Skin Problems During Pregnancy
During pregnancy many hormonal changes take place in the body of a pregnant woman. Some of these changes show on the skin as well. An increased level of progesterone and oestrogen make the skin either oilier or drier than usual. As a result pregnant women can suffer from dry skin, acne or rashes, which cause a burning sensation.
The skin stretches a lot around the abdomen as the foetus grows. The breasts also enlarge as they get ready for lactation. These changes induce a burning sensation and itching as they make the skin drier. Stretch marks can be seen on the abdomen. The area around the nipples may become due to rashes and cause intense itching. The area becomes sore.
Yeast or bacterial infection can strike in the folds of the skin under the breast, arms and knees. The infection makes the skin dry and you want to scratch in these areas. Some women get diabetes during pregnancy, called gestational pregnancy. This disease causes the body to lose water. Under these conditions a burning sensation is felt in the skin as it becomes dry.
It is clear that the most important thing to alleviate this trouble is to hydrate and moisturise your skin. Severe conditions will have to be treated with creams prescribed by the doctor. You can do some things on your own to relieve this condition.
- Follow a good skincare routine during pregnancy. Keep your skin clean and moisturised. Apply moisturiser soon after your bath to seal in water.
- Drink a lot of water to hydrate your skin. Other fluids like fruit juice and lemonade can help and they will give you nutrients as well to heal and build new cells. They will purify your body by eliminating toxins.
- Try not to scratch as it will lead to abrasions and redness. Use a soft cloth to rub gently to relieve the itching.
- To soothe the burning sensation of your skin you can apply olive oil or coconut oil. These oils penetrate the upper layers and soothe the itching. Do not depend upon petroleum jelly because the skin is unable to absorb it and it only forms a coating on your skin.
- Aloe vera juice can be applied on the affected parts as it rejuvenates the skin.
- Certain natural products like turmeric and neem leaf paste can be applied where the itching is severe. Let it remain for an hour or so then wash the paste off. They are natural antiseptic agents and can destroy infections.