How To Treat Hormonal Acne

If you're pregnant, get ready for those hormones! As a pregnant mother, you can expect a series of hormonal changes as your body actually prepares itself for your baby. Unfortunately, along with the hormones comes acne as your skin becomes more vulnerable due to the hormonal fluctuations. Good news is, acne from pregnancy is very common, so don't fret if you see zits every now and then while you're expecting.
Since acne is very common during pregnancy, here are some do's to help prevent breakouts:
- Treat your skin normally and keep your skin fresh and clean by washing it with gentle cleansers that do not remove the skin's natural moisture. If your skin is really oily, you can cleanse your face two times a day.
- Try to practice the habit of putting on an oil-free, anti-drying lotion after rinsing your face. This will give your skin extra-nourishment without overloading it with unnecessary oils.
- When rinsing your face, try to use lots of water to completely remove any soap residue since these substances can serve as breeding grounds for bacteria.
- Cleanse the area affected with acne with an oil-free facial wash. Remember to use the appropriate amount of cleanser so you can prevent your skin from over drying since once your skin becomes dry, your sebaceous glands might be triggered to produce more oil.
- If you wish to apply a toner or an astringent, you may do so by using a cotton ball for applying the treatment directly on every zit or blackhead to stop the bacteria from spreading to other areas.
- Be careful when touching your zits. It's best to not rub them because you might wipe off the pimple-causing bacteria and transfer it to the other areas of your body or face.
- You may also maintain healthy eating habits by consuming lots of fruits and veggies. But may only come as an effective option if you practice the habit along with good hygiene practices.
- You may do exercises and activities to improve the blood circulation within your skin. Doing this will help you make your skin more resistant to infections. An active lifestyle, believe it or not, may also make you feel less stressed.
- If your condition is severe and you really need to use an acne medication, make sure you consult with a doctor and only use safe, recommended topical acne drugs.
Some acne medications can cause detrimental side effects. Here is a list of what not to do to treat acne from pregnancy:
- As much as possible, do not take acne medications with Retinoic acid and Tretinoin. Experts say that roaccutane or Retinoic acid may cause miscarriage and birth defects. Tretinoin, as a topical acne treatment, may also lead to congenital abnormalities.
- You may also consider refraining from taking oral acne treatments during pregnancy, specially those medications with higher dosages of vitamin A since this may threaten the life of your unborn child. These medications may cause congenital defects, learning disabilities, and physical deformities.
If you really need to use medications to treat hormonal acne during pregnancy, stick to milder treatments such as salicylic acid. Benzoyl peroxide is an effective acne treatment but it is really not for sensitive skin, which is common among expectant moms since their skin becomes vulnerable to natural bodily changes.
Regular consultation with a doctor may prove to be a great help in your coping up with your hormonal acne when expecting. If your condition doesn't really need medication, then don't take acne treatments.
Most probably, your skin will return to its usual healthy condition 2 to 3 months after your baby is born.

Harvey B. Ong is an in-house writer Intelligraph Corporation, an internet media company. He currently writes articles about acne and its various medications. For more information about treatment options for hormonal acne, visit http://www.acnerecovery.com.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/expert/Kat_Daez/102675