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(HealthNewsDigest.com) – Though pregnant women often form close relationships with their ob-gyn doctors, many do not think to meet regularly with a dermatologist or cosmetic surgeon during the nine months. The toll that pregnancy takes on the skin is often addressed too late, when irreversible damage has been done. Most women feel very beautiful while pregnant and know their outer glow can mirror the joy they feel inside during and after pregnancy. It is advisable that the patient’s ob-gyn and skin care professional work together to ensure the most appropriate treatment plan for the individual. Safety and comfort are of the utmost importance.
Due to the fluctuation of hormones during pregnancy, women may experience hyperpigmentation and acne of the face, while the body may gain unwanted stretch marks where the skin has expanded to accommodate the growth of the baby.
The topical application of some products may minimize or prevent some of these skin afflictions, but each should be doctor-approved before use. The skin acts as a barrier and protects to the body, but it is possible for absorption to occur through the bloodstream. It may be necessary for a woman to convert the products in her daily regimen to be pregnancy-friendly, with the addition of new items to ensure all skin issues are addressed.
Preventing & Treating the “Mask of Pregnancy”
While still pregnant, a pregnancy-safe sunscreen should be used to prevent hyperpigmentation of the face, referred to medically as melasma or causally as the “mask of pregnancy”.
Post-pregnancy, acne therapy, limelight facial, dermaplane, diamond-tome microdermabrasion, and chemical peel procedures can all prove beneficial to the havoc hormones have wreaked on the skin. Each of these treatments is non-invasive and involves minimal discomfort.
Acne Treatments
As many women experience during puberty or while taking birth control medication, hormonal acne during pregnancy can be compounded by other skin issues of the face. In addition, some treatments have not been proven safe for those carrying a baby. Skin care containing mild acids such as glycolic acid or alpha hydroxy acids (AHA) are safe and effective. Salicylic acid and benzoyl peroxide are common ingredients in acne treatments, and may be safe when a face wash contains the ingredients as short-term exposure is ideal. Facial injections containing a mild steroid may be necessary to treat cystic acne during pregnancy.
Following pregnancy, a woman also has the option to undergo the minimally invasive treatments listed above to combat melasma. If a patient opts to receive an in-house facial, they can receive a procedure designed to extract existing blemishes which may beneficial prior to the next level of treatment. It is important that bacteria are not unnecessarily spread during a minimally invasive cosmetic procedure.
Dr. Mark Hamilton is a renowned facial plastic surgeon in the Indianapolis, Indiana area. Though he offers specialty surgical services, his staff of qualified estheticians performs non-surgical procedures on the face and body. Body wraps and microdermabrasion techniques can lessen or eliminate stretch marks entirely. To learn more about the services offered, contact Dr. Hamilton’s office by filling out the online contact form at http://www.hamiltonfps.com/
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