The course of pregnancy is a wonderful time in which all the resources and forces of a woman are directed not only to herself, but also to the baby. That is why the immune system is weakened, which means that a pregnant girl is more susceptible to a variety of diseases. In today's article, we will pay attention to dermatitis during pregnancy, identifying the causes, course, symptoms and treatment methods. You need to be careful about your health, because getting sick during pregnancy is more dangerous than in the usual state.
Dermatitis in women in position
From the moment of conception and over the next 9 months, chronic diseases worsen in women and new ones appear, so it is difficult to predict the pregnancy process. This is due to large-scale restructuring of the body and many changes that occur in it.
About 65% of women experienced dermatitis during pregnancy. They can appear in the early stages and accompany during the entire period of bearing a child. At this point, not all methods and means of treatment are available, some may be harmful to the baby.
All types of skin diseases are divided into two types. The first includes those that occur exclusively during pregnancy. The second type is represented by skin diseases that occur in both men and women who are not pregnant.
Causes of the disease
Dermatitis during pregnancy, as we noted earlier, is not uncommon. This is due primarily to large-scale hormonal changes, as well as weakening of the immune system. In addition, experts identify a number of reasons that provoke the appearance of skin diseases. These causes are universal and do not apply to any particular type of disease. Studies have shown that women who did not suffer from such problems before pregnancy are likely to encounter them during the gestation period. In contrast, women with chronic diseases are less likely to become infected. The main causes of dermatitis during pregnancy include:
- Toxicosis in moderate or severe form.
- Chronic diseases that have been troubling for a long time and are associated with the intestines and stomach.
- Exposure to allergens, both domestic and seasonal.
- Stress, constant excitement and emotional stress.
- Natural factors: low or too high temperatures, long-term exposure to sunlight, wind. If a woman was in such conditions before pregnancy, then they are unlikely to affect her now. A sharp change in climate in this case affects the woman.
Symptoms of Disease
There are many varieties of the disease, some of which we will analyze further. However, there are common signs of skin diseases that are inherent in any form.
The onset of the disease is characterized by peeling of the skin. First of all, knees, elbows suffer, after which the disease spreads to the neck and face. There is a slight swelling of the skin surface, as well as redness, a small rash that constantly itches and causes discomfort. The rash consists of small nodules and watery elements.
The part of the skin on which there are stretch marks, that is, the stomach, hips, and chest, is also at risk. They are particularly affected by the disease. The specificity of dermatitis during pregnancy is the absence of a rash and irritation around the navel, which always appears in other cases.
Symptoms and manifestation of atopic dermatitis
The first type of skin disease inherent in pregnant women is atopic dermatitis. It appears, as a rule, because of the hereditary predisposition that is transmitted in the genotype. Severe toxicosis and intoxication in the early stages also provoke the occurrence of this type of dermatitis. In addition to the external manifestations of the disease described above, this species affects the autonomic and nervous systems, as well as the intestines. Symptoms are:
- Anxiety and depression, which appear for no reason and are actively developing.
- Impaired leukocyte functionality.
- Dysbacteriosis
- Sharp and involuntary contractions of different muscle groups.
- Decreased blood coagulation.
Treatment
In order to accurately diagnose the disease, you need to pass a general blood test, urine, feces, conduct several tests for allergens. Do not be afraid that the disease will affect the child, it can only develop his predisposition to atopic diseases.
Treatment of atopic dermatitis during pregnancy should be started as soon as possible, but remember that it is completely impossible to cure it, because it is transmitted at the genetic level. In the treatment of creams and ointments are often used.
- Moisturizing and softening creams with which the skin is lubricated several times a day to remove dryness. There are a huge number of them on the market, you need to choose what is right for you, preferably without additives and dyes, so as not to provoke an allergy.
- Creams and ointments containing steroids. They will reduce the onset of symptoms on the skin. For example, "Hydrocortisone", which should not be used often. During pregnancy, it is advisable to use precisely external medicines: creams, ointments, and not tablets.
- If the form is severe, the doctor prescribes pills that contain steroids. If harmful bacteria are found on the skin, antibiotics are prescribed.
- Antihistamines can weaken itching. For example, "Loratadine", "Cetirizine", "Clemastine", "Dimetinden."
Symptoms of Allergic Dermatitis
Many identify this type of disease with the previous one, because in both cases an allergen is needed that provokes the disease. This is actually not the case. Allergic is also called contact dermatitis during pregnancy. The reaction occurs when an irritating substance enters the skin or inside through food, household chemicals, or in other ways. The disease is especially exacerbated in the 2nd and 3rd trimester. Symptoms of this disease are:
- Separation of nails, and in some cases they even disappear.
- Hair loss.
- Profuse tearing and sneezing.
- Redness of the skin.
- Small bubbles in different parts of the body.
- Persistent itching.
A feature is that there are stages of remission, when all the symptoms subside and it seems that the disease has receded. Such periods are replaced by more severe exacerbations.
Regarding the child, as in the previous case, the danger lies in laying down the genetic information in him, predisposing in the future to allergies. After birth, the baby’s body will continue to produce more lymphocytes than necessary, as a result of which it will be susceptible to various types of allergies.
Allergy treatment
First you need to identify the cause of the allergy, the so-called allergen, which must be excluded from the diet if it is a food product, or simply not contact with it anymore. The treatment of dermatitis during pregnancy in this case almost coincides with the previous option.
- It is necessary to choose a cream suitable for pregnant women with antihistamines.
- You need to purchase an ointment for allergies, the type of which is determined by the doctor during the consultation.
- You should adhere to a diet, excluding any products that can cause allergies.
- In severe form, it is necessary for 4 days to make applications of a corticosteroid ointment.
The course of perioral dermatitis
Periodic dermatitis during pregnancy is an equally rare type of disease, in comparison with the previous ones. A feature of the disease is the affected area: around the mouth and chin. From the chin, it can spread to the neck and cheeks. Initially, a small rash appears on the chin, which many do not even pay attention to. As the disease develops, the following appear:
- Dry skin.
- Small red pimples, the number of which is constantly increasing.
- Itching and constant burning on the face.
- Pimples become watery as the disease progresses.
- At the site of inflammation, the skin begins to become covered with small scales.
- The rash is symmetrical.
If time does not diagnose dermatitis on the face during pregnancy, then complications may occur. This is coarsening of the skin of the face, the appearance of age spots, the development of acne and the appearance of other rashes.
Treatment of perioral dermatitis
In order to avoid complications, it is necessary to begin treatment of dermatitis during pregnancy from the moment the first signs of the disease appear. First of all you need:
- Refuse makeup.
- Stop using medicines that affect the skin.
After an examination by a doctor, as a rule, it is prescribed:
- Taking antihistamines inside, because you can not use creams and ointments.
- The intake of vitamins that strengthen the immune system and maintain the mineral balance of the body.
- In complicated forms, the doctor prescribes antibiotics, which are drunk after a lactation period.
- It is necessary to adhere to a diet that eliminates all that is harmful and can cause allergies.
- The right skin care, which will be selected individually for you by a dermatologist.
Polymorphic Dermatosis
This type of disease is most common during the last trimester. Its main symptoms are:
- Initially, the rash appears in the abdomen, and from there it spreads throughout the body.
- An exception is the area near the navel, which is not affected.
- Rashes by external signs are similar to urticaria. Each pimple is no more than 3 mm in size, and in appearance - red and edematous formations.
- A few days after the onset of the disease, many pimples merge into single vesicles: watery and larger in size.
- Severe itching.
Treatment of polymorphic dermatosis
Treatment of any type of dermatitis in pregnant women is characterized by a more gentle composition of therapy, which in most cases excludes the use of antibiotics. They are allowed to be used only in severe forms and preferably after childbirth.
The most common treatments for polymorphic dermatosis are:
- Reception of sedatives, for example motherwort, valerian, other sedatives, which do not contain alcohol.
- Antihistamines prescribed by your doctor.
- Ointment for dermatitis during pregnancy, which should include calamine or a corticosteroid.
Other types of dermatitis
If all the above types of dermatitis are diseases characteristic of women in position, now we will pay a little attention to skin diseases that are not related to pregnancy.
A woman in the period before conception or after it can become infected with fungal infections. For example, it is seborrheic dermatitis (it also develops during pregnancy), candidiasis, which require constant monitoring, immediate action and a careful choice of treatment tactics. The choice of drugs depends on the results of the tests that a woman should pass when contacting a doctor.
When registering for a antenatal clinic, it is imperative to tell the doctor if there is one among the relatives who has been ill or is ill with seborrhea or other fungal diseases. We draw attention again that even such diseases do not have a negative effect on the baby. They can only make him predisposed to allergies or other skin pathologies.
Prevention
Regardless of what type of disease struck the woman, in the period after treatment, special attention should be paid to recovery. It is necessary to implement all the recommendations given by gynecologists in order to prevent skin diseases:
- If the allergy is chronic, you need to consult a doctor at the stage of pregnancy planning and take the necessary measures.
- Follow the diet menu: remove a variety of spices, seafood, soda, sweet and fried foods. Also, do not eat too salty and sour, exclude chocolate, coffee.
- Follow drinking regime: drink at least 2 liters of water per day. You need to drink clean water, it is it that removes all harmful substances and the body.
- In cosmetics, you need to abandon dyes, enhancers and other chemical irritants. It is necessary to pay attention to hypoallergenic drugs in everything.
- Every day you need to carry out wet cleaning and ventilate the room.
Pregnant Reviews
After analyzing the reviews of dermatitis during pregnancy, which are written by women who have already given birth to healthy babies, we came to several conclusions:
- If the disease appeared and developed during pregnancy, then it will probably pass soon after childbirth.
- Polysorb is a good and delicate tool that helps cleanse the body of harmful trace elements.
- Such types of ointments, such as "Fladeks" and "Psoricab", well remove inflammation, itching and other manifestations of dermatitis. They can be used both during and after pregnancy.
- It is necessary to constantly adhere to a diet, even after childbirth during lactation. While breastfeeding, proper nutrition is also important, because the food consumed affects the milk that the baby eats.