The beauty of becoming a mother
GIVING birth can play havoc with your skin and hair. Prudence Wade asks experts how New mums can stay looking radiant
is made of what a woman’s body goes through during pregnancy – and rightfully so. As their baby grows, many women will know to expect other changes, too: maybe their hair will get thicker and glossier, or they’ll experience smatterings of acne.
This is all down to hormones – natural and to be expected. however, what’s not discussed quite as often is what happens to the hair and skin after giving birth.
Anyone experiencing any longlasting or more serious issues should see a doctor, but otherwise, this is what new mothers might experience post-partum – and what to do about it...
FOR YOUR Skin
If your skin was playing up during pregnancy, things might not immediately return to normal after birth.
“During pregnancy, a lot of people do notice issues with pigmentation,” explains consultant dermatologist Dr Anjali Mahto (dranjalimahto.co.uk).
“That’s due to a fluctuation in hormones.” One hormone in particular – known as alpha-msh – is also responsible for the darkening of the skin around the nipples many experience.
Pigmentation – darker patches of skin – may persist on the face post-partum. Dr Mahto recommends keeping an eye on these areas, as it can “often be something that actually becomes a permanent issue” if left for too long. Acids are normally used to treat hyperpigmentation, but Dr Mahto notes you probably want to avoid these if you’re breastfeeding.
The other big issue new mums might experience is acne, due to hormone fluctuations after giving birth. Retinol is often used to fight spots, but pregnant and breastfeeding women are advised not to use it.
So, what should you use? Dr Mahto’s favourite ingredient is azelaic acid, because it’s safe, she suggests. “Azelaic acid has a number of benefits. It’s anti-pigmentation, it’s anti-inflammatory, and it’s reasonably good for acne - so it can tackle all of those things that you commonly see during pregnancy and afterwards.” If you’re shopping over the counter, Mahto recommends looking for 10% strength.
Dr Mahto adds, “make sure you’ve cleansed your skin – that is important. I know it’s an easy one to skip, but you do need to make sure any dirt, sweat, grime, pollution – anything like that you’ve come into contact with during the day – it needs to come off properly.”
Follow up with moisturiser or azelaic acid. For the mornings, Dr Mahto suggests keeping it simple: cleansing then SPF.
FOR Hair
Many women find their hair gets glossier and thicker during pregnancy. “When you’re pregnant, oestrogen levels rise, and oestrogen is a hair-friendly hormone,” explains Anabel Kingsley, brand president and consultant trichologist at Philip Kingsley (philipkmuch ingsley.co.uk). “After you give birth, you have a really steep drop in this hair-friendly hormone,” says Anabel – and all of the hairs you retained during pregnancy “can shed in a really short period of time”.
“When anything goes wrong, our hair is the first part of us that our body diverts its attention away from – whether that’s stress or a nutritional deficiency.”
Anabel suggests the best thing you can do is look after your overall wellbeing. She recommends a healthy, balanced diet, not leaving more than four hours between meals, and having a blood test a few months after giving birth, to check everything’s on track.
She also recommends a weekly conditioning treatment. She applies it in the morning and washes it out at night.
Otherwise, keep your scalp healthy by shampooing regularly, and using a weekly scalp toner or exfoliating or stimulating scalp mask, she says.