Pregnancy is a phase in a woman’s life where you have to take extra care of yourself. Your body constantly undergoes a variety of changes. If you are pregnant during the summer season, it becomes very uncomfortable to pass the days due to excessive heat, sweating etc. But monsoon also doesn’t bring much relief as the level of humidity increases.
At times, monsoon and pregnancy don’t go well together as the body’s immune system becomes more susceptible to infections. This may result in dysentery, indigestion, cold and cough, and many skin related problems. Dry skin, rashes, eczema, pimples, prickly heat boils are some of the common skin problems that arise in pregnant women during the monsoon. So, it becomes very necessary to keep yourself fit and healthy and take care of your skin to beat the odds of monsoon.
Skincare Tips for the Monsoon
A little change in the way of skincare can do wonders during the monsoon season. Here are some pointers :
- Keeping yourself hydrated is one of the best ways to make your skin flawless and healthy. Drinking enough water helps in flushing out the unwanted toxins.
- Pregnancy hormones make your skin more sensitive to sunlight darkening your skin. Stay indoors as much as possible and if you have to go out wear a hat, use an umbrella or cover exposed areas with a light scarf.
- As it is not possible to avoid sunlight totally, dermatologists suggest applying sunscreen lotion at least 30 minutes prior to going out.
- Taking a Neem water bath daily helps in fighting bacteria and other germs making your skin free of rashes. Neem water can be prepared easily at home by boiling Neem leaves for around 15 to 20 minutes.
- Wear clothes made of breathable fabrics like cotton which absorb sweat and keep your skin dry.
- During monsoon, soil and sewage make the rain water dirty, it may cause skin infections if your feet get exposed to such water. Wash your hands and feet immediately with mild disinfectant soap and warm water after coming from outside.
Avoid using skincare products containing harmful chemicals:
During pregnancy, read the skin care product labels carefully regarding the ingredients as using products containing chemicals may be harmful to you and your baby in the womb.
- Hydroquinone: Commonly present in skin whitening cream, hydroquinone is not good at all for you and your developing baby. Using such products may have different types of ill effects.
- Salicylic Acid: Present mostly in acne products, salicylic acid is dangerous for pregnant women as it may lead to preterm birth, low birth weight or malformation of the baby.
- Spray or fragrances: Using spray on tanned areas or fragrances during pregnancy is not a good idea. Though it may not do much harm to the skin as it will not be absorbed much but inhalation of the chemicals in the spray may cause DNA mutations.
- Hair Removers: As hair removers contain different type of chemicals, avoid using them as much as possible.
- Bath Products: Most of the luxurious bath products contain chemicals which are not good at all for pregnant women. These chemicals may cause different types of allergic reactions. Rather opt for non-luxurious bath products free from chemicals.
A little skin care during the monsoon can make your pregnancy peaceful by avoiding any kind of skin problems. But if you face severe skin problems it would be better to consult an expert dermatologist.
Images Courtesy: