Pregnancy is a time that transitions a woman’s body in many ways. Although it is a period of joyful life transition, it brings excitement, emotional growth, and anticipation as a new life develops inside their womb. But along with these meaningful moments, pregnancy can also bring unexpected challenges for some women. The changes in hormonal levels, immunity, skin sensitivity, joints, and associated structures can sometimes give rise to other health concerns. One of these is pregnancy eczema, which is also known as Atopic Eruption of Pregnancy (AEP).
Pregnancy eczema is one of the most common skin conditions women may face while being pregnant. 20-40% of pregnant women with a history of eczema experience flare-ups, while it may also occur in women who have never experienced symptoms of eczema earlier in life. The symptoms are usually shown in the first 2 trimesters. Although it is not a life-threatening condition, the discomfort associated with pregnancy eczema, such as itching and dryness, can affect the quality of life. It is noteworthy to write here that pregnancy eczema doesn’t affect your baby, but the distress it causes you as a pregnant mom can make your life miserable. This guide explains causes, symptoms, affected areas, and pregnancy-safe eczema treatment options in simple terms so you can protect both your skin and your baby.
Pregnancy-Induced Eczema and First-Time Onset Patterns
For many women, eczema can occur for the very first-time during pregnancy. This is called pregnancy-induced eczema. It appears in the first or second trimester. If you are pregnant and you are wondering, can you get eczema while pregnant, the answer is yes. Research by the American Academy of Dermatology shows that pregnancy can trigger eczema. It often surprises expectant mothers with the first-time onset, even if no prior history of eczema exists. The development of pregnancy eczema can confuse expectant mothers. Along with pregnancy eczema, females may also experience pregnancy dermatitis, which causes inflammation on the skin. Although these two terms are often used interchangeably, symptoms, onset, and intensity can assess the difference.
For some women, pregnancy and eczema occurrence can appear for the first time. The causes are usually hormonal shifts, changes in the immune system, and increased skin sensitivity. The typical patterns of first-time onset of pregnancy-induced eczema include:
- Location of affected areas, which include the arms, legs, and abdomen, but can also appear on other areas as well.
- Symptoms that may flare and go away in episodes, which include itchy, red, and inflamed patches of skin.
- Certain triggers like stress, dry skin, friction, or heat worsen the symptoms.
If you’re an expectant mother and you are experiencing this for the first time on set patterns, please seek medical guidance from your healthcare provider to start a pregnancy-safe treatment at the earliest. Pregnancy Eczema can be caused by many factors.
- Stress
- Dehydration
- Hormonal level shifts
- Temperatures changes
- Environmental Allergens
- Every day, cosmetic products with harsh chemicals
The Why Behind Eczema and Pregnancy
Answering the question, " Can pregnancy cause eczema?” with a Yes, now let’s understand why your skin reacts so strongly during pregnancy. The main reason is the complex chemical changes occurring inside your bodies. While usually only hormonal shifts are considered to be the cause, on a deeper cellular level, certain physiological shifts can lead to pregnancy eczema flare.
To protect your baby, your immune system suppresses its Th1 response and speeds up the Th2 response. These are types of immunity cells that react to infections and inflammation. Th1 fights viruses and bacteria, while TH2 controls allergies and produces antibodies. During pregnancy, the body shifts toward TH2 to protect the foetus from being rejected, but this can also increase inflammation and make eczema worse.
Due to hormonal shifts, the healthy skin pH in pregnancy changes and makes it alkaline. This also affects the acid mantle and skin barrier and causes the skin to become more hyperactive. For this very reason, eczema treatment while pregnant focuses on skin barrier and pH balancing, repairing topical eczema creams like those by Soteri skin.
During pregnancy, the hormone cortisol also rises inside your body. This stress hormone inhibits the production of ceramides. Ceramides keep your skin barrier intact and well hydrated. Decreased production of ceramides leads to more water loss through the skin, causing dryness and eczema flare-ups.
Pregnancy Eczema Symptoms and Affected Areas
The symptoms of eczema in pregnancy can start suddenly or spread gradually. The symptoms usually are:
- Itching, which often worsens at night
- Red, inflamed patches on the skin
- Dry, flaky, or thickened skin, sometimes with cracking or oozing
The symptoms can be intense in some women while mild in others. Also, some women may see small patchy eruptions while others develop large areas of irritation.
Doctors usually diagnose eczema while pregnant under the following criteria:
- It starts in the first or second trimester
- It shows up on the bending or flexing parts of the body, like elbows, behind the knees, neck, and skin folds.
- Pregnant lady has a history of Atopy including having eczema as a kid.
This diagnostic criterion does not apply to someone who is experiencing eczema symptoms for the first time in pregnancy.
Causes Of Rashes and Itching in Pregnancy Other Than Eczema
Eczema is the most common skin condition affecting pregnant women. The unique hormonal and physical changes can also lead to other skin conditions, causing rashes and itching during pregnancy.
PUPPP (Pruritic Urticarial Papules and Plaques of Pregnancy)
This is also a common pregnancy-specific skin condition. It appears as red bumps that are itchy and may look like a rash. It occurs in the 3rd trimester, can be intense, but is completely harmless to the baby, and disappears after delivery.
Intrahepatic Cholestasis of Pregnancy (ICP)
Intrahepatic Cholestasis of Pregnancy is a liver condition that needs immediate medical evaluation. The symptoms include severe itching on the palms of hand and soles of the feet. Rashes are not present because the bile acid builds up in the bloodstream. Intense itching on hands and feet, especially at night, should be immediately evaluated and monitored to ensure the safety of the baby and mother.
Prurigo of Pregnancy
This can occur anytime during pregnancy. It persists for several weeks or months after giving birth. The presentation may be small, itchy bumps that look like insect bites. The body part effected are the arms, legs, or torso.
Pemphigoid Gestationis
This is an autoimmune condition that is very rare and appears in the second or third trimester. The symptoms include hives, like itchy areas around the belly button, and may form into blisters.
Heat Rash
Pregnancy usually increases the core body temperature due to increased blood supply to the skin. Women usually sweat more and, in some cases, it may lead to the development of a heat rash. It occurs as an itchy patch on the skin. Keeping your skin dry and cool helps heal heat rashes easily. For further reading about heat rash Click here.
Other conditions can include Contact Dermatitis, Fungal Infections, and Pruritic Folliculitis of Pregnancy, Scabies, and Psoriasis.
Pregnancy Safe Eczema Treatment
How to treat eczema during pregnancy? This is a question many patients ask. Use of medicine during pregnancy requires extra care because whatever medicine you take can be absorbed into your body. It may reach your developing baby, too. For this pregnancy, eczema treatment should include options that are mild and low potency. So that they can act on the skin and are minimally absorbed into the bloodstream.
While opting for medication management use of topical applications is generally recommended. If your itching is severe, do not go for self-medication; rather, immediately consult a dermatologist or an expert healthcare professional to assess your condition and start treatment accordingly.
Note: Never use oral medicine, injections, or high-potency steroids to treat your pregnancy induced eczema without consulting your healthcare provider.
Remember Post-partum flare-ups are also common; keep your management plan on standby to manage in a timely manner.
Soteri Skin: A Tried, Tested, and Safe Pregnancy Eczema Treatment
Soteri skin is a specialised pregnancy-safe eczema cream. It is not only tested by a dermatologist but its Scientific Founder, Dr. Rafal Pielak, PhD, specially created this formula for his pregnant wife to manage Eczema. What makes it a super-suitable pregnancy-safe eczema treatment is its features, which are:
- Its hypoallergenic
- Its paraben free
- Its steroid free
- It gives relief in just 4 weeks
- The pH lock technology deeply repairs the skin barrier
- With regular use, you can live an eczema-free life post partum if you already have a history.
Explore and buy your Soteri Skin Eczema products here, and don’t let pregnancy eczema make your skin feel any more flare-ups.
Bonus tips for Management of Pregnancy Eczema
While thinking about how to treat eczema during pregnancy, it needs a pregnancy-safe eczema cream is needed. Additionally, certain practical tips can help you manage Pregnancy Eczema. Some of these are:
- Maintain hydration.
- Eat a healthy, balanced diet.
- Avoid using fabric softeners.
- Manage your stress and sleep well.
- Do not take very hot and long showers.
- Do not scratch your affected body areas.
- Pat dry your skin instead of rubbing after showers.
- Watch out for food triggers and avoid use in the future.
- Use loose breathable clothes to avoid friction on skin.
- Use laundry products that are fragrance-free and dye-free.
- Some women find oatmeal baths or colloidal oatmeal creams soothing.
- After taking showers, moisturise your skin within 3-5 minutes with Topical moisturisers.
Prognosis and Postpartum Skin Recovery in Pregnancy Eczema
The postpartum recovery in pregnancy-induced eczema can be a different experience for every woman. While some may find instant relief postpartum, the other skin might still need an extra time to recover from the hormonal recalibration.
The following is a general road map for recovery as the main trigger for pregnancy-induced eczema:
- As the immune state is the main culprit for eczema flare-ups, and after the delivery of your baby, many of the changes start to come back to pre-pregnancy status.
- The estrogen and progesterone levels fall, and the flare-up symptoms of itching and redness also begin to disappear.
- Usually, within a month, the eczema, which is worse during pregnancy, resolves completely.
Certain postpartum triggers can also cause eczema in pregnancy to re-occur these may include sleeplessness, stress, dehydration, and fragrant baby lotions. If the affected areas of your skin undergo excess friction, eczema may return and prolong the recovery timeline.
If your eczema during pregnancy doesn’t go away in 6 to 8 weeks postpartum, likely that you are now experiencing a standard chronic eczema flare. This signifies the need for dermatologist-approved and effective eczema treatment. To explore some skin pH-friendly and barrier-repairing formulas, click here.
FAQ's
Can eczema start for the first time during pregnancy?
Yes, eczema can appear for the very first-time during pregnancy. This happens due to the hormonal shifts and changes in the immune system. The changes occurring in a pregnant body weaken the skin barrier, may increase inflammation, and cause eczema symptoms to develop even if no prior history of eczema exists or the skin is sensitive.
Yes, eczema can appear for the first time during pregnancy due to hormonal shifts and immune system changes. These changes can weaken the skin barrier and increase inflammation, even in women with no prior history of eczema or sensitive skin.
What triggers eczema flare-ups while pregnant?
The common triggers of eczema in pregnancy include dry skin, excessive sweating, prolonged heat exposure, stress, and hormonal fluctuations. Certain irritants, like using harsh soaps, fragrances, detergents, chemicals, makeup products, or fabrics that can irritate the skin, can cause eczema flare-ups during pregnancy.
How does pregnancy affect the severity of existing eczema?
In pregnancy, the levels of hormones cortisol, estrogen, and progesterone increase above normal levels. Some women undergo a stressful pregnancy due to certain reasons. Along with that, there are also changes in the skin barrier lipids, the ceramides that enhance the water loss and make the skin more reactive and sensitive. The stress levels, hormonal changes, the affected immune system, and the changes in skin barrier are all known cause eczema during pregnancy.
Can eczema treatments harm the baby?
Pregnancy eczema treatment under medical guidance usually does not harm the baby. As the mild to moderate topical treatments are usually recommended. If your symptoms are getting severe, do not follow any self-treatment and consult your healthcare provider.
Conclusion:
During pregnancy, your immune system adapts well to support your growing baby. These are normal changes, but they can cause changes in your body, including a more reactive or sensitive skin. No matter if it's a flare-up or occurring for the first time, don’t let pregnancy-induced eczema turn your pregnancy into a nightmare. Choose pregnancy-safe eczema treatment options like Soteri Skin Eczema Cream to make a difference in your symptoms. Enjoy your transitional period into motherhood with comfort and confidence. Buy Soteri Skin Eczema Relief Cream here.
