How to avoid acne during pregnancy?

Like most pregnancy-related ailments, hormonal changes are the cause of pregnancy acne. The surge in progesterone and estrogen leads to overactivity of the sebaceous glands, which then produce more sebum. This excess sebum tends to clog pores, promoting the appearance of inflammatory pimples and/or blackheads on the face and back. Pregnancy acne can appear at any time, last throughout the pregnancy, or be only temporary. It's important to note that the exact cause of acne during pregnancy remains unknown.

The first rule is to avoid self-medication—a basic rule during pregnancy—and to consult a dermatologist before starting any treatment. Indeed, some molecules commonly used against acne are contraindicated during pregnancy due to their teratogenic properties, meaning they can cause birth defects in the fetus.

Next, according to our experts: "First, it is important to understand the biology of the skin, and then to adopt the right techniques in your daily beauty routine."

It's not sebum itself that's responsible for impurities, but rather its excessive secretion. In fact, sebum is essential for maintaining the skin's integrity. It plays a key role in the formation of the hydrolipidic film: the skin's protective barrier. Maintaining a balanced sebum level is crucial for keeping skin well-hydrated and nourished.

It's forbidden to strip your skin when cleansing, yet this is a common mistake. Using harsh cosmetics or cleansing too frequently weakens the skin. In reaction to these aggressions, the skin produces excessive sebum to protect itself. A vicious cycle ensues.

To reduce excessive sebum production, we recommend adopting a gentle, suitable, and safe routine for the fetus. Laboté products are clean, freshly formulated in our laboratory using 90% naturally derived ingredients, and can be formulated without perfume or essential oils to protect your baby's health.

A GENTLE CLEANING

Only one daily cleansing is recommended, in the evening to remove all impurities accumulated during the day, with a cleansing oil infused with green tea and cornflower .

Don't hesitate to use this cleansing and makeup-removing oil instead of a gel or lotion if you have oily skin! It mimics the nature of your skin's hydrolipidic film during application, thus providing a gentle double cleansing. Furthermore, thanks to its mild surfactant content, it rinses off easily and leaves no greasy residue.

SUITABLE DAY AND NIGHT CREAMS

Your day and night creams are the cornerstones of your daily skincare routine. To effectively combat the shine and imperfections characteristic of oily skin, their formulas must be based on sebum-regulating active ingredients. At Laboté, we recommend using Wild Pansy in your day cream and Black Cumin in your night cream . These naturally derived active ingredients pose no risk to your baby.

A PURIFYING MASK TREATMENT

The purifying mask optimizes your beauty routine. Apply it once a week in addition to your daily skincare to target a specific skin concern. It's a concentrated blend of active ingredients that, in just 15 minutes, works effectively to enhance the effects of your skincare products and restore freshness to your skin.

WHAT INGREDIENTS SHOULD BE AVOIDED AS A PRIORITY IN ONE'S BEAUTY ROUTINE?

It's essential to avoid comedogenic ingredients in your skincare products as much as possible! They are the main culprits behind clogged pores and contribute to the worsening of blemishes. At Laboté, all comedogenic ingredients are strictly prohibited in our formulations. You can consult our formulation guidelines for more information.

HOW DOES ACNE MANIFEST ITSELF IN PREGNANT WOMEN?

Skin becomes oilier due to hormonal changes during pregnancy, creating an environment conducive to the growth of bacteria that cause blemishes. There are several types; let's look at them in order:

• Pimples: sebum accumulates excessively in the pores, bacteria develop there and create inflammatory reactions. Pimples then appear.

• Blackheads: they result from the obstruction of pores by sebum which is oxidized by the air, giving this black color.

• Enlarged pores: Our skin's pores are essential for its health as they allow the excretion of sebum and sweat. However, the accumulation of dead skin cells and sebum increases the size of the hair follicles, making the pores more visible.

• Microcysts: These result from the excessive production of skin cells that accumulate until they completely block the hair follicle. Since the sebum secreted by the skin can no longer be transported to the surface, it becomes trapped under the skin, creating a plug that is visible externally. Microcysts can sometimes develop into inflammation: they then become red and leave scars.

Furthermore, these manifestations also relate to the symptoms of acne in adults .

Aggravating Factors of Acne in Pregnant Women

All pregnant women can experience acne during their pregnancy. Even if some young women have a flawless complexion during adolescence, it's unfortunately not guaranteed that they will be free of acne once pregnant. However, women who have had minor (or severe) acne problems during adolescence, as well as during their previous pregnancy(ies), are more likely to be affected by acne during pregnancy (in nearly 9 out of 10 cases, unfortunately!).

Diet is not the direct cause of pregnancy acne, but it can contribute to the problem. Insulin spikes, caused by consuming foods with a high glycemic index, can indeed amplify hormone secretion and therefore sebum production.

Finally, the sun is a false friend of acne: it can improve it temporarily, but leads to a rebound effect afterwards.

IS ACNE DANGEROUS FOR A CHILD'S HEALTH?

Don't panic! Acne in pregnant women is physiological and not pathological. It is therefore benign and will disappear after childbirth. Finally, acne has no effect on the baby.