Pregnancy Face: How Your Face Changes During (and After) Pregnancy
Sure, your body changes during pregnancy, but did you know your face does too? Photo: Getty Images
It's a good thing the end result is a cute baby, because for many women, those nine months of pregnancy bring myriad less-than-enjoyable side effects.
Nausea and heartburn aside, being pregnant can also mess with your looks during, and even after, gestation. A few of us moms here at StyleList have noticed that our faces aren't exactly the same as they were pre-baby. Of course, they're the type of minute details no one really notices but ourselves, so we decided to drill a few experts to prove that we're not just imagining things, and find out when, and if, our visage will go back to normal.
It's not just mood swings and bizarre food cravings; here are a few more things you can blame on pregnancy hormones.
New York City dermatologist Arielle Kauvar explains that they can cause melasma (patches of hyperpigmentation, also known as "the mask of pregnancy") and an increase in broken capillaries and skin redness.
Obviously your tummy and breasts are going to grow, but other areas can experience a boost in size, too. New York City plastic surgeon Steven Pearlman tells us that he's seen women's noses swell up, too. Thankfully, he says it'll go back to normal six months to a year after the baby is born.
New York City dermatologist Macrene Alexiades-Armenakas adds that fluid retention plays a large role in your appearance during the last few months of pregnancy. "It appears to be more prominent with female fetuses, possibly due to the added estrogen load," she says. She promises that it's normal, and the swelling will decrease right after delivery; you can expect to look like your normal, non-puffy self in a few months, so she suggests not making any cosmetic surgery decisions until sometime after the kid's first birthday.
One good thing about gaining pregnancy weight?
That roundness in your cheeks makes you look younger, which is a nice trade-off. Kauvar warns that once this temporary plumpness fades away, your face may become more angular and less youthful. If it really bothers you, Pearlman recommends talking to a skin doc about fillers such as Juvederm or Restylane.
Changes like thinning lips and undereye puffiness have more to do with gravity and the natural aging process than pregnancy, according to Kauvar.
However, all those sleepless nights don't help when it comes to tired-looking eyes.
But this will.
Nausea and heartburn aside, being pregnant can also mess with your looks during, and even after, gestation. A few of us moms here at StyleList have noticed that our faces aren't exactly the same as they were pre-baby. Of course, they're the type of minute details no one really notices but ourselves, so we decided to drill a few experts to prove that we're not just imagining things, and find out when, and if, our visage will go back to normal.
It's not just mood swings and bizarre food cravings; here are a few more things you can blame on pregnancy hormones.
New York City dermatologist Arielle Kauvar explains that they can cause melasma (patches of hyperpigmentation, also known as "the mask of pregnancy") and an increase in broken capillaries and skin redness.
Obviously your tummy and breasts are going to grow, but other areas can experience a boost in size, too. New York City plastic surgeon Steven Pearlman tells us that he's seen women's noses swell up, too. Thankfully, he says it'll go back to normal six months to a year after the baby is born.
New York City dermatologist Macrene Alexiades-Armenakas adds that fluid retention plays a large role in your appearance during the last few months of pregnancy. "It appears to be more prominent with female fetuses, possibly due to the added estrogen load," she says. She promises that it's normal, and the swelling will decrease right after delivery; you can expect to look like your normal, non-puffy self in a few months, so she suggests not making any cosmetic surgery decisions until sometime after the kid's first birthday.
One good thing about gaining pregnancy weight?
That roundness in your cheeks makes you look younger, which is a nice trade-off. Kauvar warns that once this temporary plumpness fades away, your face may become more angular and less youthful. If it really bothers you, Pearlman recommends talking to a skin doc about fillers such as Juvederm or Restylane.
Changes like thinning lips and undereye puffiness have more to do with gravity and the natural aging process than pregnancy, according to Kauvar.
However, all those sleepless nights don't help when it comes to tired-looking eyes.
But this will.
Filed under: Beauty, Skin & Body
Tags: Arielle Kauvar, ArielleKauvar, dermatologist, healthy beautiful you, HealthyBeautifulYou, Macrene Alexiades-Armenakas, MacreneAlexiades-armenakas, Mask of Pregnancy, MaskOfPregnancy, melasma, pregnancy, pregnancy beauty, pregnancy face, PregnancyBeauty, PregnancyFace, Steven Pearlman, StevenPearlman
Tags: Arielle Kauvar, ArielleKauvar, dermatologist, healthy beautiful you, HealthyBeautifulYou, Macrene Alexiades-Armenakas, MacreneAlexiades-armenakas, Mask of Pregnancy, MaskOfPregnancy, melasma, pregnancy, pregnancy beauty, pregnancy face, PregnancyBeauty, PregnancyFace, Steven Pearlman, StevenPearlman
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Jeanne, 6-07-2010, 3:05PM
At the end of all that puffiness, discoloration, stretching and nausea think of the wonderful child that you will have to love, guide and enjoy the rest of your life.
And doing that is the most important job you will ever undertake and most of those annoying bodily changes will be gone and you'll be as good as ever. ( til' the next time)
Rejoice !
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