Melasma - the Mask of Pregnancy

The mask of pregnancy is a blotchy, brownish skin colouration.

It usually affects both sides of your face, developing slowly around

• your eyes,
• the bridge of your nose,
• your forehead,
• your cheeks and above your lips.

Who gets the pregnancy mask?

It's usually the face of women aged between 20 and 40 which is affected. You might also hear it called melasma or chloasma because it's particularly common in pregnant women.

It's also common in women taking some birth control pills and hormone replacement therapy medications.

If you have dark skin you will be more prone than others to melasma, particularly if you are of Hispanic, Asian, Indian, North African or Middle Eastern origin.

Melasma is probably the last thing you want to deal with on your maternity wedding day ... keep reading to find some helpful tips for how to look your best!

Cover up the Mask of Pregnancy for your wedding

Developed by Dermatologists and recommended by many plastic surgeons, Dermablend was designed to conceal facial imperfections and provide a complete, natural looking coverage.

Dermablend works for all skin conditions and will last you the whole day ... just perfect to help you to be the radiant, beautiful bride you deserve to be!

Camouflage makeup for your wedding in 4 steps

1. Cleanse your skin thoroughly;
2. Apply your daily moisturiser;
3. Apply your camouflage foundation with your fingertips, allowing the product to warm first. This will give a lovely, natural matte coverage...
   
   ...remember that a little goes a long way!
4. Finish by setting with powder

What causes the Mask of Pregnancy?

It's most often caused by the hormonal changes in women's bodies due to pregnancy. These make it more likely that you will get dark patches on your face when your skin is exposed to the sun (or even very strong light bulbs!) Melasma is also an inherited condition. If someone else in your family has it or had it ... chances are you may get it too!

Although purely a cosmetic discolouration with no other symptoms, melasma can be very distressing and even depressing. Do talk to your doctor or dermatologist as early as possible about your worries.

The best thing you can do is to be extra careful about sun exposure. Wear an ultra-broad-spectrum sunscreen (at least SPF 15) that blocks both UVA and UVB rays every single day ... yes even when it's not sunny!

UVA rays are strong all year round and you can catch lots of sun when you're driving ... be sure to always have your suncream to hand.

It's also a good idea to protect your face with wide-brimmed hat or sun visor.

How can I treat it?

If you develop the mask of pregnancy, it's most important to consult your doctor or dermatologist for help and advice with treatments available ... and for advice on when to start any treatment.

The condition does usually disappear by itself within a few months of giving birth, so you may be lucky and not need any long term treatment once your baby arrives!

The discoloration can be reduced with prescription or over-the-counter topical treatments including hydroquinone, azelaic acid and tretinoin ... but you should NEVER use any of these products while you are pregnant or breast-feeding without first talking to your doctor.

There are excellent natural products specially designed to reduce dark skin colouration, including the mask of pregnancy. Civant Skincare products contain absolutely no hydroquinone, mercury, steroids or other harmful bleaching substances.

You need time and patience to naturally fade the appearance of dark skin spots and obtain an even complexion and results will vary depending on your skin condition.

Initial improvement is often seen in just 2 weeks. Full results generally appear after 2-3 months of regular use.