How long does it take for age spots to go away after childbirth? How to get rid of age spots on the face after childbirth? Unconventional methods of treating pigmentation

Pigmentation of the skin of the face and other areas of the skin is a phenomenon that is familiar to women who are in an interesting position. Such changes in appearance can spoil the mood and cause aesthetic discomfort. Doctors assure that panic in this matter is unnecessary: this effect is temporary and the spots will disappear after childbirth.

Causes of age spots

Pregnancy is a period when a woman’s body undergoes a serious test: hormonal levels change, basic, vital processes are rearranged. In addition to happiness, the time of bearing a child brings a number of inconveniences to a woman: excess weight, stretch marks, possible scars, as well as pigmentation.

Skin changes during pregnancy are not considered a pathology; this phenomenon occurs due to a failure in melanin production. The natural pigment is responsible for protection from ultraviolet radiation and affects the color of the skin, hair and eyes. During the period of bearing a child, hormonal levels change dramatically, which affects the production of melanin and changes in skin color. Studies have shown that dark-skinned women are more susceptible to this phenomenon.

There are several causes of hyperpigmentation during pregnancy and after childbirth:

Hormonal changes in the body. A woman’s body begins to produce an increased amount of hormones that are necessary to bear a child. This is reflected in the accelerated formation of melanin, as well as its concentration in certain areas of the skin. After the baby is born, the balance of hormones should gradually return to normal.
Lack of nutrients. During the period of bearing a child and after its birth, the health of any woman weakens, the body's reserves are depleted, which affects the quality and color of the skin. At such times, it is necessary to consult a doctor who will prescribe useful vitamin supplements.
Excessive exposure to the sun. Doctors recommend avoiding direct sunlight during pregnancy, but not completely giving up walking. It is enough to choose a time for this when the activity of ultraviolet rays is reduced (before 11 and after 16).
Genetic predisposition. It is enough to study the history of close women - if your mother, grandmother or sister suffered from hyperpigmentation during pregnancy, then you should psychologically prepare for this phenomenon.
The presence of concomitant diseases, as well as prolonged stress. Pigmentation and facial redness (in the cheeks, nose and chin) are closely related to the general health of a woman. When the thyroid gland malfunctions, disorders in the digestive system and in constant stressful situations, problems arise with the skin.

The use of cosmetics or medications to remove age spots is recommended in cases where the quality of the skin does not improve within several months after childbirth.

Before resorting to remedies that promise to get rid of cosmetic discomfort, you should consult a doctor for advice. Clinical studies show that after the birth of a child, pigmentation should gradually disappear without additional stimulants.

Areas of skin that have undergone changes in pigmentation during and after pregnancy are called chloasma. This phenomenon is not considered a disease, does not harm health, but causes some aesthetic discomfort. Doctors recommend taking this phenomenon as calmly as possible.

The spots can spread throughout the body, but there are places that are most vulnerable:

face, when the cheeks, nasolabial triangle and chin are affected;
women's décolleté area;
abdomen, during pregnancy women observe the appearance of a vertical stripe (Alba's stripe).

These areas are subject to increased accumulation of melanin in skin cells, which changes their color contour. Chloasma can be of different shapes, located separately from each other or merged into a single spot. The intensity of the color depends on the individual characteristics of the woman’s body.

How to get rid of pigmentation

Modern medicine and cosmetology are ready to provide a wide range of products and procedures to help cope with altered pigmentation. However, women during pregnancy and lactation should exercise increased caution. Any means can affect the health of the child, so it is necessary to consult a doctor in time, which will allow you to determine how to remove age spots on the face after childbirth.

Experts say that within several months (up to one year) after the birth of a child, a woman’s hormonal levels should return to normal. This phenomenon will also entail the return of the usual skin color.

If pigmentation does not disappear after childbirth, then this may indicate a chronic failure in melanin production, which requires additional intervention.

Most cosmetics and medicines that are used to lighten pigmentation contain:

glycolic acid - most often used in whitening;
tretinoin is a form of vitamin A (contraindicated during pregnancy);
hydroquinone is a toxic substance (also contraindicated during pregnancy);
ascorbic acid - vitamin C, used both in pure form and as part of creams, serums, masks, etc.

Below are cosmetics that have proven themselves in the fight for fair skin:

Cream "Skinoren". This remedy is considered the most popular in the fight against postpartum spots. It effectively removes pigmentation, but does not have any additional effect on nearby tissues.
The drug "Retin A". The product is available in the form of a cream, the main active ingredient of which is vitamin A. The action of the drug is aimed at gradually reducing the concentration of melanin. Used in courses.
Cream "Achromin". Another effective remedy that makes pigmentation disappear, while providing a protective effect against ultraviolet rays.
Complex of means "Uniton". This approach includes the use of gel, cream and serum, which are used alternately throughout the day. The main active ingredient of the drugs is hydroquinone, which reduces the natural production of melanin, reducing the intensity with which pigmentation appears.

It is contraindicated to exceed the recommended dosage; this may make the skin too sensitive to sunlight, which will only harm it. During lactation, it is important to remember that the active ingredients of creams and ointments can pass into breast milk.

Above are the most common products that are used in cosmetology and are also approved by doctors. It is not recommended to deal with pigmentation on your own; only a doctor can fully assess a woman’s health and select the right medications.

In addition to the topical products discussed above, women often go to beauty salons for special procedures. Most often, this approach is justified if the pigmentation has not disappeared and creams have not helped.

Common salon procedures that allow you to quickly see a positive effect:

mesotherapy - intradermal injection of a special amino acid into the affected areas, which will effectively combat altered pigmentation;
laser treatment, which consists of polishing pigmented areas and removing rough layers of the epidermis;
a method of light therapy, which involves exposing the skin to special light waves, they help remove and destroy excess melanin;
Chemical peeling is the harshest and most radical way to get rid of skin problems; it requires a careful approach to the use of acid-containing substances.

The number of procedures is always determined individually, taking into account the woman’s health condition.

For all these methods, pregnancy is a contraindication!

It is important to fight not only for your own beauty, but also for the health of your child. If there are contraindications to the procedures, the cosmetologist should advise alternative approaches.

A woman after childbirth should not forget that some procedures can be hazardous to health, then she will have to completely forget about hardware approaches in cosmetology until the end of the lactation period.

If the financial situation does not allow you to seek help from expensive cosmetic procedures, then homemade folk recipes, the effectiveness of which has been proven by time, come to support.

Among the popular recipes, there are several available at home:

Cucumber mask. Just grate the cucumber on a fine grater and apply an even layer on your face. This procedure is carried out for half an hour, after which the mask is washed off with cool water.
Regular parsley effectively improves skin condition. It is enough to pour boiling water over a bunch of greenery so as to completely cover the leaves. Leave to brew for about half an hour, then filter, add a little lemon juice and freeze in ice cube trays. Regularly take out a cube of frozen broth and wipe your face with it (morning and evening after cleansing).
It is recommended to brew dandelion flowers in a similar way. The decoction is also frozen and used in portions in the morning and evening.
You can also squeeze lemon juice onto a cotton pad and wipe your face with it morning and evening instead of toner,
Grate raw potatoes on a coarse grater and apply a thick layer to your face, leave for an hour, then rinse with water. The procedure is carried out at night.

The use of traditional medicine recipes is popular among women during pregnancy and lactation. This is explained by the fact that only natural ingredients are used during the procedures.

Or chloasma usually occurs between the fourth and sixth months. The face is most susceptible to pigmentation: spots appear on the forehead and temples, as well as around the mouth. This feature of the location of the spots gave rise to a special term called “mask of pregnancy.” Pigmentation is more pronounced in brunettes, although blondes are often susceptible to chloasma. The cause of hyperpigmentation of the skin in most cases is exposure to ultraviolet radiation. Expectant mothers spend too much time in the sun without protecting their faces from direct rays, thereby provoking the appearance of chloasma. The second most likely reason is a change in the body's hormonal levels. Often both of these factors are interrelated.

Before you begin self-treatment of age spots, visit a doctor to rule out possible diseases of the genital organs, malfunctions of the liver and adrenal glands, as well as a lack of folic acid in the body.

For those young mothers who want quick results, we can recommend peeling with fruit acids, phototherapy and cryotherapy. These procedures are highly effective and give quick results.

Prevention of age spots

You can prevent the appearance of hyperpigmentation by following certain rules. It is not recommended to spend a lot of time in the sun, especially under direct exposure. To prevent this, wear wide-brimmed hats, glasses, and choose evening hours for walks. The greatest solar activity occurs between eleven in the morning and four in the afternoon. Apply a light, moisturizing sunscreen to your skin before going out into the sun. Despite the dangerous effects of sunlight on the body of a pregnant woman, you should not completely give up sunbathing. The sun is necessary for the production of vital vitamin D, as well as simply for a good mood.

It is important to minimize the use of cosmetics during pregnancy, but if you still cannot do without cosmetics, take certain conditions into account. To care for your facial skin, do not use products that have an excessively traumatic effect: scrubs, peelings, or products with too strong a smell. Be sure to check new purchases for possible allergies.

During pregnancy, a woman's hormonal levels undergo a restructuring, provoking the appearance of unwanted spots on the skin; the desire to get rid of them and remove brown spots comes immediately after childbirth. Cosmetic procedures or masks made at home can whiten your face and make it look fresh.

Prevent pigmentation during pregnancy

In order not to burden yourself with the appearance of age spots after childbirth, you should take care of their prevention during pregnancy.

You won’t be able to remove them quickly; the process takes a long time; you just need to follow certain rules:

You can remove pigment spots on your face by caring for your skin daily, eating greens and cereals, meat products, fresh vegetables and fruits.
Drink up to two liters of clean water daily.
It is not recommended to stay outside for a long time when solar activity is at its peak.
You should only use hypoallergenic cosmetics for pregnant women.
Avoid visiting a solarium; pigmentation may worsen.
When there are problems with the thyroid gland, you will need the help of an endocrinologist and dermatologist; spots can appear on the stomach, face, arms, and décolleté.

The appearance can be spoiled by the appearance of brown spots during pregnancy; in addition, behavior and eating habits change. But a woman always wants to be beautiful and well-groomed, therefore, cosmetic procedures are required under the supervision of a doctor. It is advisable to use gentle care products to cause less harm to the fetus.

If a woman is well-groomed and takes care of her appearance, she will use only high-quality personal care products, she can be sure that age spots will disappear quickly. When they appear, don't expect them to go away quickly. There may be a large number of them on the stomach or face during pregnancy. If you prevent the consequences in time and do not remove them, they can remain forever. A dermatologist will help solve this problem during pregnancy.

If your pregnancy period occurs in winter, this is the best time to take care of your appearance.

During the summer months, age spots can appear on the face, stomach, and arms; you can get rid of them using sunscreens and products with a high SPF factor. It is important to monitor the duration of the cream, it ends after 4 hours, then you should apply a layer of cream again. The presence of brown spots can be prevented by sunbathing in the shade, avoiding active sun between 11 am and 4 pm.

Spots on the face may change to a lighter shade or disappear altogether, but using salon products at home, freckles can be eliminated and birthmarks will become less noticeable.

The main thing for women is to accept themselves as they are, with temporary shortcomings and disadvantages. Doctors will help you cope with skin problems during pregnancy, give recommendations on proper nutrition, taking vitamin complexes, and how to care for yourself, your hair and nails.

While the period of bearing a child has already passed, you need to get serious about restoring the skin of the body. If the approach and cosmetic product are chosen correctly, pigmentation will go away quickly within two to three months. Skin color changes under the influence of the melanin pigment; with an increase in its concentration, the dots tend to darken.

The causes of age spots after childbirth are as follows:

during breastfeeding, problems with a woman’s hormonal levels continue, estrogen levels go through the roof, this is a harbinger of the appearance of unwanted formations on the skin;
changes in mood and putting a woman in stressful situations can trigger the appearance of brown spots on the body;
poor diet and lifestyle, use of tobacco products;
not consuming vitamins, especially folic acid, which harms the skin, making it darker, and it can also harm the unborn child, causing retardation in physical and mental development;
disruption of the thyroid gland, which is closely related to hormonal levels, increases the formation of unwanted spots.

By taking care of your health, a woman’s skin will gradually become smooth and even. In the postpartum period, changes occurring on the face may be associated with diseases of the gastrointestinal tract; spots may form near the forehead, nose, and lips. With a sharp increase in estrogen, this will appear in the form of brown spots on the nose and cheeks.

In addition to health problems, it also spoils the aesthetic appearance of a woman.

Remove pigmentation after childbirth

After a woman has carried and given birth to a child, it is worth paying attention to herself, undergoing cosmetic procedures, and making masks. Most of the spots go away a few months after giving birth; cosmetic products and procedures do their job. Hormone levels return to normal after an average of two months. After childbirth, unaesthetic brown spots may go away on their own, but in most cases it is worth resorting to procedures from a cosmetologist.

Home Remedies

The most commonly used are homemade masks and lotions. The main components should be whitening components, which have an additional rejuvenating effect and eliminate wrinkles. Creams and ointments can be based on natural extracts, plants, and sometimes algae.

Here are some simple tips:

1. A popular mask is made from baby soap, which, in combination with hydrogen peroxide and alcohol, is applied to the skin for twenty minutes.
2. Cucumber products and those made from parsley can whiten and make the skin more hydrated and well-groomed.
3. Any fermented milk products will save damaged areas, both before and after childbirth.
4. It is appropriate to use starch and lemon juice during the postpartum period; this will refresh the skin and increase its elasticity.

Traditional salon procedures include:

laser resurfacing;
chemical peels;
photorejuvenation;
complex treatment with drugs and creams.

In this way, all conditions are created to obtain the desired effect on the part of the young mother.

The appearance of areas of hyperpigmentation on the body and face of a pregnant woman is not considered pathological. This is a normal physiological change in the skin associated with increased sensitivity of certain areas of the epidermis to sex hormones. The phenomenon is observed in many women during pregnancy, but especially in dark-skinned women with dark hair. Pigmentation after childbirth gradually disappears as hormonal levels return to their original levels.

Reasons for appearance

Skin color is determined by the pigment melanin. Its biosynthesis occurs in special cells - melanocytes, located at the border of the dermis and epidermis. Melanin provides biological protection to the underlying layers of skin from ultraviolet radiation.

Conception acts as a trigger for hormonal changes, which changes the processes of synthesis and accumulation of pigment in the skin. The adrenal glands begin to produce increased amounts of estrogen and progesterone, and the pituitary gland begins to produce melanocyte-stimulating hormone. The concentration of melanin in the skin of a pregnant woman increases. Areas with more intense coloring begin to appear: from a small spot to large merging spots.

The intensity of coloring - from brown to light yellow, depends on the individual characteristics of the body and the course of pregnancy. Epidermal pigmentation is distributed unevenly. Favorite locations on the body are the linea alba, nipples, areolas on the mammary glands, neck, armpits, perineal area, legs. On the face - on the forehead, bridge of the nose, upper lip. Apart from changes in the color of individual areas of the skin, no other symptoms are noted: there is no peeling, no itching, no changes in the structure of the skin itself. Pigmentation may increase with tanning.

Chloasma is an area of hyperpigmentation of the skin on the face that occurs during pregnancy. They are not considered a disease, do not require any treatment, but are only a cosmetic defect. They do not harm either the expectant mother or the child.

Chloasma is called a “pregnant mask” when pigmentation occurs on the forehead, bridge of the nose, and transitions to the cheeks.

A number of factors have been identified that contribute to the development of hypermelanosis in pregnant women:

Hereditary predisposition is the presence of similar spots in close relatives on the female line.
Prolonged exposure to ultraviolet radiation. You can only be in the sun during periods of low activity - in the morning and evening hours. Solarium procedures are prohibited for pregnant women.
Concomitant diseases of internal organs - digestive tract, liver, kidneys.
Pathology of the thyroid gland - hypothyroidism.
Frequent psycho-emotional stress leads to metabolic disorders and hormonal imbalance.
Deficiency in the body of vitamins necessary for life (C, folic acid, group B, D), microelements (copper, iron).

Pigment spots after childbirth continue to remain on the skin of the face and body for some time until hormonal levels normalize.

Methods of disposal

In order not to provoke the formation of age spots, you should follow some rules:

Limit exposure to the sun during the period of active ultraviolet action.
Use sunscreens with maximum performance.
The diet should contain foods high in polyunsaturated fatty acids (omega-3): vegetable oils, fish, walnuts.

You should not rush to radically get rid of age spots on your face, as they will go away on their own without leaving a trace.

A woman’s hormonal status returns to normal 1-2 months after the cessation of lactation, when the menstrual cycle is restored. In the postpartum period, the skin on the abdomen first begins to clear of pigmentation, then the color on the nipples fades and, last of all, on the face. Until the cause (hormonal changes) is eliminated, no, even ultra-modern, whitening methods will be able to completely cope with the problem.

It is possible to remove age spots on the face with the help of whitening and exfoliating creams, ointments and gels; hardware methods (laser, photo, mesotherapy) in beauty salons or at home - folk methods.

Pharmacy products

Before using any cosmetic products, the individual sensitivity of the body to certain components included in the cream is checked. To do this, a skin test is performed: a small amount of the drug is applied to the inner surface of the forearm. If after 8 hours no redness appears on the skin, the cream can be used.

Cosmetic procedures

If more than a year has passed after giving birth, and pigment spots continue to remain, it is necessary to consult with specialists (therapist, dermatologist, endocrinologist, cosmetologist) to find out the causes, as well as select means and methods to eliminate this defect. The conditions for the procedures are the absence of acute diseases and inflammatory processes on the skin. Contraindications: periods of pregnancy and lactation.

Folk remedies

The lightening properties of fruits and vegetables are determined by the presence of fruit acids in them. The main mechanism of action is exfoliation, cell stimulation, improved metabolism, and the ability to whiten and moisturize the skin.

Folk remedies work gently, so it takes a long time to remove age spots. But their use is harmless, unlike aggressive drugs containing hydroquinone and arbutin, which can quickly remove stains, but they are very toxic and often cause allergic reactions.

Rubbing the pigmented areas with ice cubes made from berry or vegetable juices is useful.

Tonics

Add a tablespoon of chopped parsley to a glass of boiling water. Leave for 3 hours. Mix the juice of one lemon into the infusion, pour the mixture into an ice-making container, and freeze. Rub ice cubes onto your face several times a day.
Add 10 ml of alcohol to 30 ml of fresh natural milk. Apply the resulting mixture to problem areas of the skin overnight.

Masks

Almost any fruit or vegetable can be used to get rid of excess pigmentation at home.

Masks made from natural yogurt, yogurt, kefir, cottage cheese. The dairy product is mixed with cucumber puree or lemon pulp in equal parts. Apply the mask to a clean face and wash off with warm water after 15 minutes.
Combine 25 g of yeast, 5 ml of lemon juice, 25 ml of fresh milk. Apply gauze soaked in this mixture to your face for 15 minutes.
Chop a medium fresh cucumber, add 25 ml of olive oil and lemon juice. Leave on skin for 10-12 minutes.

Applications

Mix 80 ml of kefir with 40 ml of tomato juice. Soak gauze in the mixture and apply to the stains for 15 minutes.
Chop the washed potatoes. Apply the resulting paste in a thin layer to your face. After 15 minutes, wash your face.

Lotions

Pour 50 g of chopped parsley roots with a liter of alcohol. Leave in a dark place for about 2 weeks. Wipe problem areas daily.
Brew 50 g of viburnum fruit with a glass of boiling water. After an hour, strain, moisten a napkin, and apply to the face for 10 minutes. Perform the manipulation 3 times.

It is understandable that every woman wants to be beautiful and well-groomed at all times, and especially during that happy time when she is carrying a child. But don’t be upset about the appearance of age spots; they will go away on their own some time after birth.