Does Pregnancy Affect Skin Sensitivity?

Pregnancy is one of the most beautiful times in our life as women; growing a fellow human inside us is a surreal, other-worldly experience, but for all its beauty there are some parts of pregnancy that don’t feel so beautiful. The “peezing”, food aversions, morning sickness, and -- what? Sensitive skin? Can pregnancy affect skin sensitivity? The short answer: yes. Your skin may typically be the most resilient skin ever, but pregnancy can change that. During the different stages of pregnancy your skin may experience different things, and it’s different for everyone! Here are some changes your skin might see during pregnancy:

Acne

Ah, the beauty of hormonal changes. Last time this happened we were teenagers and had hormonal acne. Does your face feel like it’s in high school and breaking out again? Or does it feel like your whole body is breaking out? Blame the hormones. If it is acne, holding a wash cloth or cotton ball to the area (depending on how big of an area you’d like to cover) soaked in witch hazel, a natural astringent, can help reduce acne.

Rashes

Your skin might not usually have issues, but pregnancy can make it super sensitive! You may be more likely to develop hives, eczema, rosacea, and other rashes. Foods and environmental factors that never bothered you before, might start manifesting in different types of skin irritations. Keep an eye on where you have a rash and what it looks like, as well as what you ate or came in contact with. Using a balm that is safe, all-natural, and formulated for sensitive skin, like our EmBeba Don’t Be Rash Balm that you can buy here, can help soothe skin itchiness or irritation.

Dark patches

Sometimes pregnant women get darker patches on their skin called melasma, similar-looking to a birthmark, because of increased levels of melanin. To help reduce the appearance of dark patches during pregnancy, reduce your amount of sun exposure and be sure to wear safe sunscreen while in the sun.

Pregnancy glow

One beautiful thing about pregnancy and its effect on skin, is the pregnancy glow! This glow signifies vitality and life as your body grows a whole new life inside you. It can be caused by spikes in blood flow, spikes in your skin’s natural oils, and spikes in different hormones. To get a glow like this aside from pregnancy, having a good skincare routine that works for your skin type and using natural products, and taking a good plant-based collagen supplement can help you achieve that glow when you aren’t pregnant.

Being pregnant changes our body in ways we never would have thought, and skin sensitivity is one of them. Whether the hormonal spikes give you skin you love or skin you get frustrated with, all of it is part of the beauty of pregnancy. Sometimes your skin will go back to the way it was before pregnancy, but there are many women who also experience new and different skin issues after pregnancy. Either way, what an adventure you are on now! It doesn’t end here, so enjoy the journey, Mama!