The condition of a person’s skin speaks volumes: about his lifestyle, health, beliefs and worldview. The beautiful half of humanity is especially careful about the condition of their own dermis. It is probably impossible to meet a woman who would not dream of having perfectly smooth, elastic skin without any flaws. New mothers are no exception. Only often for the sake of a small child you have to sacrifice that very ideal surface of the body. After the birth of a baby, women often experience dry skin. It is important to understand why this happens.
Causes of changes in the body
Hormonal imbalance after childbirth is the main cause of postpartum dryness. During childbirth, quite often there is a disruption in the hormonal background of a woman’s body, which causes an imbalance.
Symptoms of hormonal imbalance after childbirth:
- Fatigue
- Weight gain
- Hair loss
- Dry skin
- Mood swings
- Migraine
- Insomnia
- Anxious state
- Constipation
- Irregular menstrual cycles
- Postpartum depression
Dry skin after childbirth: what to do?
Dry skin after childbirth is a common problem for women after childbirth. At this time, the skin becomes more sensitive, peeling is possible, and it can become inflamed at the slightest damage.
There are several reasons for this skin condition:
1) Changes in hormonal levels. During pregnancy, high levels of hormones have a beneficial effect on the skin, giving it firmness and elasticity. However, after childbirth the situation changes dramatically; changes occur that cannot but affect the condition of the skin. The skin of the body becomes dry, flabby for no apparent reason.
2) Lack of water. The skin requires constant hydration both inside and out. This problem especially concerns mothers whose baby is breastfed. It is important to observe the drinking regime and adjust the feeding regime to it.
3) Imbalance in nutrition and lack of vitamins. During pregnancy, a woman can afford proper sleep (sleep when she’s tired) and eat as desired (that is, eat when she’s hungry). However, with the birth of a child, this pace of life may change. Eating in fits and starts and lack of sleep have a negative impact on the skin.
4) External factors. While outdoors, the skin is also exposed to several tests such as wind, sun rays, dry air. All this harms the skin if a woman stays outside for a long time. Although at home there is also a risk, since heating devices also have a rather negative effect on the skin.
5) Insufficient care. After the birth of a baby, many mothers completely forget about themselves and their appearance, devoting themselves entirely to the baby and caring for him. Don't forget about daily simple procedures, at least such as cleansing and moisturizing.
6) Incorrect use of cosmetics, errors in care. Washing with hard water and soap, as well as using products that are not suitable for your skin type can lead to poor skin condition.
What can you do to restore your skin to its former firmness, elasticity and radiance?
If after childbirth your body skin becomes dry and begins to peel, you need to pay attention to this as soon as possible. Here are the main recommendations:
– It is worth establishing a drinking regime. Any person should drink about two liters of water per day, and a pregnant woman needs much more water, since most of the liquid is needed for the formation of breast milk.
– A nutritious diet will help compensate for the lack of vitamins.
It is recommended to pay special attention to this aspect, since proper nutrition helps not only to have beautiful skin, but also has a beneficial effect on the general condition of mother and baby.
More vegetables, fruits, fish and greens are what a nursing woman needs. A nutritionist-nutritionist on the website mama-poslerodov.ru will help you create a competent menu that will be varied and balanced.
- Sleeping mode. During sleep, the body rests and the skin is renewed. It is advisable to sleep about 8 hours a day. Of course, not everyone has the opportunity to sleep continuously for so long; you can divide sleep into night and daytime. If this is difficult, you can ask your husband or close relatives for help. Let them take care of the baby while the mother rests.
– The right choice of skincare products. You should not buy products containing alcohol and lanolin.
– Use of protective equipment when outdoors, especially during long walks in windy or dry hot weather. Be sure to wear a Panama hat or cap to protect from the sun. During the cold season, wearing gloves is mandatory.
– You need to spend at least 15 minutes a day on your skin. Proper cleansing and moisturizing are daily procedures. Once a week you can use scrubs and also do dry body massage with a brush.
If the skin on your hands is dry and cracking after childbirth, you need to lubricate them with a moisturizing or nourishing cream every day before going to bed and wear cotton gloves.
After several such procedures, the condition of the skin on your hands will noticeably improve.
– It is also recommended to visit spa salons, where they offer all kinds of services to improve the condition of the skin and body as a whole. But mothers don’t always have time to visit salons. If the skin of the body and hands is dry, you can do a procedure at home called oiling.
It is done like this: after taking a shower or bath, apply a generous layer of oil to the entire body so that the skin shines and the oil flows lightly over it. Wait in the bathroom for 15-20 minutes. This time can be devoted to washing your face, brushing your teeth, etc. Then wash off the oil with plain water or an organic scrub. After this, dry with a towel, blotting off excess oil.
After this procedure, your skin will look great and your mood will certainly improve.
– If the cause of poor skin condition is hormonal imbalance, then you need to be patient. In a couple of months everything will go away on its own.
– If the skin does not recover and there are suspicions of some skin diseases (atopic dermatitis, psoriasis, etc.), then you should consult a specialist and undergo the necessary tests.
Ways to combat dryness
A proper balanced diet will help prevent the development of skin problems that arise after pregnancy.
Foods that improve facial condition:
- Cabbage, cauliflower, broccoli (helps restore the body's hormonal levels)
- Lemon (normalizes complexion)
- Fish (rich source of Omega-3)
- Berry (rich in vitamin C)
- Whole grain cereals (improves the functioning of the gastrointestinal tract)
After giving birth, nursing mothers should not take medications, so you need to limit your diet to a proper vitamin complex
Signs of change
Many women complain that their skin has deteriorated greatly after childbirth.
The face peels off, itching and a feeling of tightness appear, the complexion becomes gray and unattractive. In this situation, it is very important to pay attention to skin problems in time. Mild disturbances in the balance of epidermal cells can be corrected independently at home. If hormonal changes are the cause of dry skin, you need to wait a few months.
During this time, hormonal levels will be restored and skin problems will go away on their own.
The time it takes to restore hormonal levels varies from person to person.
However, you should not rely only on Mother Nature and do nothing. Every woman can help herself independently. In the first days after being discharged from the hospital, start caring for your skin at home.
Basic rules of care:
Massage and wash with cool water
Regular facial massage and washing with cool water have a moisturizing and toning effect.
Omega-3 fatty acid intake
Omega-3 unsaturated fats make up 15% of the skin's lipid bilayer. Most prenatal vitamins and minerals contain Omega-3 (DHA), which is important for baby's brain development. After giving birth, it is important to take additional Omega-3 supplements. It is found in nuts, flaxseed oil and fatty fish.
Such products should not be overused during breastfeeding, because the fat content of milk increases, and the child’s digestion is not yet ready for this
Shea Butter
To treat the skin of your hands, it is recommended to use shea butter, which has moisturizing and soothing properties. Use moisturizing creams for your face and lotion with oats and calendula for your body.
Hyaluronic acid
To combat facial dryness after childbirth, dermatologists recommend using a serum with hyaluronic acid. This beauty product mimics the hydration of water without adding oil. Choose creams and oils containing this element.
Masks and herbal decoctions
Applying homemade masks and washing with herbal infusions will help reduce dryness and improve its overall condition. Here are some useful recipes:
- Make a decoction of parsley (40 g of parsley per 1 cup of boiling water). Pour into an ice tray. Ice cube massage has a tonic and nourishing effect.
- Apply a nourishing mask to your face. Pre-mix oatmeal and organic yogurt. Apply for 15 minutes, then rinse.
- In the morning, wash your face with nettle decoction (30 g per 1 glass of boiling water). The skin will become smooth and moisturized.
Dry skin of the face and body after childbirth
It is by the condition of the skin that you can determine a lot about a person. It is the skin that can tell about a person’s lifestyle, the state of his health, and his worldview and beliefs.
Women treat the issue of the condition of their skin especially carefully. It is probably difficult to meet a representative of the fair sex who would not dream of elastic, perfectly smooth skin, without any flaws.
Mothers in labor are no exception in this matter.
Only very often, for the sake of a little baby, women sacrifice their beautiful skin - both on the face and on the body. After the baby is born, it is not uncommon for women to experience dry skin. It is important to know what causes this condition and how to eliminate this problem.
Causes of dry skin after childbirth
After childbirth, the skin becomes dry due to hormonal changes. During this period, the production of estrogen in women in labor is greatly reduced. The condition of the skin depends on the amount of this hormone.
Also, the problem under consideration may arise due to the fact that a woman does not take enough care of her body. All young mothers try to devote all their time to the baby, and in this bustle they simply forget to devote time to themselves. As a result, the skin does not receive the care that should be enhanced after childbirth, and begins to dry out.
If you spend at least half an hour every day using various caring, moisturizing lotions, scrubs, and creams, your skin condition will improve greatly.
Also, one of the factors that can provoke the development of this problem is vitamin deficiency. Often after childbirth it occurs in the female body. During the period of bearing a baby, the body functions in an enhanced mode, it provides the child with all the necessary useful elements, so all the most useful things go to the baby. After the birth of a child, the situation does not change at all.
A young mother tries to introduce foods with beneficial substances into her diet, but all the beneficial elements from these products end up in the milk. Therefore, if the doctor advised you to take special medications, then you should not refuse it.
The body can also become dry because a person does not drink enough fluid. For women who are lactating, this is more relevant than for everyone else. To maintain optimal water balance, you need to drink at least 2 liters of liquid per day. It can be simple water without gases, tea, homemade jelly, fruit drinks, compotes.
How to restore skin?
After giving birth, women want to return their body to its former shape, and their skin to its former appearance and condition. To start being proud of your appearance again, you need to adhere to some simple rules. A young mother needs to follow these rules every day, because the desired results can only be achieved this way.
First of all, due attention should be paid to rest. You need to get enough sleep at least several times a week. Of course, after the birth of a child, women have little time, and it is difficult for them to follow this rule.
But you can’t cheat with your own body, and fatigue will eventually take its toll if you don’t provide yourself with quality sleep.
So, lack of sleep provokes not only dehydration of the skin, but also more complex problems.
To replenish the supply of vitamin components and microelements, it is important to ensure rational, proper nutrition. A woman who is breastfeeding a baby should eat a large amount of fresh vegetables; she is also recommended seafood, herbs, fish, cheese, and dairy products.
But in this case, you need to take into account the fact of breastfeeding, because the child may react with allergies to some foods. A properly selected menu is the key not only to beautiful and healthy skin, but also to the health of the baby.
In order for the epidermis to recover, you need to be in the fresh air as often as possible. If you walk often, it will improve the condition of not only your skin, it will also help you lose weight faster. Such walks are also useful for the child - you can combine business with pleasure.
It is forbidden to neglect taking complex vitamins for lactating mothers. The composition is selected in such a way as to support the body during such a difficult period.
When using such a remedy, you can replenish the missing minerals. In order for the skin on your face to look well-groomed, moisturized, fresh and beautiful, it is important to take good care of it. The necessary procedures should be followed every day.
If the dermis is very dry, then you need to nourish and moisturize it. One cream will not be enough.
To restore beauty to your code, you need to clean it properly. Several times a week you need to use peelings or scrubs. Masks that can be prepared from homemade products also perfectly moisturize the skin.
An excellent product for preparing a moisturizing mask is fresh cucumber. Grate this vegetable on a fine grater and apply the paste to your face. After 20 minutes, wash with plain water.
To improve the effect, you can wash your face with a decoction of chamomile or string.
Also try to use decorative cosmetics as little as possible. It severely clogs the pores, prevents the skin from breathing, dries it out, and provokes the appearance of pimples. As for products that care for the skin of the body, choose ones that are made from natural ingredients. This way you can minimize the risk of allergies.
What to do if the epidermis is dry?
Having understood the causes of dry skin, we can draw conclusions on how to deal with the problem. To do this, it is important to follow several rules:
- A nursing mother should drink at least 2 liters of liquid per day, not including first courses, compotes, and juices. It is important to give up sugary carbonated drinks.
While breastfeeding, many products and procedures cannot be used, but cosmetics for mothers are still present in the therapeutic arsenal. If you suspect an “internal” source of dry skin problems, you should seek help from a specialist. It will be necessary to undergo several simple tests, after which the doctor will prescribe the appropriate treatment.
Causes of postpartum dry skin
Without exaggeration, pregnancy and childbirth greatly change a woman psychologically and physically. The most noticeable external changes are dry skin. Only by identifying the cause can the situation be improved and the woman return to her blooming, well-groomed appearance.
- Hormones. After pregnancy ends, a woman’s hormonal background changes, especially if she decides to breastfeed. Dryness is observed throughout the body: most often on the hands, face, and feet. Hormone balance is restored differently for everyone, and sometimes this process can take up to several months or more.
- Hypovitaminosis. A pregnant woman needs more vitamins, so she eats a lot of fruits and vegetables. With the birth of a child and the beginning of breastfeeding, nutrition changes, many foods become prohibited. It is during this period of adjustment that dry skin after childbirth is most often observed.
- Lack of water. During pregnancy, the body accumulates a large amount of moisture. Amniotic fluid makes up most of the abdominal volume. After childbirth, all fluid is removed from the body very quickly. Dry skin during breastfeeding appears because milk requires a lot of liquid, and the woman has not yet changed her drinking regimen and has not adjusted it to feeding.
Mom's first nights are often sleepless. The baby just turns over, and mommy is already running towards him and, as a result, does not get enough sleep. Such changes in daily routine do not have the best effect on her appearance.
Why did it start to peel?
For many women, dry skin after childbirth becomes a real problem. During this period, the epidermis becomes hypersensitive, flakes, and may become inflamed. There are several common reasons for this condition:
- Hormonal changes in the body, changes in the functioning of the endocrine system. High levels of hormones during pregnancy (estrogen) provide a woman with soft, elastic skin. After the baby is born, everything changes.
- Dehydration. The surface of the body, like other parts of it, may lack moisture, this is especially true for mothers whose children are breastfed (breastfed).
In addition to general causes, the source of unsatisfactory skin condition can be a number of diseases that only a doctor can diagnose: allergies, dermatitis, psoriasis and others.
What not to do
- Lie in the sun or in a solarium for hours. Tanning is the body's protective reaction to radiation. Under the influence of ultraviolet rays, skin cells actively produce the pigment melanin, resulting in a tan. But if you overexpose yourself to the sun, you can get very burnt. Moreover, pregnancy further enhances the effect of ultraviolet rays and provokes pigmentation. By the way, sunburn several times increases the likelihood of melanoma (skin cancer). Sunbathing should be done in moderation, especially if you have pale skin. And be sure to use protective creams with a high SPF index.
- Rub your face with a washcloth or constantly pinch your cheeks, like Scarlet did from Gone with the Wind. Of course, massage is good for the skin. But you need to do it with light movements, without injuring the skin and after cleansing your face.
- Use blush liberally. Blush applied in excess to pale skin (without foundation) will further emphasize an unhealthy complexion. Therefore, they should be used very carefully, avoiding bright colors.
- Steam your face daily. When steaming, the pores expand, the face turns a little red, but immediately after the procedure the skin regains its original color. “Water baths” are good for the skin, but they should be done no more than once a week.
How to prevent it?
Traffic rules
{jb_greenbox}It is known: the energy entering the body must be compensated by its expenditure.
During pregnancy, physical activity is necessary.{/jb_greenbox} Adequate physical activity is a very effective tool for maintaining the body in ideal condition. They not only strengthen the muscle frame, but also help improve fluid circulation in the body, resulting in reduced swelling. In addition, physical activity during pregnancy is an excellent prevention of diseases, in particular varicose veins. But we can find the most significant reserves for preserving our figure and appearance by using the methods of modern aesthetic medicine.
Gymnastics for the skin
Disruption of mineral metabolism in the body cannot affect only its individual parts. Therefore, not only teeth or nails suffer from a deficiency of microelements, the whole body suffers. Including skin. Perhaps this is the most painful question that pregnant women have. Dry skin, unhealthy complexion with blurred features, swelling, stretch marks - all this can significantly darken our life after childbirth.
Fortunately, among the methods of aesthetic medicine, there is a technique that can be used during pregnancy - and at this stage, many problems can be solved: to prevent stretch marks, eliminate swelling, acquire a healthy complexion and smooth, velvety skin. I'm talking about the vacuum massage technique. It is quite well known, however, many women associate the phrase “vacuum massage” with traditional “cupping”, which was used to treat colds in childhood. Some people still use cupping for cosmetic purposes today, but dosing such a “massage” is extremely difficult, as a result severe hematomas can appear, and in the future, in some cases, problems with blood vessels develop.
{jb_next}Modern hardware vacuum massages work at a fundamentally different level and in several directions, in particular, improving the functioning of the circulatory and lymphatic systems.{/jb_next}
Our skin is penetrated by small blood vessels - capillaries. The younger the skin, the denser the capillary network, and therefore the better the nutrition of the skin - after all, it is through the blood that all the necessary substances enter the tissues. The circulatory system can be figuratively represented as an irrigation, that is, irrigation network of canals - large, smaller and very narrow. When the system works well, that is, there is enough water to irrigate the soil, everything around begins to bloom. But if the channels dry up, so does life. The same thing happens with our skin.
{jb_info}With age, capillaries begin to dry out, and “drought” occurs in certain areas of the skin. And here a vacuum massage comes to the rescue, which revitalizes the capillary network, “pulling” blood to the surface. In medicine, this is called improving blood microcirculation in tissues. Moreover, such a massage allows you to carry out the work in doses, depending on the characteristics of the circulatory system of each specific organism. As a result, the skin that was once withered begins to “bloom.” Its nutrition improves - it becomes smooth, fresh, its elasticity increases significantly, which helps prevent the appearance of stretch marks.{/jb_info}
The fact that the patency of blood vessels deteriorates with age and the consequences that this process can entail is often discussed in popular medical literature. However, there is very little information that the lymphatic vessels are affected in the same way. But the consequences can be quite serious: the adequacy of the outflow of lymph from organs and tissues is disrupted, which is why waste products, the end products of metabolism, are retained in them. For a pregnant woman, whose body must excrete not only its own waste products, but also waste products of the fetus, the issue of normal functioning of the lymphatic system is especially important.
{jb_bluebox}Each of us at least once in our lives has encountered such an unpleasant situation as a clogged pipe. Let's remember what we did in this case? Right! They picked up the plunger and made several intense movements, after which the stagnant water rushed into the pipe, and the problem was solved. Lymphatic drainage using vacuum massage is very similar to eliminating a regular blockage. Since lymphatic vessels and nodes are located very close to the surface of the skin, we act on them using a vacuum, and thereby “cleanse” them.{/jb_bluebox}
Thus, the circulation of lymph in the body is significantly improved, accordingly, toxins are eliminated faster, and swelling - the problem of many pregnant women - disappears before our eyes.
{jb_pin} Correct use of such a massage allows you to achieve significant improvements in the condition of the skin - dryness goes away, complexion changes... No application means can achieve such results. But there is one more significant point. Each hardware technique, in addition to local effects, also has a general effect on the body. Vacuum massage has an excellent sedative – that is, a calming, stress-relieving effect. After the procedures, sleep improves significantly, and in the morning we get up in a great mood.{/jb_pin}
Oily skin
Tannins, which are included in cosmetics, can cope with excessive fat secretion. You can choose a high-quality cream, do peeling, or use traditional medicine.
Tinctures of viburnum, chamomile, and St. John's wort cope well with fat problems. Clay masks have a good effect. Essential oils will also help get rid of unnecessary oiliness.
Sandalwood oil, lavender, jojoba, geranium, lemon, cypress will have a good effect. Oils can be combined. Masks with collagen give excellent results for both oily and dry skin.
