Can I Get Acne During Pregnancy

Thousands of individuals suffer from acne every single day. You only have to walk down the aisles at the pharmacy to discover the large number of choices individuals are offered in order to take care of their skin problems. Acne often is a challenge faced by teenagers but can also be experienced by adults and women who are pregnant.

The causes for acne during pregnancy are usually the same as they are at other times of an individual’s life. During pregnancy the skin becomes sensitive to the hormonal changes which occur in a woman’s body as she is growing a baby. Although the causes (increased oil production, bacteria, hormonal effects, medications and vitamin deficiencies) are the same, the reaction of the skin is much more sensitive during pregnancy than it is at any other time during a woman’s life. (1)

Another skin disorder which can affect women who are pregnant is melasma. This is a discoloration of the upper lip, nose and forehead which can resemble the reddened area of skin before a pustule, papules or whitehead erupts.

During pregnancy, women are limited in the number of medications and options that they can use in order to treat any disorder, including acne. Because the skin is the largest organ in the body, it is also able to absorb drugs and medication which are placed on it. This means that any facial scrubs, pimple cream or zit removers can actually affect the health of the baby and the medication gets into the bloodstream of the mother.

References:

(1) The Baby Center: Acne During Pregnancy

http://www.babycenter.com/0_acne-during-pregnancy_1456557.bc

(2) The Baby Center: Is it Safe to Take Accutane for My Acne While I am Pregnant?

http://www.babycenter.com/404_is-it-safe-to-take-accutane-for-acne-while-im-pregnant_9399.bc

(3) American Pregnancy Association: Acne Treatment During Pregnancy

http://www.americanpregnancy.org/pregnancyhealth/acnetreatment.html

(4) Drugs.com: Tetracycline Pregnancy and Breast Feeding Warnings

http://www.drugs.com/pregnancy/tetracycline.html