Many women suffer from acne during pregnancy, and some have post pregnancy acne. In both cases the cause is mainly hormonal and will subside with time.
While you’re waiting for your hormones to even out after the mental and physical feat of childbirth, there are some things you can do to minimize your acne and make it less noticeable. Any remedy or strategy you try has to be time efficient because as a new mother, a great deal of time and energy is directed to baby care.
Adopting a twice-daily skincare routine can be all you need to keep breakouts under control. The first step in any skincare routine is cleanser. There are all kinds of cleansers, including gels, lotions, creams, oils and soaps. For moms who have no time to spare there are makeup remover skin cleansing wipes that are premoistened and require no water and no rinsing. After cleansing follow with a toner made for your skin type. Toner helps remove any cleanser or leftover grime from your skin. It is applied with a cotton ball and not rinsed off.
Once you’ve toned, you’re ready to treat. If it’s in the morning, use a product designed for adult acne. If breastfeeding, get the OK from your doctor and your baby’s pediatrician before trying something like a retinol product. There are salicylic acid and benzoyl peroxide treatments available over the counter, make sure to read all warnings and recommendations. Follow your treatment with a moisturizer also made for your skin type. If it’s morning you need sunscreen, if not then perhaps a night cream designed to target any skin issues you are having including blemishes, discoloration or wrinkles.
There are also homemade remedies that can help post pregnancy acne. The lactic acid in milk is wonderfully soothing so apply it to your face, leave on for a few minutes then rinse. Yogurt and apple cider vinegar are two more highly touted natural treatments for acne. One thing to keep in mind when suffering from post pregnancy acne is that the situation is temporary and your skin will normalize when your hormones do. In the meantime a skin care routine like the one described above and concealing makeup designed for acne and topped with shine-free powder can go a long way towards the look of clearer skin.