The pregnancy mask is often cited in the list of inconveniences suffered by pregnant women. What causes it, and how can it be avoided or treated? Fortunately, there are treatments that are perfectly adapted to reduce this phenomenon of hyperpigmentation.
What is the pregnancy mask?
The mask of pregnancy, also called chloasma or melasma, is characterized by the appearance of excess pigmentation on the face. These brown spots, more or less dark, generally settle around the eyes, on the forehead, the nose, and above the upper lip. These spots are unsightly but harmless to the skin.
Melasma usually appears between the 4th and 6th months of pregnancy. 5% of pregnant women are affected by this phenomenon.
What is the pregnancy mask due to?
It is the combination of two factors that explains the appearance of chloasma in pregnant women:
The increase in the production of estrogen, a female hormone more present during pregnancy.
Exposure to the sun can already cause the famous brown spots in normal times!
The pregnancy mask normally disappears spontaneously in the first months after childbirth.
Is the pregnancy mask always located on the face?
Not necessarily, because many women notice the appearance of the on their neck! The pregnancy mask on the belly, meanwhile, then materializes in the form of a brown line starting from the navel to the pubis, which can be further accentuated under the action of UV rays.
The mask of pregnancy, also called chloasma or melasma, is characterized by the appearance of excess pigmentation on the face. These brown spots, more or less dark, generally settle around the eyes, on the forehead, the nose, and above the upper lip. These spots are unsightly but harmless to the skin.
Melasma usually appears between the 4th and 6th months of pregnancy. 5% of pregnant women are affected by this phenomenon.
Are pregnant women the only ones to suffer from melasma?
And no! When the “mask of pregnancy” appears on women who are not expecting children, or on men, we also speak of melasma. The causes are varied: dermatological conditions, insect bites, trauma (injuries) of the skin, hormonal treatments… However, this hyperpigmentation of the skin appears more frequently in people with dull skin, often exposing themselves to the sun. You can also use the goat milk products such as goat milk soap to keep your skin smooth and moisturized.
Can we prevent the appearance of the pregnancy mask on the neck, face, or stomach?
There are simple solutions to protect yourself from this hyperpigmentation:
Avoid exposing yourself to the hottest hours of the day (12 p.m. – 4 p.m.), especially in summer.
Wear sufficiently effective sun protection when you go out, ideally an SPF 50 sunscreen.
Hydrate your skin by drinking water and caring for it with gentle, emollient cosmetics.
You can supplement these measures by applying vitamin C to the skin. It limits the production of melanin, this pigment produced by melanocytes which causes age spots or brown spots related to sun exposure. It is an excellent active ingredient for treating the appearance of melasma.
The mask of pregnancy, also called chloasma or melasma, is characterized by the appearance of excess pigmentation on the face. These brown spots, more or less dark, generally settle around the eyes, on the forehead, the nose, and above the upper lip. These spots are unsightly but harmless to the skin.
Does the pregnancy mask have a treatment?
Once the pregnancy mask is goat milk lotion, glabridin from licorice is a highly effective lightening and unifying agent. This plant active ingredient also offers an anti-inflammatory action which makes it effective in all types of hyperpigmentation phenomena, whether due to the sun or to hormones.
Thus, by taking care not to abuse the sun too much and by choosing the appropriate anti-stain treatment, the pregnancy mask should quickly be relegated to the rank of uncomfortable memories!
