When our hormones are out of balance, we run the risk of triggering Melasma. Whether the unbalance is caused by pregnancy itself, birth control pills or other medications, the result can be the same. But as this is pregnancy month on the blog, we will be speaking in regards to pregnancy, while all info remains relevant to all out of balance hormones.
When women are pregnant and their hormones are changing that is when they are most prone to getting Melasma. This happens primarily on the upper lip, sides of the face and the forehead. When the hormones are in a state of change, the melanocites that produce melanin are activated causing brown discolouration, often referred to as the mask of pregnancy.
With no sun exposure throughout the pregnancy, this type of discolouration can resolve itself. But any sun exposure and this type of discolouration can quickly become permanent.
It is important throughout pregnancy to not only protect your skin with sunscreen, but also the additional protection of wearing hats, avoiding noon day sun and spending your outdoor time in the shade. Sunscreen in makeup tends to have a maximum of spf15, this is simply not enough to protect your skin at this time. A minimum spf30 reapplied every two hours when outdoors is your rule of thumb.
The ZO Primer sunscreen is noted to have up to 6 hours of sun protection. Knowing you are in a time of heightening hormones, we would still recommend you err on the side of caution and reapply bringing your risk down to a minimum.
So what if you’ve had a day where you just can’t avoid sunlight? Well, you go into skin care damage control with the use of a Vitamin C Serum. We recommend (and love) C-Bright which is a 10% Serum. By quickly exfoliating the skin to brighten your complexion, helping beneath the skins surface to prevent new melanin formation and the antioxidants at work defending against the triggers as discussed above, your skin is in good hands for fast relief and prevention.
Moral of the story is, don’t allow your healthy pregnancy glow to turn into a life long commitment with Melasma. With the right protection and maintenance in place your skin will make it through this often unknown high risk skin season with flying colours.
Come in for a complimentary consultation to see which treatment and home care products are right for you. Call us at 604-638-7546 or Book Your Consultation here for more information, pricing and requirements.
~DLC