The dark spots that appear on the face during pregnancy are scientifically called melasma or chloasma gravidarum. They appear because the hormonal changes typical of pregnancy stimulate the formation of melanin in certain areas of the face.
These spots usually appear around 6 months and are brown in color and although they are more frequent on the face they can also appear in the armpits, groin and belly. But although their appearance is more common in pregnancy, they can appear whenever the woman has important hormonal changes, as can happen during menopause or if there is a polyoma or polycystic ovary, for example.
Do pregnancy stains come off?
Melasma tends to become more evident whenever the woman is exposed to the sun and therefore, depending on her daily activities and the care she has with her skin, the spots may become lighter or darker. When a woman has spots that do not differ much from her skin tone, they can disappear naturally after the baby is born, as long as she uses sunscreen and avoids being in the sun as much as possible.
But when the spots are more evident, because they differ a lot from the woman's skin tone, these can be more difficult to remove, being necessary to follow a treatment, which may include skin cleaning, use of lightening cream, or use of laser or light intense pulse, for example.
How to Treat Melasma
During pregnancy the woman must use sunscreen SPF at least 15 and can also use a moisturizing cream with vitamin C, for example. After the baby is born, other treatments such as:
- Whitening creams indicated by the dermatologist that should be used regularly, usually at night and that contain retinoic acid or hydroquinone; Peeling with acids that cause a light peeling on the skin, helping to remove dead cells and pigment in 3 to 5 sessions with intervals of 2 to 4 weeks; Laser or intense pulsed light that has a deeper action in removing the pigment, in usually 10 sessions, and the skin may be red and swollen after one session. The laser is indicated for spots that resisted creams or peels or for women who want faster results.
During the treatment, sunglasses, hat and sunscreen should be worn and avoid being in the sun between 10 am and 4 pm.
This video indicates more treatment options:
How to avoid melasma
There is no way to avoid pregnancy stains as they are related to hormones. However, it is possible to alleviate the situation by avoiding sun exposure during the hottest hours, between 10 am and 4 pm, and putting on a hat or cap and sunscreen indicated by the dermatologist, reapplying every 2 hours.
