Face Discoloration During and After Pregnancy

Question:

I am 28 years old, and while pregnant I developed some breakouts which left discolorations on my face. Since the delivery of my baby eight months ago, the discolored spots have remained. What can I do to make them go away?

Answer:

There are generally two terms people use to describe their skin - firmness and tone.

Skin tone is altered and damaged by inflammation from pimples, ingrown hairs, skin infections, and insect bites, etc. It can also be affected by sun exposure, tanning beds, smoking, age, environmental pollutants, and in the case of pregnancy, fluctuations in hormones or the use of medications. These insults can create a blotchy complexion that is marked by areas of pallor and brownish-colored skin. The uneven skin tones create an aged look.

Improving your skin tone is essential for a more youthful and healthy appearance.

The first step is to exfoliate the skin. There are cleansers containing glycolic and salicylic acids and glycolic acid creams and lotions that can be used on a daily basis for skin exfoliation. There are also salon services, such as glycolic peels, microdermabrasion, and facial masks that can be used on a weekly basis to exfoliate the skin. There are more aggressive physician services available to improve skin tone as well, including lasers and intense pulse light treatments.

Skin tone can be evened out with a foundation or moisturizer (tinted or untinted) that matches your skin color. There are special cover-up products available for specific areas of the face, such as around the eyes, as well as cosmetic products that can be used to enhance skin tones on the face. Bleaching creams can also be used to fade and decrease the appearance of brown spots.

Use antioxidant creams, lotions, and serums, such as retinol, vitamin C and growth factors to help maintain skin tone once it has been improved by reparative skin creams containing glycolic acid and retinoic acid.

Also, don’t forget the importance of sun protection. If your foundation, moisturizer or makeup does not contain sunblock, then sunblock should be applied under your make-up products.