Needless to say, women have to sacrifice a lot to have a baby. There are many changes in a woman's body when bearing and giving birth to a little angel.
Stretch marks, saggy breasts, extra skin on the tummy, belly fat, and especially the dark spots all over your face. The dark spots on your face during pregnancy is called melasma, the mask of pregnancy. A lot of women develop this condition during pregnancy.
The good thing is, in time it will fade away. Same as the dark nipples, freckles, and linea nigra (the tummy line) will appear normal as well.
And another good news is, you can do something to make the dark spots on your face fade quickly.
I don’t like going to the spa and getting some laser treatment because it is expensive and not really necessary, so I opt for more natural options. Skin care while nursing doesn’t have to be hard or troublesome, even for busy moms.
In this article, we will look at some home remedies to relieve dark spots quickly for nursing moms.
Ready?
What is melasma?
According to Today’s Parent, melasma is a skin condition that causes dark spots on the face, but the exact cause isn’t known. One theory is that the melanocytes (the cells that produce skin color in your body) start producing too much color. But what stimulates the cells to go into overdrive? Any changes in your hormones, like taking birth control or being pregnant, can trigger melasma, explains Elin Raymond, an OB/GYN in Toronto.
Around 50 to 70% of pregnant women will get melasma around the cheeks, nose, forehead. Some even have it on the chest or arms.
How to treat melasma
Sun cream
Apply plenty of sun cream with SPF over 30 daily, even if you are home. Make sure you find products with safe ingredients for nursing moms.
Diet
Eating food with vitamins C, E and A in lower concentrations can help brighten and refresh the complexion. These vitamins are also good for the milk supply and the quality of the milk too.
Drinking lots of water will keep the skin hydrated and bring the glow back. This not only helps to brighten the skin but also helps to increase milk supply.
The iron content of leafy vegetables is very good for the skin and can help reduce post-pregnancy skin problems. It aids in bringing back the glow and softness of the skin.
Workout
It is quite cliché if I tell you to work out. But it does help to increase the blood pumping to every cell in your body, which helps your skin to glow. However, if you have C-section, make sure you consult your doctor and include basic exercises in your daily regime like brisk walking or yoga.
Skin care routine
Gently and frequently, take care of your skin. Use scrubs and polishing kits to rejuvenate your damaged skin. Remember to use moisture, toner, and lotion to cleanse your skin well and avoid dead cells.
Skin care while nursing: home remedies to relieve melasma
These natural home remedies are easy to use but are natural and safe.
Potatoes mask
Fresh potatoes are often used in skincare thanks to the Zinc and antioxidants in them. Potatoes can help lighten dark spots related to skin freckles, sunspots, and melasma due to a skin-bleaching enzyme called catecholase.
Just simply take a few slices and apply directly on the dark spots on your face.
Honey lemon water
Another popular melasma remedy is to use honey lemon water. Lemons are rich in vitamin C and antioxidants, combined with honey that contains antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, and vitamin E. The mixture will lighten up the pigmented skin effectively and smooth the skin.
Take note, though, you MUST use plenty of sun cream if you apply this remedy as the acid in fresh lemon in the mixture can make the skin thinner and more vulnerable.
This is a very simple and quick skin care while nursing remedy that you can apply today.
Turmeric
One special ingredient that you should add on your skin care while nursing routine is turmeric. Turmeric is the queen of herbs for moms. It has so many benefits that it is strongly recommended widely all over Asian countries.
One effect it can bring is to treat melasma effectively and quickly. I personally drink turmeric powder and use it to make face masks. It has been working wonders for me.
Apple cider vinegar
Many people love apple cider vinegar in their skincare routine. Diluted apple cider vinegar has a mild exfoliating effect and makes the skin brighter, smoother, and is often used in postpartum melasma treatments.
Take note, as it contains acid, do not apply the mixture more than 5 minutes on your skin.
Aloe vera
Aloe vera is a really popular remedy for a lot of skin issues, to care for the skin and soothing sunburns and redness. It also has a good effect on treating melasma.
Orange peel
Do you often eat oranges to supplement vitamin C for your body? Well, remember to keep the peel, because we can use it to treat the dark spots on our faces.
Cucumber
Cucumber has high water content to hydrate and soothe pigmented skin and lighten blotches, thereby, effectively curing melasma and other skin problems like acne.
Tomatoes and oatmeal
According to the research of scientists, tomatoes contain vitamins A, B6, C which have extremely good skin-conditioning effects. In particular, the abundant vitamin C content in tomatoes helps prevent the development of melanin pigmentation - the main cause of melasma, skin freckles.
Oatmeal is an amazing natural exfoliator. Tomatoes, yogurt and oatmeal mixture removes blotchy brown spots and dissolves dead skin cells revealing a brighter glowing skin.
Banana
Bananas are one of the best fruits in restoring moisture to your skin. They are also packed with antioxidants that fight free radicals and help with melasma.
Coconut oil
Coconut oil is one of the most gentle yet effective melasma treatments. Coconut oil is known for its great effect on skin conditions like eczema, etc.
Fresh turmeric
Not only turmeric powder is used widely, fresh turmeric can bring similar results as well.
Final thought
Don’t you look at the mirror sometimes and wish your glowing skin would return to you?
Instead, your skin is filled with dark spots, all over your face. You can almost map the Milky Way on your face now.
It is really frustrating. Especially when you almost have no time or money to take care of it anymore.
Good thing is, you can have your glorious skin back quickly, with very little money needed.
All you need to do is try out these 11 easy home remedies to find out which one works best for you. They’re all-natural and affordable remedies so you don’t have to worry about side effects or your budget. The best of all, to start the skin care while nursing routine, you can find almost all of these ingredients right in your kitchen. Easy peasy.
Stick with it, and then be patient.
It is a little time-consuming but it will be worth it.
