A few months into my first pregnancy, I looked into the mirror and thought, is pregnancy glow actually real? Because my skin was looking the best it had looked in my entire life, and it only got better as my pregnancy went on. By the time I was ready to deliver my baby, my faces looked like it had been freshly airbrushed to perfection even though I wasn't wearing makeup. My typically moody complexion had balanced out and my cheeks had a perma-rosiness to them. I would be lying if I said I didn't enjoy the heck out of this pregnancy bonus.
Pregnancy glow isn't just a myth, but you don't have to take my word for it. As dermatologist Debbie Palmer told Good Housekeeping magazine, "there are physiological changes that occur in women during pregnancy that contribute to a facial pregnancy glow." Increased hormones and blood flow get lots of credit for giving expecting ladies that coveted dewy look. According to Mayo Clinic, with all that extra blood pumping into your blood vessels, the skin on your face becomes more plumped up and flush with color. Which means you can skip the blush for the next nine months.
Another thing you can set aside for the upcoming weeks: zit cream. As Everyday Health pointed out, the hormonal changes from pregnancy can actually clear up blemishes and other acne-related skin problems for some women. I considered this upside welcomed relief from my monthly hormonal break outs. But unfortunately, not everyone gets to cash in on this benefit.
Some women experience breakouts as a result of the hormone changes pregnancy brings, as the website for Pregnancy magazine reported. These usually show up around the mouth and chin and can be safely treated with mild cleansers and topical creams. And if you've been taking an oral medication to treat an ongoing skin condition, you'll want to check with your OB-GYN to make sure it's safe to continue taking while you're pregnant.
The truth is, even if you're not experiencing the best complexion of your life, your enthusiasm for growing a child and becoming a mother can give you a little extra glow as well — it's your inner glow seeping out. Whichever way you come by your pregnancy glow, enjoy knowing that you light up a room just by walking it in, because as soon as that cute kid of your's comes along, they're going to take the spotlight.
