Some drugs commonly used to treat acne, like isotretinoin and Retin-A, should not be used while you're pregnant and certain ingredients in some acne products are also off-limits.
But if your skin is dry, you'll do best to choose moisturizing products. "Oil-free" will be less likely to add excess oils and clog up pores - good if your skin is on the oilier side to begin with.
Look for the words "noncomedogenic" and "unscented" when you're buying makeup and skin-care products.Overly stripped skin is more prone to breakouts. Exfoliate very gently too, around once a week, and finish off with an oil-free moisturizer. If pimples are your problem, wash your face two to three times a day with a thorough but gentle cleanser - harsh ones will only leave skin more open to irritation.Drinking lots of water will keep your skin hydrated and healthy. Drink enough water and other fluids every day.Stick to an appropriate pregnancy diet, which contains the right balance of nutrients to keep your skin looking as good as it can under the circumstances.Skin tags, or small, raised growths on the skin, are common during pregnancy too, particularly under your arms.Hormones are especially responsible for a particularly unpleasant kind of skin eruption known as PUPPP (pruritic urticarial papules and plaques of pregnancy), or bumpy skin lesions that can resemble skin-colored to pink or dark bumps.Some skin changes you might notice during pregnancy include: Add to that your suppressed immunity (to protect your baby) and stretched blood vessels and you have a recipe for surface inflammation. It's largely those pregnancy hormones at work yet again, causing your pores to secrete excess oil, making you vulnerable to heat rash and visiting discolorations on your face, legs, palms and soles. So be patient! What causes skin changes during pregnancy?
Fortunately, whether it's a flashback to your baby days (with heat rash) or to your junior high days (with pimples and a greasy shine), just about all your skin symptoms will be a thing of the past within weeks of delivery. And yep, your skin may look worse for the wear as your pregnancy progresses.