The appearance of acne during pregnancy can indeed interfere with appearance. However, pregnant women need not worry. This condition can be treated with a variety of treatments, including simple treatments using natural ingredients found at home!
There are various complaints during pregnancy that pregnant women may feel, one of which is the appearance of acne. Some pregnant women have become more prone to breakouts than before. Acne usually appears during the first and second trimesters of pregnancy with different severity.
Causes of Acne in Pregnant Women
The appearance of acne during pregnancy can be caused by several things, but increased levels of androgen hormones are the main trigger. The reason, this hormone can stimulate the skin to produce excess oil called sebum.
Excess sebum can make bacteria grow faster, especially if the skin pores are clogged and a lot of skin cells surround the hair follicles. As a result, the skin becomes inflamed, triggering the appearance of acne.
In addition, the cleanliness of the skin also contributes to the appearance of acne. Pregnant women who are lazy to clean their face or don't clean their face properly, especially after using make up, are more at risk for acne breakouts.
Another factor that may also make the face prone to breakouts is stress. Stress can't cause acne, but it can worsen acne-prone skin.
How to Relieve Annoying Acne
To help relieve or get rid of acne during pregnancy, here are ways pregnant women can do:
1. Wash your face sufficiently
Avoid washing your face too often, because this habit can dry out the skin and stimulate the skin to produce excess oil. As a result, pimples are easy to appear.
Therefore, pregnant women are advised to wash their face twice a day or after excessive sweating. When washing your face, use warm water and a mild soap.
2. Drying the face properly
After washing your face, immediately dry your face using a soft towel by patting it gently. Avoid rubbing your face with a towel, as this can make the pimple more inflamed and irritated the skin.
3. Using oil-free products or non-comedogenic
To reduce the risk of acne, pregnant women are advised to use facial cleansers and cosmetics labeled "non-comedogenic" or "nonacnegenicThis label indicates that the product does not cause acne or pore clogging.
Besides non-comedogenic, you should also choose products that are free of alcohol, perfume, and water-based.
4. Wash your hands regularly
This can prevent germs from nesting in the hands. Remember, pregnant women need to keep their hands and fingers away from their face, so that germs from their hands don't transfer to their faces and trigger acne.
5. Maintain cleanliness
Change pillowcases regularly to prevent germs from sticking to your face. Then, keep your hair clean by washing it regularly so that the part of the hair that hits the face is free of oil.
Also, reduce the use of your phone or cell phone so that it sticks to your face when calling. Better use earphones.
Various Choices of Natural Medicines to Overcome Acne
The use of acne medication can indeed help overcome acne problems that arise. However, pregnant women need to be careful, because the ingredients in it are not necessarily safe for use by pregnant women.
Likewise with skin care at a beauty clinic. Pregnant women should be careful because some skin treatments are not recommended for pregnant women. So, if you want skin care, make sure pregnant women get it from a dermatologist so that it is safe.
If you want to try a more natural way, you can use the following ingredients as a "medicine" to treat acne:
Honey
In addition to softening the skin, honey is useful for treating acne because it is antiseptic and antibacterial. To use honey as an acne medication, pregnant women can apply honey to cleansed facial skin. Then let stand for 20-30 minutes and rinse with warm water.
Apple Cider Vinegar
Soak a cotton ball in apple cider vinegar. After washing your face thoroughly, apply it to your skin to absorb the oil. Apple cider vinegar can act as a natural toner that is rich in alpha hydroxy acids and enzymes.
Coconut oil
The benefits of coconut oil as an acne medication can be obtained by making it a natural moisturizer that is used at night before going to bed. Coconut oil is easily absorbed by the skin and is believed to act as antifungal and antibacterial.
Baking soda
Mix 2 tablespoons of baking soda with 2 tablespoons of water, then apply on the acne prone skin. This ingredient can aid healing and oil.
Lime
Pregnant women can use lime to treat acne skin problems. It's easy, take the juice of the water, then apply it to the skin with acne using a cotton swab. Leave it for at least 10 minutes, then rinse with cold water. Lime can help remove dead skin cells and reduce inflammation.
If you want to use the natural ingredients above, pregnant women can apply a little to the skin first. If an allergic reaction occurs, such as itching and redness, rinse immediately and stop using it.
In addition to external care, pregnant women also need to maintain healthy skin from within. The trick is to increase the consumption of vegetables and fruit. In addition, pregnant women need to drink enough mineral water and avoid excessive consumption of caffeinated and carbonated drinks.
Acne during pregnancy can subside by itself once hormone levels return to normal. So, don't worry too much about its appearance because after the little one is born, usually acne will disappear by itself.
However, if pregnant women feel less confident due to acne, try consulting a dermatologist.
