During pregnancy, our bodies change so much that we might ask ourselves: is there anything that doesn’t change when we’re expecting a baby? And of course, this is a legitimate question.
When we’re pregnant, our oestrogen and progesterone levels rise drastically, which in turn leads to an excess production of melanin. When our bodies produce more melanin than usual, it might lead to a so-called hyperpigmentation — discolourations of the skin that usually occurs on our face. Those discolourations are most common on the cheeks and nose, but can also be found on the forehead and upper lip.
During pregnancy, this type of hyperpigmentation is called melasma. Chloasma is basically the same, but for non-pregnant women. If you’re on the pill, you might experience this condition.
So, what is melasma all about? What other changes does our skin go through when we are pregnant? And is there a way to prevent hyperpigmentation all together?
WHAT IS MELASMA?
Melasma is what we call dark patches of skin that normally appear on our face or stomach.
Around half of the women experience melasma during their pregnancy, most of them during their third trimester. Melasma is often also called mask of pregnancy.
Usually, these black spots on the face disappear after pregnancy. They’re not dangerous and do not hurt. They can, however, have an impact on our self-confidence.
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