Many women experience dark patches on their skin, particularly on their faces, during pregnancy. Known as chloasma, they are the result of hormonal changes that take place in your body during pregnancy, which trigger an over production of melanin, the substance that controls skin pigmentation.
The good news is that as soon as your baby is born, your hormone levels will start to return to normal, and within a few months of delivery, you should find that the dark patches have faded or disappeared. Most women also find that they develop a dark line down their belly, known as the linea nigra, and this, and any temporary darkening of birthmarks and freckles, should also fade within a few months of your baby being born.
You should be aware, however, that if you do suffer from these areas of deeper pigmentation, and if you start taking a contraceptive that contains oestrogen, they are likely to reappear, so exercise caution when deciding on birth control.
The best ways to minimise the appearance of chloasma, and to help it vanish faster, are:
Staying out of the sun. The sun darkens your skin, and it will make dark patches even darker. If you have to be in the sun, wear a hat, and make sure that you use an SPF cream every day.
Avoid cleansers and skin products that contain harsh chemicals. These can irritate your skin, making dark patches worse.
Switch contraceptives. The pill, the ring, the patch, and other contraceptives all contain oestrogen, and will all make your chloasma an ongoing problem. The mini pill, the injection or physical barrier methods of birth control will not.
