Let's talk about one of the least talked about pregnancy symptoms - dry skin!
Even though dry skin during pregnancy is a very common occurrence, it's not something that I was aware of until I was experiencing it. Matter of fact, every time I googled the phrase - 'pregnancy symptoms' to determine if what I was experiencing during my pregnancy was on track, I'd see the typical:
nausea
tender breast
fatigue
bloating
So imagine my surprise when these dry patches started to appear over my body.
What actually causes dry skin during pregnancy?
The everchanging and fluctuating hormones that one experiences during pregnancy can cause your skin to lose it’s elasticity and moisture. These changes lead to dull, dry and flaky skin.
To be honest with you, at one point I was extremely sad. I felt as though this skin that once required very little attention had turned on me. I was self conscious and overall very concerned. It started with my arms, and then moved to my legs and most recently - my feet!
Was this baby sucking me dry from the inside?!
Where was the "radiant glow" that people talked about because there was no glow.
After a few days of research, I was calmed by the fact that I wasn't the only one and focused my attention on treating the areas of my body that were impacted.
How did I treat my dry skin during pregnancy?
Here's the good news - dry skin during pregnancy can be managed and here are a few tips if you're experiencing something similar:
Treat yourself to homemade sugar scrubs. What I love the most about scrubs is that it's exfoliating and it's simple to create in the comfort of your own home.
Tip: Have the hubby help you with those hard to reach areas. Trust me, he wants to help as much as he can during this process and this is one small way in which he can!
Increase your water intake. Don't forget to drink plenty of water throughout the day. It's hydrating from the inside out!
Tip: It was particularly hard to increase my water intake so I downloaded an a simple app to keep me motivated (and to track) my progress throughout the day.
Moisturize with shea butter. Thankfully, I always have a healthy stock of shea butter on hand thanks to my brand. Shea butter is 100% natural and helps:
To soothe, hydrate, and balance the skin
Repair damaged skin aggravated skin and blemishes
Safe for pregnant moms
Tip: apply your moisturizer right after you shower (when you still have water on your body) to seal in the moisture before it has a chance to escape!
In need of shea butter?
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