Physiological and Biological Skin Changes in Pregnancy

    February 2006 in “ Clinics in Dermatology ”
    Maya M. Muallem, Nelly Rubeiz
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    TLDR Pregnancy causes skin changes like darkening, hair thickening, nail changes, and increased risk of skin growths, most of which usually resolve after birth.
    The document from 2006 details the skin changes women experience during pregnancy due to hormonal, immunologic, and metabolic factors. It reports that hyperpigmentation affects up to 90% of pregnant women, with the areolar region darkening in all 140 patients studied. Hair typically thickens due to a longer anagen phase but is followed by increased shedding postpartum. Nail changes and connective tissue alterations, such as striae gravidarum, affect many women, and vascular changes increase the risk of thromboembolic events. Glandular function changes and the development of cutaneous tumors like granuloma gravidarum are also noted. The document stresses the importance of differentiating these normal changes from pathological conditions to prevent unnecessary treatments, noting that while most pregnancy-related skin conditions resolve postpartum, vigilance for serious conditions is necessary. It also mentions that pregnancy-associated melanomas lack hormone receptors, indicating a non-receptor-mediated mechanism influenced by estrogen changes.
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