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After pregnancy, youll have a lot to deal with (understandably).
Heather Hazzan. Wardrobe styling by Nicole Chapoteau. Hair by Hide Suzuki. Makeup by Ingeborg.
Having those uncomfortable bumps all over your face can be both annoying and confusing.
Is this stuff different from the acne you got before pregnancy?
Will your old products work?
And if youre breastfeeding, will they be safe?
Heres what experts want you to know about postpartum acne, as well as safe ways to treat it.
What causes pregnancy-related acne?
Its not a secret that pregnancy can change your skinincluding causing acne.
But why does this happen?
The short answer: hormones.
That bump in progesterone causes your body toramp up the production of sebum, an oil that clogs pores.
That leaves you with bumps on your face.
Having hormone-related health conditions (likepolycystic ovary syndrome) also increases your risk.
So, whether or not you breastfeed can also factor into your chances for postpartum acne.
But, she says, when their periods start to come back, they may see acne again.
After pregnancy, it could take as many as six to eight weeks for your hormones to settle down.
Plus, of course,stress can contribute to breakouts at any time.
How can you treat it safely?
If youre not breastfeeding, you only really have to worry about what your skin can handle.
But you have a little more room to experiment.
For example, retinoids such astretinoinandisotretinoinare a no-no during pregnancy because they have been linked to birth defects.
National Library of Medicine.
Dr. Dickman also prefers to avoid benzoyl peroxide (the active ingredient found in many acne products).
And the amount of benzoyl peroxide found in most over-the-counter products is generally pretty low, Dr. Dickman says.
But if you could, your dermatologist may still recommend you avoid using this while breastfeeding.
For instance, Dr.
Crew recommends theCeraVe Renewing SA Cleanser, $14.
