Surely, everyone has heard or know from their own experience that pregnant women have increased pigmentation. On the face and in other parts of the body, spots of various sizes appear, which indicate a global restructuring in the body and hormonal changes. The dark stripe on the abdomen during pregnancy is no exception, it does no harm to the expectant mother and fetus. Also, it does not indicate the presence of pathologies or diseases. Further this phenomenon will be considered in more detail.
Pigmentation during pregnancy
Pigmentation refers to the darkening of individual areas of the skin or, conversely, lightening. A distinctive feature of age spots is that the edges are even, the shape is usually irregular. During the period of gestation, they can appear as a dark strip on the abdomen during pregnancy, and even more often appear on the face (the forehead, lips, cheeks or the area around the eyes are exposed), on the inside of the thighs and mammary glands.
As a rule, one of the first signs of pregnancy is just a darkening of the skin around the nipples. Pigmentation on the face is popularly called the "mask of pregnant women", which is actively manifested in the second trimester. Such symptoms occur in 90% of expectant mothers.
Reasons for the appearance of a dark strip
Being one of the manifestations of pigmentation, a dark stripe on the abdomen during pregnancy has its own causes. The main, which generally causes this phenomenon, are hormonal changes. And the main participants in the process are progesterone and estrogen. It is they who participate in the formation and the appearance of the secretion of the hormone melanotropin, which is produced by cells that give one or another part of the skin a dark color. During pregnancy, the distribution occurs arbitrarily.
Why does a strip appear on the stomach during pregnancy, and not elsewhere?
This is due to the fact that in this part of the body there is no muscle tissue, there is only connective. During pregnancy, the stomach gradually stretches and the thickness of the tissue decreases. That is why the pigment strip appears on the abdomen during pregnancy.
Its location may vary. Someone crosses her entire stomach, and someone goes from the pubis to the navel. Women with fair skin and hair either have no stripes at all, or they are hardly noticeable.
Factors Affecting Band Appearance
Despite the fact that the appearance of a dark strip on the abdomen during pregnancy is the work of hormones, there are a number of factors that influence it and provoke the occurrence:
- One of the common reasons is the use of oral contraceptives that contain hormonal elements before pregnancy. This also includes the lack of folic acid in the body of the expectant mother.
- Improper cosmetic procedures, the use of large amounts of poor quality cosmetics or care products.
- Incorrect functioning of the liver, ovaries or pituitary gland can also cause increased pigmentation in a pregnant woman.
- Stressful situations cannot be excluded from this list.
- Genetic predisposition.
What to do to prevent the appearance of a strip, reduce its pigmentation
Of course, it is very difficult to completely prevent the appearance of a brown strip on the abdomen during pregnancy, but its brightness level can be minimized. Some tips should be followed:
- In the event that the pregnancy process occurred in the sunny months, and the sun's rays indulge in heat, you need to abandon it. It is not worth it to be in the open sun, it is better to hide in the shade under a canopy or tree, so as not to provoke the production of melanin.
- If nevertheless being in the open sun is inevitable, you need to actively use sunscreens - creams, oils and gels, regardless of how long the pregnancy is.
- Do not undress in the sun, it is better to hide behind a light pareo, scarf or cloak to minimize skin contact with the sun.
- When using cosmetics, carefully read the composition, it is important that there is no vitamin A, which stimulates the production of the hormone and the appearance of age spots.
- Eliminate the deficiency of folic acid, if any, that is, eat more fish, cereals, butter, liver or beets, do not deny yourself vegetables, herbs and fruits.
- Go to the endocrinologist, perhaps he will tell you how to reduce pigmentation during pregnancy, taking into account the individual characteristics of the body.
When the strip appears
Specialists did not have a clear opinion on how long a child shows up. For some, it may appear at the beginning of the second trimester, for others - on the eve of childbirth.
In general, pigmentation is one of the first signs of pregnancy, but, as you know, there are many manifestations of this process, and the stripe on the abdomen is far from the only one. If such a phenomenon is observed in the first trimester, then by birth, for sure, the strip will be very dark, even more blue. No need to be afraid of it, all of these are the limits of the norm.
Increased pigmentation in pregnant women appears after 12 weeks, so if you did not have any manifestations before this period, they may occur after this period.
When the strip disappears
This "attribute" is liked far away on every woman, so the question arises, when will the strip on the abdomen after pregnancy pass? It is quite difficult to predict in advance when this will happen, as well as to understand when it will occur. This can take a couple of months, and a half years after giving birth. There are times when pigment stays with a woman for life, but this is very rare. If subsequent pregnancies occur, the strip will appear brighter, as well as at earlier periods than the first time. Doctors strongly recommend that you do not get rid of the dark strip with dubious methods, just be patient and wait until it disappears on its own.
Dark strip removal
The strip on the abdomen during pregnancy does not cause as much inconvenience as after the delivery of a woman. First of all, they are connected with aesthetics. A woman does not like the appearance of the abdomen. In this case, you can seek help from a cosmetologist who will advise you, focusing on the individual characteristics of the body.
Before embarking on a cosmetic procedure, it is advisable to be examined and done an ultrasound scan to rule out various diseases that can cause the appearance of a dark band. Using specialized equipment, the strip is removed in several ways. These include:
- Laser resurfacing, in the framework of which the upper layer of the skin is removed and its tone changes. This procedure is carried out by a special apparatus. You can not worry, only a layer of dead cells is removed, the procedure will not bring any harm.
- Professional peeling, which is performed by various methods from mechanical using scrub to laser. In these cases, dead cells are also removed.
- Cryotherapy - exposure to the skin with devices with a low temperature, due to which the vessels narrow. In the process, they begin to expand, while the capillaries, which did not work before, expand. As a result, metabolism is established, the upper layer of the epithelium is easily removed.
- Mesotherapy is carried out by introducing several types of medications into the skin that combine well with each other. The effect is achieved not only by the positive effect of the drugs, but also by stimulating the body's natural points, which increase the elasticity and firmness of the skin, allowing it to restore its balance.
These methods should be used only after pregnancy, choose a clinic that is distinguished by modern equipment, highly qualified specialists and status on the services market.
The appearance of a dark strip without pregnancy
The appearance of a dark strip on the abdomen without pregnancy is quite possible, and many women indicate this. In some, the strip is formed from childhood, in others - during puberty, in others - just during the reproductive period. In this case, you should not be afraid and panic.
First of all, you need to make an appointment with an endocrinologist and consult with him, because some organs, including the thyroid gland, may not work correctly, which leads to spotted skin pigmentation. In parallel, you can be examined by a gynecologist, take tests for hormones. Based on the results of the studies, therapy will be prescribed that will help restore balance in the body and get rid of the dark strip, which many do not like.