Post-pregnancy secrets: Get Glowing Skin And Gorgeous Hair Back

Your baby is lovely, but post-delivery is also the right time to pamper your skin

Mothers are a walking miracle! Indeed. And since you just entered the most beautiful phase of your life it’s important to know that being a new mom will require you to be on your toes always! This might leave you sleep-deprived and helpless sometimes. And it can be difficult to even have a few seconds all by yourself. In the long run, all of it takes a toll on your body and also on the charming skin you once had.

But hey! To keep your baby hale and hearty you need to be healthy first. Hair and skin go through various major changes during and after pregnancy. Some women experience acne, pigmentation, stretch marks, dark circles, puff eyes, hair loss, etc. There’s no doubt that going through this phase is a true roller-coaster of hormones and the built-up stress of becoming a new parent could leave your skin looking dull, pigmented, and upset. 

While some lucky women have what we call the ‘glow of pregnancy’ others have the worst acne breakouts of their lives. If you haven’t yet figured out a beauty regime, we have little beauty tips and simple but pampering rituals to make you feel charming and refreshed again. 

Changes You notice In Your Skin and Hair…

What They Mean and what is happening

Hair Loss: Long tresses, body-hugging dresses? No more really??? Well, hair loss is a major problem today. And very common post-pregnancy. It will haunt you from around the 3rd to 4th-month post-delivery.

• During pregnancy, the hair is in the growing stage and the falling stage is slowed down.

• Thanks to the rise in hormone levels during pregnancy, you would have had beautiful lustrous hair.
• After delivery, the hormone levels come back to normal and the normal hair cycle is resumed.
• Therefore, women go through a phase of shedding a lot of hair, which may look very scary, but is entirely normal. Don’t worry, you are not going bald!
• This hair loss is temporary and you will observe your hair texture coming back to normal 6 to 12 months after delivery.

Ways to take care of hair loss post-delivery

Following these 4 easy tips will ensure you keep that hair loss in control.

1. Eat Healthily – Load your life with happiness and your plate with food rich in antioxidants! By that, I mean strawberries, apples, rajma, prunes, etc. The antioxidants help strengthen the roots and make your hair a lot shinier.
2. Vitamin Supplements –Your post-pregnancy body will need some supplements to help you get back its strength. Make sure you take your vitamins like Vitamin C and B regularly to maintain fuller hair.
3. Chemical Treatments – Play with your baby for some time, not hair. Try to avoid coloring, straightening, and perming your hair, as this may lead to hair loss.
4. Keep Your Scalp And Hair Clean:

• Wash your scalp with a light anti-hair loss shampoo.
• Condition your hair to avoid any breakage.
• If you are running late, apply for a leave-in conditioner. This will surely help.
• Also, avoid pulling and tying hair tightly.

Ways to take care of your skin post-delivery

Pregnancy is a gorgeous journey, but it affects every mother differently. While some women glow like never before, some face issues like extreme dryness and lost sheen. But one thing’s certain, all the new mothers need to take care of their skin and hair properly or else the negligence can cost them their beauty. 

1. Acne: During pregnancy, because of high progesterone levels, your skin can become excessively oily. Later resulting in acne breakouts. Sleepless nights and worst breakouts? Wow! Because of changes in hormone levels, you may break out in acne after pregnancy, even if your skin was clear throughout 9 months.

• Remember to cleanse your face with a mild cleanser twice a day.
• Use a lightweight, oil-free moisturizer once in the morning and night, right before sleeping.
• You can use a mild scrub with small soft granules once a week.
• Apply products with natural ingredients like aloe vera, eucalyptus, etc.

2. Pigmentation: As a new mother, you are probably familiar with dirty diapers, gooey food, and maternity clothes that smell like sweat and baby creams. It’s all part of motherhood, and there’s completely nothing bad or shameful about that. At this point, your number one priority is to keep the baby happy.

Still, this should not be an excuse to avoid taking care of your hair and skin. Pigmentation or melasma is the dark patch or spots on your skin. If you face the same the reason may be high levels of estrogen and progesterone during pregnancy.

• The spots on your face will also lighten and will most likely vanish after a year post-birth.
• To ensure you don’t aggravate the pigmentation or get new spots, ensure you use sunscreen daily.
• If you stay indoors during the day, use sunscreen with SPF 15.
• If you tend to step out for more than 10-15 minutes, use SPF 30 or SPF 50 and cover your skin as much as possible.
• As a daily moisturizer, consider the one that is specifically made for pigmented skin.

3. Dark Circles And Puffy Eyes:

As you sleep, your body rejuvenates itself. But dark circles and puffy eyes are very common post-pregnancy. These are caused due to changes in hormone levels and the lack of sleep. Your eyes reflect the tiredness your body experiences in the form of puffed-up eyes and dark circles.

During your sleep, your skin enters “self-repair mode” and it’s attempting to look its best for the next day. While it might not be possible to sleep when you feel like because your baby needs you, you should get as much sleep as you can. So sleep when the baby sleeps. Moreover, make sure you enjoy as many “me time” moments as possible.

4. Stretch Marks: 

Beautiful skin never happens overnight, certainly without any effort whatsoever! You will have to work for it. And when it comes to skin, stretch marks tend to be one of the most stubborn ones to get rid of. As the name goes, it is caused due to the stretching of the skin. Due to the sudden contraction of the skin after birth, the skin develops small tears, causing it to get cringed in specific areas. These are usually found in the breast, buttocks, stomach, thighs, and behind the knee areas.

To tackle these you can try to:

1. Regularly massage your chest, thighs and with olive oil, vitamin E, or castor oil.
2. Aloe Vera Gel is known to help reduce stretch marks. It also instantly soothes and heals the skin making it look more glowy.
3. You can try applying egg whites on your stretch marks. This provides the skin with a high dose of protein which is very necessary for repair.
4. Run lemon juice over your stretch marks. The acidic content heals and reduces stretch marks.
5. Potato juice is another good option. Take the juice of a medium potato and let your skin soak it to visibly reduce your stretch marks over time.

So all the recently blessed moms out there, While motherhood experience can be very rewarding and great, it is nevertheless a whole different experience for your body. Skin and hair care after pregnancy is as important as changing diapers. Be kind to your body and pamper it as much as you pamper your newborn baby – they both deserve your love and attention!