WHAT IS PREGNANCY MASK?

Everything you need to know about melasma during pregnancy

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.

HOW CAN I PREVENT MELASMA?

1. Always use sunscreen with a high SPF. And use it all day, every day. Stay out of the sun during the midday hours. Our skin is very sensitive to UV radiation, which can also cause hyperpigmentation in our skin. Because UV radiation is strongest during the midday hours, it’s best to avoid the sun altogether then. To prevent and treat pregnancy pigmentation, try NIVEA Perfect & Radiant LUMINOUS630® Day Cream. It acts on existing dark marks to visibly reduce dark marks and spots, while the SPF50 helps to reduce the appearance of new dark marks.

2. Drink lots of water, every day. And, even better: squeeze some lemon or orange in it. The water will help you get rid of toxins in your body.

3. It is possible that your hyperpigmentation is not caused by the pregnancy. It can have other, even more common, reasons. Hyperpigmentation comes in many different forms - read more about why dark spots on the skin appear and how you can prevent them.

NOT JUST DURING PREGNANCY

Hyperpigmentation can be caused by many different things. A change of hormones during pregnancy is only one of them.

 

After acne, you can be left behind with post acne marks and discolouration of your skin. When the inflammation has healed, sometimes we are left with dark patches of skin. But how can we get rid of dark marks? And which is the best way to treat acne skin? Find out here.

 

During menopause, the oestrogen levels in our body changes drastically. This, in turn, might lead to a discolouration of the skin, so-called menopause acne.

 

Find out how to treat your dark spots with NIVEA Perfect & Radiant LUMINOUS630®.

BEST PRODUCT FOR DARK MARKS