Pregnancy acne

[Somebodyimportant1]

Hello all, I am about 5 weeks pregnant & my face is already covered in acne. Is there anything I can do to get ride of these acne causing huge bumps & spots on my face?

I'm suffering too.
I've tried a few things over the weeks and found a few things that have helped- all from the body shop, their customer consultants are amazing.
Their skin care person suggested I use teatree face wash (something I had never used before as I usually have normal to dry skin but the anti bacterial bit of it has really helped) a serum, in a green bottle, drops of youth I think it's called. There is something in it which helped skin renewal so helps with any healing it needs to do and the vitamin e gel moisturiser (in a pink tub with a light blue band on it)
Apparently the worst thing you can do is use a scrub on them so I've you're doing that- stop.
My main problem areas are my chin, forehead and left cheek. My cheek has pretty much cleared up now, my chin is loads better, just my forehead to catch up.
Wearing masks doesnt blumming help, the lady also recommended I take spare masks and wear a fresh one every 2-3 hours to help prevent it getting all gross and damp from my breath as that doesn't help.
I've added pictures- the first is from 3 weeks ago, the second is from 2 weeks ago and the third is from 2 days ago. It's a long process as it's hormonal rather than environmental.

@Somebodyimportant1 as someone who has been suffering with hormonal acne for 10 years, it's the hardest acne to treat as the issue is internal so topical treatments only help so much. I only really suffer on my chin, get the odd 1 or 2 elsewhere but 99% of its my chin, which makes it look worse as it stands out from the rest of my face which is near perfect skin!

I recommend a salicylic acid face wash, for scarring etc you could try paulas choice 2%bha liquid exfoliant, exfoliating using anything but chemicals isn't food for acne (scrbs etc) make sure you moisturise, perhaps one with niacinamide or something, ensure all your products are non comedogenic (oil free), wash make up brushes, don't touch your skin. You could also use a treatment like azelaic acid or something. Moisture barrier is very important as you want to treat but keep hydrated.

I feel your pain, I really do. The contraceptive pill kept mine under control for years, my confidence was so much higher, came off it to have a baby and boom, I hate my face and feel like a monster.
Good luck

*isn't good not food!

I might not be the best person to help with this, as after the first trimester (when I suffered badly as you ladies are), I had the best skin of my life in the second/third (where I am now). I've always had hormonal acne and prior to pregnancy, found that prescription retinol was the only thing that kept it under control, and obviously that's out for the time being.

So, while I have good skin right now, I can't be sure if it's the routine I implemented after the first few weeks of zits, or just the change in hormones. Anyway, here's what I'm using:

-as other have said, a salicylic cleanser; I'm using the Cerave one which is great and cheap as well
-in the mornings, a hyaluronic serum and (very important) a niacinamide one. I use the basic ones from the Inkey List and mix them together. Being consistent with the niacinamide has really helped, I think.
-basic, non-fancy moisturiser and sunscreen
-in the evenings I've been using the Allies of Skin Promise Keeper Facial, which is stupidly expensive and something I bought when at my wit's end. It's pregnancy-safe and quite potent, but again, hard to say if it's this or the hormones that have helped the most!

Anyway OP I wish you the best of luck sorting this out, having suffered for years I know how frustrating it can be! Hopefully you get a natural glow-up in a few weeks anyway. ☺️

@elfran hormonal came is the worse thing ever. For, just as think phew it's calmed down now, then, it flares up again when is that time of the month🙄 so, for me, it's like vicious never-ending circle which I tried everything under the sun but no luck. Until recently when I found a lady who makes homemade acne cream that worked like magic & finally got the best beautiful skin of my life ever- wow it boosted my confidence lit was unbelievable as I was now smiling in pictures and walking tall with red lipstick wow. Then, I accidentally and stupidly feel pregnant and here we go again - an explosion of acne on my face 🙄🤦🏽‍♀️

I'm both my pregnancies I've had much worse skin than normal in the first trimester but it's improved massively from about 14 or 15 weeks. Hopefully if you're early on you might find the same. Know it doesn't help in the meantime though!

Hi ladies, I've just had a mc and my face has erupted so badly 😞 I've always suffered hormonal acne which got so much worse during ttc and when first trimester pregs with my DS 4 yrs ago. Like others, it cleared right up in the 2nd/3rd trimesters and came back with a vengeance when bf.
The doctor has just prescribed a strong azelaic acid - you can buy a milder one from the ordinary which has helped my skin a lot up until this recent mc. Really hoping the stronger stuff will sort me out for the rest of this journey! 🤞🤞🤞 So tough being a girl, and so much worse to then have these horrible painful boils to deal with on top of everything else! 🤦🏼‍♀️
If anyone comes across a magic cure, please do post on here!
And good luck for the rest of your pregnancies xxx

I share your pain.
But I'm also a skincare professional.
You can't use salicylic acid, or retinol (vit A) in pregnancy :-(

But you can use lactic acid to exfoliate and remove dead skin and benzoyl peroxide to destroy bacteria.

Pregnancy acne is difficult to deal with, but the good news is that it should improve once your baby arrives.

Oh yes and azelaic acid you can use too!

I researched that salicylic acid was ok in topical form provided the concentration is under 2%, this is all over the Internet. The dermatologist I saw didn't tell me to stop using it

Mine is thankfully clearing up. I just kept on with the stuff from the body shop, made sure I was drinking enough water and hopefully the hormones are chilling out a bit now too.

@Waitingforbabypage I'm glad it worked for you. I've been suffering for 10 years now, tried everything under the sun including antibiotics, got offered roaccutane earlier this year but we were trying so couldn't say yes. Honestly, it's so hard, I feel like a disgusting monster most of the time and hate going anywhere. I love face masks now though, wish they were a thing forever! As it covers my only problem area 😂

Micellar water and tea tree cleanser/face wash worked wonders for me in pregnancy. As pp mentioned I also thought you couldn't use salicylic acid in pregnancy, I think it's due to your skin being a lot more sensitive so you need to be careful that harsh skincare products don't actually make it worse.

Another vote for tea tree oil, it’s been a miracle worker for me. I’d always suffered pre-pregnancy but found my usual treatments weren’t advised. I got a bottle of pure tea tree oil and put a couple of drops on a damp cotton wool pad. Worked far better and faster than anything I’ve tried before too

I tried a pretty similar regimen to @waitingforbabypage, tea tree cleanser, drops of youth, I also had a overnight mask from bodyshop and tried 2 moisturisers, didn't do a thing for me. If it's only an issue during pregnancy then it'll be gone soon enough. Every skin type is different so different products will work

Who knew my acne was the first sign that I was pregnant. I really thought that it was because of wearing a mask all day (im a nurse) but also thought I've been using masks since March/April, why just now? It has escalated even more and more I don't think there's a space left on my right cheek. I do have some on my left cheek, chin and forehead but nothing like on my right cheek. it can be painful and itchy!

I've been using oatmeal water to soothe it. Literally soak some oats in clean water and use pads like mask. Tried putting a thin layer of sudocream too.

I was gonna use tamanu oil and rosehip oil but I read somewhere that although they are safe, they should be avoided on the 1st tri.

I've read many good reviews about The Ordinary's Azelaic Acid but has been out of stock. I'm thinking of using that with their Niacinamide+Zinc.

@mamshi the doc prescribed me a 20% azelaic acid which is helping inflammation for me. Not cleared me up entirely but definitely calmer and has purged a lot of the crap out. Acne is so miserable 😭 x

Hi Girls,

I was on medication for my skin prior to being pregnant then had to stop when I found out I was pregnant, the first trimester my skin was AWFUL but I’ve been using acnecide cream then using cerave facial cleanser which has worked wonders!!
Im in second trimester now and it’s cleared up so much, they say your skin is always worse in your first cause of the hormones xx

@alexandrababy1

I wanted to use acnecide cream but couldnt find info if it was safe to use during pregnancy. Ive asked them in their FB and they said they did not include pregnant women in their studies and there is no contraindication but if in doubt ask my doctor. I guess im gonna give it a try. I bought the Acnecide daily cleanser and I'll alternate it with cerave cleanser.

Ive never had this before. :(

@mamshi how many weeks are you?
The acnecide cream makes your skin quite dry so I’d just dap it on the spots one by one and don’t rub it all over your face. I bought both the cerave cleansers, I use the exfoliator one 3 times a week and the normal one every day, it’s really helped xxx

@alexandrababy1 I'm 5+5. Can't believe how quickly they spreaaaad! but I keep telling myself it's all part of the pregnancy and hoping it will go away in the 2nd tri?

@mamshi omg yeah honestly mine got sooooo much better in the second trimester I’m sure yours will be the same! Deffo try some cleansers and stuff though it really helps, my skin got really oily first trimester and that just made me more spotty, so the cleanser really helped!xxx

I have always had bad acne but found/bought an homemade product tHat helped a lot. I then fell pregnant and boom, my face got covered with huge pimples🤦🏽‍♀️. I should be my 1st trimester but currently having a miscarriage 😭😞☹️which means the acne is calming down now (I guess due to the fact that the hormones are subsiding). But I Dont trust my hormones I still want to keep on top of things. Did someone mention the products in the pictures attached? Are they very good? Does anyone know? Please

@Somebodyimportant1
I’m so so sorry for your loss, I can’t imagine what you’re going through
I’ve tried the products you put above, they didn’t work for me. The main ones that worked for me were acnecide (which you just dab on each spot, don’t rub it all over your face) then I use the two different Cerave facial cleansers. I use the exfoliating one 3 times a week and the normal one every day. What worked for me may not work for you but I had terrrrible skin before I was pregnant, I was taking medication for it and as I can’t take it anymore my skin went so bad again but since using these products it’s cleared up totally, I’m so shocked at how clear it is xxx

The two Cerave cleansers are called “Renewing SA Cleanser” and “Hydrating Facial Cleanser”
Xxx