Preventing the pregnancy mask
You may observe dark patches on your face during your pregnancy. Known as the pregnancy mask, this pigmentation is often provoked by exposure to the sun. So be careful, sun and pregnancy don’t always go well together!
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You may observe dark patches on your face during your pregnancy, especially during summer. Known as the pregnancy mask, this pigmentation is exacberated from exposure to the sun. So be careful, sun and pregnancy don’t always go well together!
The pregnancy mask, also known as chloasma or melasma, affects about 70% of pregnant women from the fourth month of pregnancy onwards with darker-skinned women affected more often. The mask appears as brown pigmented, often symmetrical, patches of more or less regular and well-defined shape. The patches generally appear on the forehead, temples and cheeks.
Why does this pregnancy mask appear?
Pregnancy causes an extraordinary increase in female hormones, which at the same time also cause an increase in the synthesis of melanin. If skin is exposed to the sun, pigmentation can occur and patches appear, notably on the face. These generally disappear after the baby is born.
Chloasma can also appear in young women who take a combination oral contraceptive (containing oestrogens and a progestin). In this specific case, the mask tends to be localised around the mouth area.
Avoiding that pregnancy mask
There’s only one rule for preventing the mask of pregnancy from appearing: avoid exposing your skin to the sun! Apply a total sunblock when it's sunny. If chloasma does appear during pregnancy, it usually disappears about six months after the baby is born.
If however, the condition persists, you will need to apply a de-pigmenting treatment and your dermatologist will prescribe the cream which best suits your skin type. If applied on the darkened patches nightly for several months, as well as using a total sunblock during the day, this treatment will get rid of even the most stubborn pregnancy mask. Hydroquinone-based creams combined with a corticoid, vitamin A acid (tretinoin) or alpha-hydroxyacids (AHA) are usually used.
Avoid taking an oestrogen-based contraceptive pill after giving birth: If you do have a lingering pregnancy mask, you need to choose another method of contraception or a Pill that only contains progestin.
Risks of the pregnancy mask reappearing in subsequent pregnancies are high. The only valid recommendation is to use high factor sun protection or even total sunblock when it's sunny.
Copyright © 2009 Doctissimo
Posted 10.11.2010
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