. 

If you want to see if (how) sugar is affecting your skin, stop ingesting any and all sugar for a month at least (longer would be better) and see the effects. Anything that comes in a package would be out. Dried fruit, because of the concentrated sugars, is out. Apples, or any fruit that is in its natural state is (always) fine. Without quitting sugar for a considerable time—at least a month or more—it’s hard to see the effect. But this is a huge commitment and not one I would go into when fairly soon you will be pregnant and your skin may go haywire anyway.

Probably a more relaxed approach is needed here. If you weren’t planning on having a child soon, my advice would be more proactive. But it’s almost futile to do a lot of sugar abstinence when in a few months or so you are hopefully pregnant and then your skin and how it reacts to the hormone surges is unknown.

With all changes going slowly sometimes is the best idea vs. being in a rush. Perhaps the fact you have some important events coming up will end up be a blessing in disguise. Although you will probably stay on the medications until you’re ready to try going off them (with your doctors advice, as well, of course), going off sugar or at least lessening your intake can be done now and that alone will probably help with your skin problems.

For more information, see:

• “I’m pregnant! How will my skin change?”
• Hidden Sugar: Sugar in Unsuspected Places
• Doing The Next Best Thing

Proactiv—Solution? Part I

I have a mixed report on this infomercial product-by-mail. I have had several clients come into my clinic telling me how Proactiv “tore up” their skin. And I have also had experience with a few people who have had success with it. Over the span of a few articles, I will include some stories of how Proactiv helped or hindered the clearing of their problem skin.

What’s in Proactiv Solution?

This is a benzoyl peroxide-based skin care product line. The most basic Proactiv Solution program consists of four products: Cleanser, toner, moisturizer, and mask. The pH values of all but the mask are acidic, which is good. The mask tested to be alkaline, so if you decide to use this product line, I would be careful about using the mask. As you know, alkalinity can dry out the skin’s surface. Proactiv also contains fragrance; something that cannot be ignored once you smell the different products. This should raise a red flag if you have known reactions to fragrance in products, so be aware and be careful.

• The Renewing Cleanser has 2.5% benzoyl peroxide (BP).
• The Revitalizing Toner has glycolic acid as its second ingredient, along with aloe, chamomile, and witch hazel as some of the top ingredients.
• The Repairing Lotion Acne Treatment (moisturizer) also has 2.5% BP.
• The Refining Mask Acne Treatment has kaolin (clay) as its second ingredient, which is actually a good thing. Too bad it’s an alkaline mask.

The ingredients in this system are predominately synthetic, with a few organic ingredients thrown in, mostly in the toner.

Proactiv has definitely worked for many people—although some for just a short period of time. If you are at the end of your rope, you might want to give these products a try. By this I mean you have really looked into your diet and lifestyle habits and cannot determine a source for your breakouts. Or at least no source that you are willing to give up, perhaps. Ingredient for ingredient, I am not impressed with Proactiv, but if it works for you then that is what really matters.

Kerry’s story. Kerry was pregnant with her second baby. Her skin, like with the first pregnancy, had gone completely haywire. No matter how good she was about doing all the right things, her skin was still at the mercy of the baby growing inside her. Hormones are funny things, and when a woman is pregnant, they control just about everything, including her skin.

Kerry came in for a facial with what looked like chapped skin all over her face. She was so dried out and dehydrated I couldn’t believe it. I asked her what she had been doing, and she reluctantly admitted the truth. She had gone to the store and purchased products that promised to clear up acne. What they had done instead was dry out the entire surface of her face, which did relatively nothing for the infections and cysts coming up from below the skin.

I got her to stop using the harsh, drying products, and considered the options with her. She shyly asked me what I thought of Proactiv. I said I honestly didn’t have any personal experience with it, but that several clients in recent years had said it was one of the worst things they had used on their skin.

A month later I saw Kerry for another facial and noticed an improvement in her skin. It was perhaps 25% better than the previous month. She went on to tell me she had purchased the Proactiv products and decided to use them and see how it went. She, too, had noticed a difference in her skin; it seemed to be clearing up a bit. Here is what Kerry had to say about her Proactiv experience.

Proactiv worked to dry my skin out pretty well, but nothing really helped to clear it up. It definitely improved the bright red, breakout pus things, but didn’t help with the blackheads that were so bad. The cleanser and toner are the best products. The lotion (moisturizer) was okay, but the mask was horrific. Let me put it this way, using Proactiv made me feel like I was doing something to sort of help my skin, but nothing really could make it better. It finally cleared up in my fourth month of pregnancy.

One of the side effects I noticed with Kerry’s skin was dehydration; in fact it was flaky. This was no doubt from the benzoyl peroxide contained in Proactiv. Benzoyl peroxide, although sometimes effective for blemishes, can really dry out the surface skin. Although Kerry had some success with Proactiv, she ended up going back to her regular routine with the products she had used for years. Products that didn’t dry out her skin.

Proactiv does work for some people. But if the cause of the problem skin is dietary and the diet is not altered dramatically to ensure a healthy body and therefore healthy skin, the problems will continue to occur. You may go through an initial period of clear skin. Then three, four, or maybe six months later (even while still using Proactiv), your problems might seem to be returning in full. This is because you did nothing to stop the acne from occurring in the first place. You took the short cut, which usually leads you in a circle back to where you started. It’s about causal healing, not quick fixes. Remember, you must fix the system, not just the symptom.

If you have problem skin, these articles and others on this blog may be of interest:

• Why does skin break out?
• Help For Breakouts 
• Benzoyl Peroxide: Use it or lose it? 
• Proactiv—Solution? Part II: Donn’s story
  

New mommies have no time!

Are you out of time? When you have an infant to take care of, you’re lucky if you can brush your teeth—forget about your skin! I hear this over and over from new mothers. It seems there just isn’t any time to take care of yourself, your skin included. Perhaps adopting a revised attitude is in order. This attitude is similar to the Zen imagery of being a rock in a stream. You can fight against the water coming down around you, or you can just sit in the stream and enjoy the shower you are experiencing. “Go with the flow” is a more concise way of putting it.

The first few months after the birth of your child, you probably won’t have time to do much. If you can brush your teeth, however, you can cleanse your face.

• When going to brush, take a few extra seconds and grab your cleanser.
• Put it on your face, brush your teeth, rinse the cleanser off, and you’re practically done. (This is a Cleansing Quick Tip.)
• After rinsing the cleanser off and drying your face, spray your face with toner. (If you're a client or familiar with my writing, you may already have your toner in a spray bottle.)
• The only thing left is moisturizer. A few more seconds will get it on your face, and you have accomplished the impossible: you have completed your Basics 1-2-3 Program and in record time! 
• For an even easier way to clean your skin, click here to read about a new waterless cleanser from Yonka—one you simply apply with a cotton pad, wipe your face, and cleansing is done!

It only takes a few extra seconds to wash, spray toner, and apply some cream to your face. Without this twice-a-day care, your skin may be headed for trouble. It will take you one or two minutes, tops, to do The Basics, morning and night.

I never expect new moms to do their weekly exfoliating and clay masking. I just assume this is “mission impossible.” But in case you are one of the lucky ones with a few extra minutes once or twice a week, including these two steps (what I call The Extras) will help you maintain healthy, clean and clear skin. The most important thing for your skin are the daily Basics 1-2-3. The Extras are just that, and at this point do what you can, when you can, and don’t worry about the rest. You’ve got a lot of other things to attend to—namely your new bundle of joy.

Getting a facial every month or even at 6-8 week intervals would be an enormous gift—for your skin as well as your psyche. In the capable hands of a professional, you can help to undo weeks of neglect that have built up in your skin. By no means are facials going to miraculously reverse problems that may have occurred, but they can further the health of your skin tremendously. Plus for that hour in the treatment room, you can get away completely and luxuriate without worrying about the baby crying or the telephone ringing.

Over the years I have had many new mothers come in with their infants, usually under 4 months old. If the baby has recently been fed, he or she sleeps through the facial, lulled by the soft music and low lighting. And mom gets a mini-vacation while having her babe by her side.

The bottom line, don’t stress yourself out about not being able to take great care of your skin. After your baby gets into a rhythm, so will your life (sort of), and you will probably find more chunks of time to accomplish tasks for yourself. Enjoy your new little one, and do what you can for yourself. Breathe, relax, and know that you have created a living miracle. I suppose the next gift is to find time for the miracle worker—you!

For more information, see: 

• The Basics 1-2-3 Program for proper skin care  
• The Extras—Do more to have healthy skin  
• Why get a facial? The benefits of a professional facial treatment explained
• Cleansing Quick Tip

Pregnancy: Some factors that may be affecting your skin

When you’re pregnant, your appetite is somewhat turned upside down. First you may not be able to keep food down, then you’re not able to eat enough. And no doubt you will be craving many foods you don’t normally eat. All of this can cause problems with your skin. This is not the time to restrict what you are eating. Do, however, try to eat a balance of healthy foods, such as the classic fruits and vegetables your body needs. Water is as important as ever along with following your doctor’s prenatal vitamin regimen.

A second factor, stress, should not be overlooked as contributing to your skin problems even after you’ve given birth. Just the time factor (not having enough of it) can be a huge contributor to skin problems you may be experiencing. Incorporating anti-stress activities can help take some of the tension out of your body as well as your face. Try taking a healing bath or meditating—undisturbed—for 15 minutes. Now is the perfect time!

Perhaps your grateful husband can buy you a gift certificate for a full body massage, a facial, or a “day of beauty” at your favorite spa or salon. If money is an issue, try an at-home facial. Simply doing a few extra things to your skin along with taking quiet time when you can, even if it’s only for a few minutes, can make a big difference--body, mind and soul.

Once you’ve given birth, it’s really important to have time to recoup your energy. Ask your husband to take care of the baby while you draw a luxurious bubble bath, complete with candles and relaxing music. Fifteen or 30 minutes is a short amount of time for him, while for you it can make all the difference in the world. Do whatever you can to find some “me” time and recharge your batteries. Remember, anything is possible. Sometimes all you have to do is ask.

Try not to worry about the changes that may be taking place. You may not have the skin, the body, or the kind of time you had prior to your pregnancy and your child being born, but usually the body bounces back in time. And remember: you just created a miracle!

For more information, see:

• Pregnant with Problem Skin
• At-Home Facials—A DIY How-To 
• HEADSPACE: Get your meditation on
• Bathtime Quick Tips

Don’t worry—your problem skin will clear up!

Pregnancy & Chloasma

Chloasma is a condition also called the mask of pregnancy, hyperpigmentation or melasma. In essence, the pigment (melanin) in your skin has gone out of control. This results in dark spots of pigmentation on the face, resembling in some cases a mask—thus the name. These are not freckles or dots, but sometimes large patches of dark brown skin commonly found on the cheeks and/or the forehead, although it is not limited to these areas.

During pregnancy or while on birth control pills (“the pill” makes your body think it’s pregnant), your skin becomes photosensitive or sensitive to the sun. Photosensitivity is most common in women, especially during the childbearing years, due to fluctuating hormones. Unfortunately, if you’re prone to it, the only solution for keeping chloasma away is to stay out of the sun.

ANY amount of sun exposure will darken the pigmentation on your face. All exposure counts, and as little as a few minutes of sun can darken the spots. If you’ve ever experienced hyperpigmentation, you know this is true. Simple, incidental sun can create new spots or darken existing brown splotches on your face that may take a long time to go away. Also note that you don’t have to be pregnant or on birth control pills to develop chloasma. Once you are off the pill or have given birth, you won’t automatically be resistant to hyperpigmentation. You are just more susceptible during periods of hormonal fluctuations, but not only during these times.

Wearing sunscreen is imperative if you are experiencing any hyperpigmentation. You may want to wear sunscreen throughout your pregnancy even if you don’t seem prone to pigmentation problems. Sunscreen is essential for all skins to help combat the ill effects of sun exposure. Sunscreen alone, however, will not keep hyperpigmentation away.

I tell my clients that if I had to choose between wearing sunscreen on my face without wearing a hat or wearing a hat without sunscreen, I would always—no exceptions—wear the hat without sunscreen. Why? Because it is the direct sunlight that causes damage, and in this discussion, chloasma. Although you may be wearing a sunscreen, it is only screening out or filtering the harmful UV rays. You want to obstruct the sun, not just filter it out. When it comes to being photosensitive, you really want to avoid direct sunlight on your face. Realistically, I wear sunscreen and a hat when I’m going to be out (and so should you).

Even with all the protective measures you may take, hyperpigmentation can still find a way to get to you. However, after you have given birth your hormones will usually calm down, and your skin won’t be so sun sensitive. Any chloasma you may have accumulated during the pregnancy might just fade away and be gone forever. Although sometimes once you are photosensitive, you may continue to remain sensitive to the sun.

In the winter, chloasma will be less likely to develop. The sun is farther away from the earth, and the air is colder so you won’t be outside as much. This doesn’t mean chloasma won’t announce itself, but it usually won’t become as dark as in the summer time. It is in the warmer months that you really want to be careful in the sun. You will accumulate a lot more incidental sun (to and from the car, working in the garden, talking to the neighbors in the yard) without even knowing it. Any amount of exposure can darken your pigmentation; so be careful.

Even if your chloasma becomes dark in the summer, it will usually fade in the winter because you’ll have less outdoor activity. Just remember, chloasma won’t develop or worsen unless sun exposure is involved.

For more information, see:

• Hyperpigmentation: A reader’s question(s) 
• What is Post-Inflammatory Hyperpigmentation?
• A Small Sunscreen Lecture

Can you get facials while you’re pregnant? In a word: YES!

I had a conversation with a new client who was in for a facial recently. She is pregnant, in the first trimester, and the day she came in she was feeling a bit nauseous. She needed extra height under her head to help fend off the queasiness.

She was wondering, going forward, how or if she would be able to keep coming in for facials throughout her pregnancy. My experience is this: Some pregnant—even very pregnant—women have no problems lying on a bed during a facial treatment; some women do have issues. It really just depends on the individual. I have many regular, monthly clients who around the middle of the second trimester say, “I’ll see you on the other side,” because they simply are not comfortable lying down for an hour or more trying to relax during a facial.

Although some ladies can lie down, in order for these women to enjoy the facial, they need to be elevated in a way that doesn’t work for me (or other aestheticians) giving the facial, so at this point in their pregnancy we just aren’t a good match. And then there are those who simply wouldn’t even endeavor to lie down knowing they wouldn’t make it for five minutes.

Every aesthetician has her own way of practicing. Every facial bed is going to have different angles and abilities to change as per the client’s needs and requests. And with a woman in the home stretch of her pregnancy, sometimes all bets are off and something that was comfortable for her early in her pregnancy just might not be a fit now.

When a client calls who really wants a facial but isn’t sure if she’ll be comfortable, I usually say this: If you truly believe you can relax for an hour or so on the treatment table, by all means come in! Getting a facial is good for the skin and good for the soul. However, if you don’t think you’ll be able to recline and unwind—don’t make an appointment. If you won’t be able to fully enjoy and relax during the treatment in a salon, is it worth it to get a facial? I don’t think so. Frustrating perhaps, enjoyable—doubtful. There are many things you can do at home to replicate a facial treatment, albeit you’re doing them to yourself vs. having them done to you.

Only you can decide if you can lie down for the time it takes to get a facial. One thing I do recommend is getting a facial as soon as you can after the baby is born. Your skin (and your psyche) will need it by then.

All the best to you and the miracle growing inside you!

For more information, see:

• At-Home Facials—A DIY How-To 
• Where to look for a great facial
• Pregnancy and Skin Care

In both facial photos in this article the aestheticians are standing. Some facialists do this as their way of practice and others may do it to accommodate a client.

Pregnant with Problem Skin

The only difference between problem skin when you’re expecting and when you’re not is just a matter of control. When you are pregnant, your body and how it functions is essentially out of your control. I tell my clients (especially first-time pregnancies) to (metaphorically) throw theirs arms up in the air and resign themselves to these changes. This is usually not welcome news.

Having a relaxed attitude about the changes that occur in your body—and your skin—is very important. Consider adopting The Serenity Prayer (by Reinhold Niebuhr): “God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change; courage to change the things I can; and wisdom to know the difference.” When you’re pregnant, serenity and wisdom will be your greatest allies. You can control your skin (raging hormones) just about as well as you can stop your belly from growing. If you realize early on that you are not in control of your body and the baby is, you will fare a whole lot better.

Case history one. A client of mine, Merry, was pregnant with her first child. Merry, then 27, had been coming to me for a little over five years. Her skin has always been clear with a few blackheads around her nose and chin along with constant slight dehydration. She has a sensitivity to sugar, but unless she has overindulged in the sweet stuff or it’s “that time of the month,” her skin doesn’t usually breakout.

Soon after she got pregnant, her skin began to go haywire. At first she came in with mild breakout, which for her skin was unusual. As the weeks progressed, so did her breakouts until finally around the third month she basically had acne. She went from coming in for facials once a month to having one weekly. She needed all the extra help she could get.

Luckily Merry has a good head on her shoulders. She realized she couldn’t really do anything about the hormones that were surging in her body. And she knew she wouldn’t be able to take anything orally for the skin eruptions since she was pregnant. She decided to wait it out, hoping her skin would eventually adjust.

I had Merry on a program of constant at-home care. First I recommended a lot of exfoliating with a gel-type peel (like Yonka’s Gommage) to help rid the surface skin of dead cells, which could lead to more congestion. Next she used a clay mask that helped draw impurities and plugs up toward the surface and soothed her irritated skin. I also had Merry dot clay on any spots that were infected and sleep with the dots on overnight. She used a clay mask on her entire face several times per week. Exfoliating and using a clay mask were essential in keeping her skin under control—from the outside.

Geranium oil was another important addition to Merry’s skin control program. It is easy to use and is essential in helping tackle problem skin. When you dot a small amount on any infected areas, the antibacterial properties in this essential oil will curb bacterial growth and help to clear the blemish without drying it out. As I’ve explained in articles on problem skin, you want to attend to the breakout with products that not only help to clear your skin, but also soothe the irritations as well. Although I’ve never had a pregnant client whose doctor said “no” to essential oil use, do consult with your OB/GYN before using essential oils.

I am happy to say Merry’s skin eventually returned to normal. It took about four months after the birth of her child to clear up, but she no longer has any new breakout. She did have some temporary discoloration from the problem skin she experienced. Pustules and deep cysts take weeks—sometimes months—to completely clear from the skin. Even after the infection and redness is gone, the damaged tissue still has to make its way up to the surface and be sloughed off. Be patient and know that in most cases, your skin will eventually return to normal.

Case history two. Another client, Melissa, has a different kind of skin malady brought on by pregnancy. Melissa has beautiful, flawless skin. She is 38 years old, the mother of a 2-year-old son, and is 6 months pregnant. When she was pregnant with her first child, she started noticing brilliant red “dots” on her face as well as her upper chest or décolleté area.

She was pretty concerned about this redness since her skin is milky white, making these dots very prominent. I assured her they were part and parcel of her pregnancy. I knew this because earlier in my career, I had gone through a total of three pregnancies with one client who developed these same red spots with every pregnancy. After each baby was born, eventually the dots disappeared.

Technically, these bright red or purplish dots are called spider angiomas, and may appear due to an excess of estrogen. They are basically dilated capillaries that look like red lines radiating from a central red dot. Once the baby is born, the hormone levels return to normal, and the dots will usually disappear on their own within three to six months.

Sure enough, about three months after Melissa gave birth to her son, the dots started to disappear. Cut to the present: pregnant again, and lo and behold, the red dots have reappeared. Now, as with so many things after the first pregnancy, Melissa has a proven history of developing these spots and the relief of knowing they do go away.

As I have said, your body is not your own during pregnancy. Things that show up in that nine-month time period many times will go away—on their own—soon after you have given birth and/or finished breast-feeding. Remember, nothing is forever, and this includes skin irregularities developed during pregnancy. Keep your eye on the prize—the miracle you are creating!

For more information, see:

• Pregnancy: Some factors that may be affecting your skin
• Pregnancy and Skin Care
• Help For Breakouts 
• Geranium (or Lavender)—spot remover for breakouts

Anne Geddes, of course!

Pregnancy & tired legs

As with all maladies associated with being pregnant, nothing is going to totally eradicate them. This is also true for tired legs. But incorporating a few extra steps into your daily or weekly routine can help to relieve some of the heaviness you may be feeling.

Stimulating the circulation in your legs is the best course of treatment. A dry-brush massage is a good way to get the blood flowing through your legs. Using a body scrub in the shower is another way to invigorate your tired legs. Getting a body massage (if possible) is an excellent way to help release tension and improve blood circulation. There are massage therapists who specialize in treatments for pregnant women. Not all therapists do, but call around and see if there is someone in your area who does this kind of massage. There are even massage tables specially made for pregnant ladies. Maybe you don’t want a full body massage, so just consider getting a massage on your tired legs. Or get your feet worked on. Whether you self-massage or hire someone to do the work for you, manipulating the muscles through massage is an excellent way to help relieve some of the symptoms of tired legs.

Soaking in Epsom salts can temporarily lessen the tired feeling in your legs, but consult with your doctor to be sure you can add products to your bathwater. Although extremely hot baths and whirlpools are not recommended (you can sweat to regulate your body temperature, but the baby can’t), relaxing in a warm tub of water with soothing salts or essences can help improve the circulation in your legs and bring you relief.

There are products on the market made specifically to help tired, heavy legs. They may contain essential oils and/or other ingredients to help stimulate and improve circulation. You may want to try some of these and see if they make a difference.

Finally, sometimes just elevating your legs can help with some of the discomfort. It can help to get the blood away from your feet where it tends to pool. Taking the load off your tired, swollen legs can go a long way in helping them feel better. It’s a simple remedy, but it can really bring relief.

For more information, see:

• BODY: The may ways to exfoliate
• Relaxation—can you dig it?
• Pregnancy and Skin Care

Pregnancy & stretch marks

I have a feeling you’re hoping I’ll tell you how to get rid of stretch marks or avoid them altogether. But I’m sorry to say I can’t do that. Some people are predisposed genetically to the formation of stretch marks, while others may escape their plight. Like so many other things, when it comes to the body, it boils down to genetics.

Stretch marks are actually scars. As the skin of the belly is stretched during pregnancy (or weight gain in general), so too are the collagen fibers. Collagen is the supporting structure of the skin (of the dermis or inner layer). As the skin stretches to its capacity, new layers of collagen fibers are laid down to add strength to this ever-expanding tissue. This stretching action, along with the addition of new collagen, results in striae, or common stretch marks.

There are several creams on the market that claim to prevent stretch marks. They must be “miracle creams” because if you are prone to stretch marks, it will take nothing short of a miracle for your body not to produce them. Using creams and ointments on the areas that are most likely to develop stretch marks will help to keep the skin soft and supple, but it is doubtful these products will deter them from coming. If you are not genetically predisposed, you may not get stretch marks. It’s kind of the luck of the draw, and it is predominately genetic. (What isn’t?)

It’s always a good idea to pay attention to areas you’re concerned about. Just don’t start paying a lot of money in hopes of preventing the unpreventable. But do massage your skin—all over—with creams that soothe and moisturize. Your skin will respond favorably to the care you give it. In fact, skin that is stretching tends to itch. Using moisturizers on these areas can help alleviate this side effect.

Massage is an excellent way to stimulate circulation, and our skin can always use this extra boost. Maybe taking care of your expanding skin on a regular basis—before the stretch marks have begun—will actually help to minimize their appearance. It certainly can’t hurt, and who knows, maybe it will really improve your chances of keeping stretch marks away.

For more information, see:

• “I’m pregnant! How will my skin change?”
• BODY: The may ways to exfoliate
• Can you get facials while you’re pregnant? In a word: YES!

Post-pregnancy skin sensitivity

Hi Carolyn,

Thank you so much for the adorable card you sent Quinn [the new baby]. She’s doing great. Her skin is sensitive like mommy’s. I’ve actually had some issues lately with extreme sensitivity on my upper cheeks under my eyes. It started a few weeks ago. It might have been a reaction to some eye cream, although I had been using it for a while. I imagine my hormones are still going crazy since I’m nursing.

When it really flared up was when I used some pretty old Gommage. I haven’t exfoliated for a couple of weeks, but I really need to—my skin feels kind of bumpy and dry. So I thought I’d try the gentler gommage I used to use. Let me know what you think. 

Yes, right now and probably until you have stopped breast feeding and gotten your normal [menstrual] cycle back, you may experience unusual things with your skin (and body)—similar to when you were pregnant. Lots of reorganization is going on inside so once again, mama suffers!

I wouldn’t worry about the old Gommage (303) as far as it still being good. More likely it is the citrus in that particular product that is causing the reaction. For now, yes you will still want to gommage, so the 305 will be a better option. Put the 303 away but don’t throw it away! Once your body has readjusted and gotten “back to normal” you probably can use things you might not be able to right now. If you have a cream you use on your face with no reaction, perhaps try to use that temporarily under your eyes.

Sorry you’re having issues. Just go look at your little Miracle if you get down about your skin. She comes first—forever! And your skin, your body, will get back to normal eventually.

For new moms: If you have a reaction, just put that particular product away for now but don’t throw anything out if you’ve been using it in the past without issues. Give your body some time to get through all the intricacies of being pregnant, giving birth, and breast feeding before terminating any products you’ve used that are now causing problems. And like I told this client, go look at your little miracle—and smile!

For more information, see:

• Sensitive Skin: Q & A
• Allergic Reactions to Products & The 72-Hour Test
• Pregnant with Problem Skin

Pregancy and Skin Care

There are many variables that can take place with your skin during and after pregnancy. Some women don’t experience any changes in their skin, while others go on a seemingly unending roller coaster ride with problem skin and breakout. There is no cure if you are one of the roller coaster riders, but there are steps you can take to help keep your skin looking its best throughout and after your pregnancy. If you’re planning more than one child, once you have given birth the first time and are experienced in all the intricacies of pregnancy, your second time around will seem easier. You’ll know from experience any changes occurring will usually fade away after the birth has taken place. Your body really does get back to normal—given a few inevitable transformations.

Not only can breakout be a problem while pregnant, but your skin can become photosensitive (sensitive to the sun) as well. What does this mean? The terms chloasma, mask of pregnancy, and hyperpigmentation are all used to describe a kind of discoloration of the skin that can take place from sun exposure received while pregnant. If you are one of the unlucky women who become sensitive to the sun during this time, I will eventually put a link to another blog post that will help you to understand the precautions you’ll want to take to help keep hyperpigmentation from taking over your face.

A second concern for the new mother-to-be is the formation of stretch marks. If you are prone to this type of scarring, there is nothing short of not stretching your skin that will stop stretch marks from appearing. Whether you will get them or not is up to your genes and how much weight you gain. Although you probably can’t stop them from occurring, there are treatments and creams available that can help keep your skin feeling cared for.

A third concern for expectant mothers is having heavy, tired legs. When you are pregnant and carrying a heavier load than usual, it makes sense that your body—your legs—will feel this added weight. Incorporating stimulating treatments to invigorate tired legs can help alleviate some of the burden. These tips will be discussed later in a later blog post. I will put a link here when it is ready.

All in all, the bundle of joy you are carrying around with you is the grand prize in the scheme of things. Anything your body goes through in this creative process is merely a side effect to the miracle that is taking place. But there are many things you can do in your daily routine that will have a positive effect on some of the negatives of childbearing. We’ll take a look at some of these treatments in future posts. Now—breathe!

For more information, see:

• “I’m pregnant! How will my skin change?”
• Pregnancy & Chloasma
• Pregnancy & stretch marks
• Pregnancy & tired legs

“I’m pregnant! How will my skin change?”

I just found out I’m pregnant! How does skin change through pregnancy, new motherhood, and nursing?

 

First of all: Congratulations! 

How a woman’s skin will change—how your skin will change—when pregnant and during the nursing of your infant will be individual as to your own body’s chemistry and hormonal makeup. There really is no way to predetermine how your skin will change. Some women experience a clearing of problem skin and have a wonderful glow during the entire pregnancy, while other women develop breakout, redness, and other miscellaneous skin issues.

As I tell all my pregnant clients, the baby is in control—not you! I recommend letting go and giving into the process—really—and remembering you are creating a living, breathing miracle, even if your skin is suffering. As soon as you are finished nursing and normal menstruation begins, your skin troubles (if you developed any) will most likely be a thing of the past. And that is the worst-case scenario. Usually it is during the first and second trimester that the hormones cause problems with the skin. 

To read more articles on how to take care of your skin while you’re pregnant—and after, see:

• Pregnancy and Skin Care
• Pregnancy & Chloasma
• Pregnant with Problem Skin

For now, relax and enjoy the ride!