You probably expected pregnancy hormones to wreak havoc on your body, but not on your hair and skin. Just because you’ve just spent nine months on a hormonal rollercoaster—and your skin and hair may have paid the price—there’s no reason that you can be a glowing, gorgeous new mom or mom-to-be. Our New Mom’s Beauty Guide will show you how.
The Mane Event: Here’s how to keep your locks looking lovely during and after pregnancy
If you spent a large portion of your pregnancy with morning sickness and now your hair looks blah, you might not be surprised to discover that the two are connected. Frequent vomiting and the loss of vitamins and nutrients can hurt your hair, so make sure you’re still taking your prenatal vitamins—for better health and hair. If you can, cut down on your use of conditioners, gels, hair spray, and mousse, which can weigh down the hair shaft, making your locks look lifeless. A new haircut, one that's shorter or more layered, can restore some body and bounce to your hair, too. And it could be just the kind of pampering pick-me-up you could use right about now. Keep in mind, though, that pregnancy can change your hair’s texture so you may need another new cut after the baby comes and your hair goes back to it quasi-normal state.
One benefit of being pregnant is that your hair grows more quickly—meaning if you don’t like that new cut, it will grow out in no time. Why does hair grow so quickly? Doctors trace this phenomenon to two things: the surge in estrogen and other hormones women experience during pregnancy, and the fact that many moms-to-be take prenatal vitamins and eat a more balanced diet in general. Think about it: when your body has the nutrients it needs, hair follicles are healthier, too.
You may also discover that during pregnancy, your hair seems much thicker. That’s because pregnant women lose less hair in proportion to how much is growing in. After baby, though, the ratio of growing to resting hair swings in the opposite direction, and suddenly you may feel like you’re losing your hair and your mind. This is all completely normal. Doctors say that within 6 to 12 months of delivery, the whole balance of your hair's resting and growing phase will go back to normal.
If you feel that your short-term thinning is affecting how your hair looks, try parting your hair a different way or adding volume with some creative styling. You can use four or so hot rollers in the top section of your hair, set with a light hair spray, and let them cool for five to ten minutes. When you take the rollers out, the top layer of your hair will be full and bouncy. Another trick to add volume: Blow-dry your hair upside down. Just go easy with the blow dryer and the flat iron, as that additional tugging as you dry or straighten your hair could leave you with clumps of hair on the bathroom floor—and your self esteem feeling low to the ground, too.
You may have to hold off on a dye job during pregnancy, if you were hoping to perk up your hair that way. According to the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, while there is no evidence that coloring or perming your hair during pregnancy harms your fetus, chemicals from the dye can be absorbed into your scalp. So err on the safe side and put off color treatments until after your first trimester, when most fetal organs are formed. Safer options during pregnancy are highlighting (where you add a lighter color to certain parts of your hair) and lowlighting (where you add a darker shade to selected locks). Unlike hair dyes, the chemicals used in highlighting and lowlighting are placed on the hair shaft only, rather than on your scalp. Foil is wrapped around a section of hair and acts as an additional barrier against chemicals getting on the scalp.
Finally, since taking care of a newborn will leave you little time to primp, let alone take a shower, plan to get a low-maintenance hairstyle just before your give birth. That could mean a shorter length that takes less time to style or a longer variation that you can pin up when necessary.
Skin-Care Savvy: How to cope with your less-than-rosy complexion changes
With both my pregnancies, I found it hard to believe that pregnant women could actually glow. Nausea and insomnia left me looking ashen and with dark under-eye circles. And my skin was breaking out in ways I hadn't seen since my teen years. Well, I had the new balance of estrogen and progesterone coursing through my veins to thank for these lovely changes.
For most women, the higher the estrogen level, the clearer her skin tends to be. Some women, though, have higher progesterone levels, and they usually end up with short-term acne. Regardless of your hormone levels, you still can look beautiful through your nine months and beyond. Here's how.
So what’s with that aforementioned (and elusive for me) glow that we always hear that pregnant women have? Well, it’s from the increased blood flow in the body. It's similar to the flushed look you get after a good workout. If morning sickness and other pregnancy aches and pains have left you with a case of the blahs, you can achieve a glow instantly and without visiting the taboo tanning parlor by using bronzing powder. Apply it with a short, fluffy brush, and sweep it over the apples of your cheeks, your forehead, your nose, and your neck—all the areas the sun naturally hits.
Some pregnant women may look tanned even without bronzer, thanks to estrogen stimulating the melanin-producing cells of the skin. Unfortunately, this doesn’t always give them an even “tan,” leaving them with “mask of pregnancy” called chloasma. It is characterized by yellow or brownish patches of discoloration usually on the forehead and cheeks. (Some women also see skin darkening on their torso.)
While women of all complexions can develop chloasma, the sun's UV rays can make it more pronounced, so always use sunscreen and watch your sun exposure overall. Take comfort in knowing that these color changes usually fade once the baby is born.
If you’d like to try evening out the coloring on your face, use a concealer one shade lighter than your normal base—the lighter shade will help block out the darkness. First, apply several dots of concealer on the dark patches you want to cover. Blend it in a dabbing motion with your fingertip. Then dot your regular foundation over your entire face, stroking with your fingertips to blend.
Now what to do about those sudden acne flare-ups during pregnancy, especially those on the face and upper back? Well, it’s not because you’re not washing well enough. While dermatologists usually treat chronic acne with Retin-A creams, now is not the time for them. Both can be harmful to your fetus. Certain over-the-counter topical treatments, however, are just fine. Look for those containing benzyl peroxide to zap away zits.
Also, make sure you wash your face with an oil-free facial cleanser and moisturize, only if necessary, with an oil-free lotion. Pregnant skin tends to be oilier and that, combined with the raging hormones, contributes to those frequent acne flare ups. In the meantime, cover breakouts with a spot concealer, using the same technique for covering up chloasma: choose a concealer that's a shade lighter than your foundation, dot on each blemish, and gently dab to blend. Once baby is born and your hormones get back to normal, so should your skin.
And remember: concealer can be a sleep-deprived girl’s best friend. In fact, it’s a good idea for a busy mom to simplify her makeup routine to the bare necessities only, which should include concealer. Then add in blush and lip gloss or blush and mascara—whichever you prefer. Try to find double-duty products like cream blushes that double as lip color.
Finally, the best beauty advice for expectant and new moms: Take the time to pamper yourself. Whether it's with a cool facial mask or a fragrant foot soak, you deserve it. And don't fret too much about these various skin changes. They'll soon fade away, just like the memory of labor pains.
Leah Ingram has covered beauty topics for Allure, Energy for Women and Weight Watchers magazines.
