With all the joy and excitement that comes with falling pregnant – there is one aspect of pregnancy that all women dread and that’s gaining stretch marks and hyper pigmentation of their face.
There are ways in which you can avoid this by simply following a skincare regime that I have adopted thanks to my somatologist Faeeza Sacoor at the Sandton Beauty Clinic.
STRETCH MARKS
Your skin stretches as you gain weight. This is related to hormone fluctuation in pregnancy which softens the various fibres in your skin.
Stretch marks may appear pink or red-pink, white, grey or even purple lines. This happens when your skin stretches to accommodate your baby. They can appear not only on your tummy area but on your ‘love handles’, lower back, the upper breasts, upper arms, buttock, inner and outer thights, back of calves and knees.
“This may scare some moms-to –be, but I can assure you, seeing your new born baby’s face for the first time is all worth it and there are ways one can avoid stretch marks and even treat them.” Says Faeeza.
WAYS TO TREAT/PREVENT STRETCH MARKS
1. Drink lots of water to hydrate the soft tissue fibres.
2. You can use a good natural oil in the problem areas like, olive oil, avocado oil, wheatgerm oil, Photoset Spy 100 (available at a pharmacy), coconut oil or ‘Aura International 100% pure cocoa butter (I use this and I love it! – available at Sandton Beauty Clinic)
3. Continuous massage on the area in an upward direction towards the heart.
SUN PROTECTION DURING PREGNANCY
During pregnancy your hormones tend to be imbalanced and exposure of your epidermis to the sun may cause increased chloasma as well as a rash – the pigmentation that comes from your pregnancy. This pigmentation may be incurable therefore rather use an SPF 30 and wear a big sun hat.
Avoid harsh bleach on your skin, harsh peels and use gentle skin care that protects your skin.
Avoid oils in the sun and use sunblock at night even if there you sleep in a bedroom that gets a lot of sun in the morning.
WAYS TO TREAT SUN DAMAGE POST PREGNANCY
You could get treatment for sun damage by assessing your skin through a skin analysis.
The sun damage could be treated through an extraction of congestion, followed by micro needling to stimulate collagen production and cellular regeneration thereafter taking some glutathione and vitamin C orally.
There are other treatments like full Cosmelan peels and using Aura international’s Brightening collagen cream.
I would suggest going to see Faeeza at her salon – Sandton Beauty Clinic, if you are in Johannesburg, if not – discuss the appropriate treatment with a somatologist that you trust in your area.
Prevention is always better that cure – so remember sunblock even on seemingly cloudy days and to avoid direct sun on your face during and post pregnancy – wear a sun hat when out in the sun at all times.
You can contact the Sandton Beauty Clinic : 011 884 6579 (ask for Faeeza Sacoor)
Wardah
Happy Healthy Fabulous
Belly pictures: Stock Images
