Skin Solutions During Pregnancy

It’s true, pregnancy changes everything…including your skin. Although your skin will return to normal after birth, who wants to suffer through nine months of pimples? Here are some tips that will help keep your skin clear, smooth, and moisturized:

1. STOP THE SWELLING
   Reduce the redness and swelling of a pimple by dabbing it with a clay mask containing antibacterial sulfur before bed. Rinse it off in the morning to reveal a diminished blemish. (Don’t do this more than twice a week.)
2. FREEZE THEM OUT
   Applying ice to a pimple can also reduce redness and swelling because ice is a vasoconstrictor, which causes blood vessels to shrink temporarily.
3. CHOOSE YOUR FORMULA
   If you have oily skin, choose a gel sunscreen made for use during athletic activities. They are less likely to clog your pores.
4. DON’T ADD, SUBTRACT
   To fight a shiny face throughout the day, dab your skin with absorbent blotting papers instead of re-powdering. Re-applying powder will only cause it to cake.
5. ACT FAST
   Smooth on moisturizer immediately after showering or anytime your skin gets wet. You only have a few minutes after a shower to prevent moisture from evaporating from your skin.
6. BE A BATHING BEAUTY
   If you prefer baths to showers, sit in warm water (remember, hot water isn’t safe during pregnancy) for ten minutes, then add a few drops of bath oil. Your skin will absorb the water, and then the oil seals the moisture in.
7. MOUTH OFF
   For extremely chapped lips, apply a thin layer of petroleum jelly, such as Vaseline, several times a day. Skin moisturizer, vitamin E oil, and aloe vera gel work well too.
8. MINIMIZE TROUBLE
   If you have problematic skin, try using products that contain less than 10 ingredients. This usually means they contain fewer preservatives, which are often the cause of irritation.
9. SCRUB A DUB
   Scrubbing your feet with a loofah or body scrub every time you shower will prevent the soles from becoming rough and callused. To lock in moisture and give you touchably soft feet, apply two layers of a thick cream after your shower and wear a pair of thick socks or terry cloth slippers until the lotion is completely absorbed.
10. ARM YOURSELF
    Wake up to baby-soft elbows using an old pair of socks. Cut the toes off a pair of socks, slather some vegetable shortening on your elbows (it’s so effective, hospitals use it to treat eczema and psoriasis), and slide the socks over your arms before bed.