My skin has been looking great these days. Probably the best it has been for awhile - must be those pregnancy hormones at work! Could also be that I have been trying to eat very well, drink a lot of water, wear minimal makeup, and use a gentle cleanser and moisturizer every morning and night. I have also been using sunscreen on sunny days to prevent any brown patches of skin discoloration (which pregnant women are susceptible to). This condition is also called hyperpigmentation, melasma or “mask of pregnancy” and is mostly on the forehead, nose and the upper lip. The skin on these areas becomes darker in colour (looking like a tan) and may be wrinkly and may fall off easily. This condition may affect as many as 70 percent of all pregnant women, especially those with darker complexions. So far any discoloration that I have noticed is the faint line running down the center of my abdomen to the top of my pubic bone, (also called linea alba) must be those pregnancy hormones at work again! Oh well at least it’s on my tummy and not on my face, and I do have a fair complexion, so I most likely won’t get any hyperpigmentation during my pregnancy.
Skin tags have been popping up in different areas of my body, but at least they are small and don’t bother me much. Other common concerns regarding skin care during pregnancy that women have include dark circles under the eyes, varicose veins, acne and psoriasis, hives, dryness, and loss of collagen, elastin or resileincy. I am experiencing minor pregnancy heat rash on my chest due to an increase in eccrine perspiration. I try to keep cool during hot days and apply cornstarch to the area.
My Doctor usually checks for any varicose veins on my legs during my exams since it often occurs for the first time during pregnancy. So far I don’t have any and I am hoping it stays that way because treatment for them is very costly and painful. Why pregnant women get varicose veins could be due to the increased pressue form the uterus on the pelvic veins, increasing pressure on leg veins, expanded blood volume, and pregnancy-hormone-induced relaxation of the muscle tissue in the veins. Here are some things you can do during pregnancy to prevent or minimize the symptoms:
Avoid excess weight gain
Avoid heavy lifting
Avoid straining during bowel movements
Don’t wear restictive clothing
Don’t smoke
wear support pantyhose
Exercise
Get enoughy vitamin C
If you do get varicose veins during pregnancy, do not get any surgical removal at this time. Removal of the veins can be considered a few months after delivery, and the good news is that in most cases the problem will clear up or improve spontaneously after delivery - usually by the time pre-pregnancy weight is reached. 
Posted by Nancy as Beauty at 11:24 PM EDT
