What can I do about acne while I'm pregnant?

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What the title says really. I'm about 8-9 weeks pregnant and in the last few days my skin has gone absolutely haywire. New lumps and bumps every day . I imagine it's pg related - hope so anyway!

I've had acne since I was about 13 (I have PCOS) but it had been much much better over the past 6 months or so... until last week.

I can't use any retinoid or other vitamin A products and I can't have antibiotics, due to being pg. I've got benzoyl peroxide cream (Duac) which helps a little bit.

Any ideas for something else that might help? Or failing that, any miracle make up products to hide it all ?

Thank you!

Zineryt can be used in pregnancy. I had it really bad on my back in my first pregnancy.

Thanks for replying Willaby. I think I recall trying Zineryt once age about 15, maybe it's time to give it another go! willing to try anything...

I know this sounds stupid but I'm worried that if my skin is like this with a newborn I won't have time to do the usual make up routine and so I'll never want visitors or make it out of the house... Did your skin clear up later on in pregnancy/after birth?

Mine improved towards the end of the pregnancy and went away while breastfeeding. Didn't happen in 2nd pregnancy, and both boys...

Ah, that's good to hear! I have a RL friend who also had bad skin with her first pg but not with her second (both girls) - maybe the first pg clears it all out or something? here's hoping!

thanks

Funny, my skin went haywire went I gave up the Pill to get pg, then cleared up the moment I actually fell pg!

Either way, it is definitely hormonal, and as your hormones will be up and down for the next few months, you have to hope it will probably sort itself out eventually.

I was prescribed some sort of lotion by my GP (can't remember the name) that was safe for pg use, and it certainly helped a little.

I reverted to my horrible teenage skin at about 8-9 weeks, all over my face and neckit cleared up about 16 weeks, well, it went back to normal anyway still ocassional bit type thing just as bad as I had it 9 weeks onwards. I probably had it worse when I had the morning sickness.

I have quite a few spots on my back which I've never had before but am finding body shop tea tree face wash is enough to deal with those.

Am 30 weeks now and my skins pretty much same as it was before pregnancy if not possibly even a bit smoother.

Folks found it hard to believe that I had a full face of slap days after giving birth. If you're anything like me and find it blisteringly difficult to even make eye contact when you know your skin's bad, you'll find time, even with a newborn, to do your makeup!

Sorry to say my skin's worse since giving birth 7.5 months ago. On the verge of a doc's appointment.

Hang in there. I have had rotten problems with acne since my teens, so badly that I even resorted to acupuncture before my wedding to get it cleared up for my wedding photos (which worked rather well, I am somewhat surprised to report).

However, in my second trimester of my first pregnancy it went away and four years later, is still much, much better than it ever used to be.

Ooh, I suffered with this as I took spironlactane and had to stop when pg.
I'm now just on duac and so far no breakouts. Are you using it every single day no misses ever? Cos thats the only way if works for me.

Thanks all, sorry to have missed your replies till now.

Some really reassuring stories here about it going away in second trimester, here's hoping mine is the same. Mombo I'm sorry to hear yours hasn't cleared. I think you're right about the makeup, I will find the time if I need to. Good luck at the doctors.

Spring that's interesting about acupuncture. Was it someone who specialised in skin issues?

perplexed I hadn't been using it at all until the last week or so, because my skin had been so much better (although still not clear by any means). But since the haywire stage I have been using it every day I think... not sure.

I've never tried spirolactone, I will store that up as something to try post pregnancy. Is it safe while BF do you know?

No, it was the local branch of Dr and Herbs. I went out out of desperation/ curiousity, having seen "acne" on their list of problems treated on an advert.

I really, really didn't expect it to work, but it did. I felt really calm after each session, too, and (bizarrely) my heavy periods weren't so bad while it was all going on.

Wasn't cheap though.

Should probably point out that I wasn't pregnant, though - don't know if acumpuncture is OK during pregnancy or not.

thanks Spring, that's really interesting. definitely something I will give a go at some point - maybe post pregnancy to be on the safe side (though I think most acupuncturists are happy to work on pg women)