If you’re pregnant and have developed some strange skin discolouration on your face there’s no need to worry – it’s called melasma and it affects around 50 to 75 percent of all expecting mothers.
What is melasma?
Also known as cholasma or ‘the mask of pregnancy,’ melasma is when dark, blotchy, brown, irregular patches appear over time mostly on the skin of the forehead, cheeks, nose or lips. It can occur in anyone however is most common in women – particularly those who are pregnant, taking contraception or pre-menopausal. The visual skin discolouration is the only symptom.
What causes it?
Melasma is caused by hyper-pigmentation which happens when increased estrogen levels produce excessive melanin production. It’s the same thing that can cause you to develop a linea nigra (the vertical line down your tummy) and to get darker nipples, freckles and moles. Women with darker skin such as of African or Asian decent are more likely to develop it, especially if they’re heavily exposed to sunlight which can make the condition worse.
Melasma can sometimes occur on other parts of the body other than the face
Will it go away?
Thankfully, yes! Melasma is only temporary and often disappears soon after birth or once a baby has been weaned (if breastfeeding) – hence the name ‘mask of pregnancy.’ It also goes away once contraception or hormone replacement therapy is stopped (if they were the causes instead).
Although it’s a very normal and common part of pregnancy, if you’re not keen on the patchy skin look there are a few things you can do to help it such as:
Be careful of sunlight – as sun exposure makes it worse be sure to cover up and use a good quality sunscreen at all times.
Up the folic acid – some studies show that hyper-pigmentation is related to folate deficiency so be sure to take your prenatal supplement and load up on foods like green leafy vegetables, oranges and whole wheat bread.
Use a good concealer – don’t like it? Hide it! Use both a good concealer and foundation designed for blemish cover-up.
Other treatments such as chemical peels and microdermabrasion are best avoided during pregnancy and breastfeeding, so if your melasma is still there following the birth of your baby, please speak with your doctor or a dermatologist.
Mum-of-two Zoe Foster Blake (pictured above) shared how she was dealing with the pesky melasma during her second pregnancy with newborn baby Rudy. Her secret? A kick-ass make-up supply, regular Omnilux (LED lamp) sessions, lactic peels and something we’d never heard of: dermaplaning (professional face-shaving of the tiny fine face hairs with a single blade).
