Postpartum skin woes aren't uncommon. After giving birth, many women experience pigmentation or uneven skin tone, acne, stretch marks, dark circle, pimples, puff eyes, and glowing radiant skin" (if you're among the lucky ones). Typically, these skin changes greatly vary depending on whether you're breastfeeding, how your hormones begin to rebalance, your cortisol and endorphin levels, and post-natal problems you might have experienced.

You can expect these not-so-pretty changes in your skin to be temporary and resolve on their own after some time, but that's not always the case. You need to exercise proper postpartum skincare to help achieve the smooth and radiant skin you're yearning for.

How Pregnancy Affects Your Skin

Your skin condition might not result from hormonal imbalance alone; other factors such as lack of enough sleep, juggling between chores and taking care of oneself, changing your skincare products, and dehydration might also be playing a key role. Besides, products with ingredients that aren’t recommended during pregnancy may irritate, cause dryness and other skin problems. These ingredients include:

• High-dose salicylic acid
• Retinoids
• Formaldehyde
• Phthalates
• Hydroquinone
• Chemical sunscreens

Post-Pregnancy Skincare Tips

True, Postpartum is a tough period in life, but that doesn't mean you should let your guard down. Here are tips and tricks to reclaim your glowing complexion:

1. Cleanse Your Skin

The most effective way to get your glowing skin back is by cleansing your skin twice a day with a mild and soothing cleanser. Start with fragrance-free products as your skin might still be super sensitive after delivery. If you're still breastfeeding, take even milder products and stay away from salicylic acid or benzoyl peroxide products. Exfoliating scrubs should also be gentle and applied moderately to ensure you don't get skin irritation or acne.

2. Say No To The Sun

Avoid being out in the sun for too long, and carry sunscreen to protect yourself whenever you go out. Sunrays can aggravate melasma, a skin discoloration that is prevalent amongst pregnant women. Having a daily SPF can help you keep the dark splotches at bay and prevent them from worsening. In tandem with using a broad-spectrum SPF, adding a few drops of antioxidant serum to your daily morning routine can help with free radical damage, anti-aging, and hyperpigmentation.

3. Moisturize Daily

Hydration is the key to getting healthy skin. And not just drinking water but also using products that hydrate your skin and keep it oily. Of course, drink lots of water during the day and carry an extra bottle when going out.

Besides, with hormonal changes, you're more prone to having dry skin, and applying a hydrating moisturizer twice per day can be indispensable.

4. Get Some Rest

It's perfectly normal not to get enough sleep once you have a newborn by your side. Sleep deprivation can cause dull, fatigued-looking skin because it's during sleep that your skin undergoes self-repair. Lack of enough sleep can also cause puffy eyes and make dark circles look more pronounced.

Get as much rest as you can to help combat some of these effects and apply under-eye concealer to help cover up the dark circles.

5. Target The Specific Problems

There are common skin problems that will most likely occur after delivery. You can get your glow back by routinely following these easy steps:

Stretch marks: They appear almost in nearly every pregnant woman. Look for good post-birth creams that will help reduce marks in the affected areas. A healthy diet rich in Vitamin E will also do the trick.

Acne: Gentle cleansers and oil-free moisturizers will help remove acne after delivery.  

Pigmentation: The spots you see on your face will disappear a year or so after delivery. However, to avoid aggravating the pigmentation, use sunscreen with SPF 15 if you're staying indoors and SPF 30 or SPF 50 if you're stepping out. 

Puffy Eyes: Sleepless nights are evident just by looking at your eyes. The best cure for puffy eyes is to get enough rest. Get some sleep whenever you can and use a good eye-cream if your puffy eyes don't seem to get better on their own.

Why Is Postpartum Skin Care Important?

Here are reasons why is it important to take care of your skin after delivery:

Keeps your skin in good condition: Even if your skin looks great post-birth, it's best to care for it regularly to avoid looking fatigued. An effective skincare routine can help treat wrinkles, prevent acne and keep your skin looking its best.

Prevention is easier than correction: To avoid getting skin problems such as stretch marks in the first place, using a quality moisturizer rich in olive oil and an anti-stretch mark cream on areas like your belly, thighs and breasts can greatly help.

Have youthful skin: During pregnancy, your skin's cells tend to turn over more slowly, making it look less radiant and duller. Using the right and quality skincare line may help remove the dead skin cells so the body can replace them with new, more youthful cells. 

Boosts your self-confidence: When your skin looks its best, you feel good about yourself, and that boosts your self-confidence. 

A woman undergoes a myriad of changes after delivery. Not only will you have to deal with taking care of your newborn baby, but looking after yourself should be a priority as well. While it is not an easy task, you’ll need to take some time to care for your skin. Just a few minutes in a day can do wonders and help you get your glow back.