Skin Problems in Pregnancy Posted Thu, Mar 08, 2007, 3:30 pm PST

While some women get that beautiful pregnancy "glow," we are not all that lucky. Here are some skin issues commonly experienced by expectant moms.

Your face:

• Acne -- Some women's faces clear up in pregnancy; others get acne like they were having a second puberty. Not all acne medications are safe in pregnancy, so check with your doctor or midwife before treatment.
  

• The "mask of pregnancy" -- During pregnancy, your face may be particularly sensitive to the sun, developing permanent pigment changes, called melasma, on your chin, cheeks and forehead after sun exposure. You can prevent this by keeping your face shaded. I haven't been able to find out if sunscreen is protective, but it may not be, so keeping your face in the shade is probably wise.
  

Your abdomen:

• Dry skin -- As the skin on your tummy stretches over your growing baby, it may feel dry and itchy. (Your skin, not the baby.) Lotions or oils can provide temporary relief.
  

• Stretch marks -- More than half of all women develop pregnancy stretch marks or striae (pronounced stree-ay) gravidarum. Stretch marks are most common if you have striae on your thighs or breasts from puberty, or if other family members have them. The chances of getting stretch marks is probably coded in your genes. Stretch marks may look bright pink during and right after pregnancy but usually fade to more silvery and pale over time. Despite advertisements to the contrary, I can't find any scientific studies that show that any cream or treatment is effective in preventing stretch marks. Some studies indicate that starting off pregnancy overweight or gaining excess weight makes stretch marks more likely, but that research is conflicting, and some studies showed that striae were not more likely in heavy women.
  

All over:

• Pregnancy rash -- About one in two hundred women gets an itchy rash that starts on the abdomen, called PUPPPs-Pruritic (itchy) Urticarial (hive-like) Papules and Plaques (bumpy rash) of Pregnancy, also called polymorphic eruption of pregnancy. I don't know any prevention tips. PUPPPs is most common in the first pregnancy, and may recur. Itching often starts on the abdomen, and then extends to the thighs and elsewhere. Treatment is with anti-itch medicines, topical steroids, and time-PUPPPs always resolves after the baby is born.