The changes in hair, skin and nails during pregnancy are physiological. They are thus normal, expected and harmless. In addition, they are transient and usually return to normal shortly after birth. Examples of such changes are changed hair growth (more or less), dry skin, itching, pigment changes, stretch marks, swelling and varicose veins. Here you can read about 5 skin complaints during pregnancy here.
Pregnant women may also experience worsening of known skin diseases, or the onset of a pregnancy-related skin disease. The most common is a worsening of known atopic eczema, which is seen in about 1 in 20 pregnancies. Here you can read about pregnancy-related skin diseases.
Many of the current changes are due to fluctuating hormone levels. This in turn can affect hair growth, temperature, sweat production, the skin's blood flow and immune system. The blood volume increases by around 50% in the pregnant woman, which is also important for the aforementioned conditions. The growing fetus will stretch the abdominal skin.
Increased moisturizing skin care is important for all pregnant women. This way you can both prevent and treat dry skin and itching. Moisturizing measures can be increased use of moisturizers and/or baths. The moisturizer should be unscented and should preferably be applied once or twice a day. There are also scalp-adapted, moisturizing products that can be bought at the pharmacy. Baths can consist of oil or oats, and the bath water should not be too hot. The use of soap should be avoided.
Many pregnant women experience that their nails grow faster and are fragile. Frequent nail trimming is therefore recommended. Finger baths with cooking oil (for example olive, coconut and almond oil) can for some people strengthen the nails. In addition, there are protective nail polish products, but use of these during pregnancy must be clarified with the pharmacy.
The use of sunscreen is central to preventing the formation of melasma (pigment spots). The hormonal changes during pregnancy increase the risk of developing it. Sunscreen should also be used on cloudy days. You can read more about melasma here.
Support stockings can largely prevent and reduce swelling and varicose veins in the legs. These can be bought at the pharmacy. It is recommended to take measurements at the pharmacy early in the day, before the swelling has increased. This way you get the best adapted and most effective support stockings.
There is no documented treatment for stretch marks, but it is recommended to apply moisturizer here as on other skin.
