Women’s health often doesn’t receive the attention it deserves, and pregnancy symptoms are no exception. Many signs are dismissed as minor or “normal,” even when they could be important indicators of underlying changes in the body. Skin conditions, for instance, are frequently overlooked despite being among the most common pregnancy symptoms.
Dr. Kunal Sood, a physician in anesthesiology and interventional pain medicine, is talking about one of the most common but overlooked symptoms of pregnancy. In an Instagram video posted on September 9, he addresses a skin condition which is harmless but affects a major percentage of pregnant women, known as melasma. He also recommends mentioning any new spots or patches that appear on your skin to your doctor, in order to rule out more serious conditions.
What is melasma?
According to Dr. Sood, melasma is a harmless skin condition that affects up to 70% of pregnant women, which shows up as new freckles or dark patches on the skin. It is also considered as the ‘mask of pregnancy’ and usually fades after childbirth. The doctor explains, “(It) is caused by elevated estrogen and progesterone levels during pregnancy, which stimulate melanocytes stimulating hormone and increases melanin production.”
What does it look like?
Dr. Sood mentions, “It usually shows up as flat brown or gray brown patches on the face, chest, or underarms.” He also adds that these patches may get darker with increased sun exposure. While harmless, the condition can be more noticeable in people with medium to darker skin tones.
Precautions
The doctor recommends applying sunscreen both indoors and outdoors, as key to keeping melasma from worsening. Consistent sunscreen use can help prevent the patches from becoming more persistent over time, since it protects the skin against UV rays, which worsens the condition. Dr. Sood also recommends, “In many cases, it fades after delivery, but if it lingers, gentle treatments may be an option later on with guidance from a healthcare provider.”
