You May Experience Hair Loss
"It is common for women to shed hair about three months after giving birth, as this is a normal phenomenon called telogen effluvium," says Shainhouse. She explains that the shedding phase usually lasts about one to two months, and that it can take nine to 12 months for hair to look closer to what it looked like before pregnancy. But while it may be tempting to use shampoo products which promise to make your hair back, she advises steering clear of such beauty buys, as they usually contain an ingredient called minoxidil, which has not been studied in pregnancy and breastfeeding, and is not approved for use during that time.
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Skin Sensitivity Can Be an Issue
"It's common for women to experience more sensitive skin during pregnancy, which is typically attributed to increased hormone levels and also because your skin stretches as your baby grows," said Dove Partner and dermatologist, Dr. Rosemarie Ingleton.
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Be Aware of Products Containing Fragrances
"If you have sensitive skin, you should avoid switching products often to reduce the risk of eventual exposure to ingredients that you are sensitive to," says Ingleton. Fragrance is a common allergen, she said, so be careful not to switch between too many fragranced products.
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Avoid Products Containing Aluminum
"Some people experience sensitivity to ingredients such as aluminum — the active ingredient in antiperspirants that helps prevent underarm sweat," Dr. Ingleton explains. If you are sensitive to aluminum, she recommends trying an aluminum-free deodorant. However, she further cautions that some aluminum-free or natural deodorants are made with ingredients such as baking soda, which can also irritate skin.
To keep your underarms dry and odor free, she suggested using the new Dove 0% Aluminum Deodorant, $5.99, which contains 0 percent aluminum, 0 percent alcohol and no baking soda — and is specifically formulated to be gentle and moisturizing.
Stretch Marks Can Occur
"Purple stretch marks can develop when the skin on the breasts and abdomen (and thighs, arms) is stretched quickly due to rapid weight gain due to normal puberty, pregnancy, bodybuilding/rapid muscle bulking, internal (cortisol, estrogen) or external hormones (hormone replacement therapy, birth control), over-eating, drug-induced (marijuana) or medication-induced weight gain," says Shainhouse. She further explains that stretch marks occur when collagen and elastin in the dermis layer of the skin breaks — which is why the appearance does not improve when you lose the weight, because the elastic fibers are already broken.
But while stretch marks may be difficult to treat, Shainhouse says that the purple-pink discoloration will generally fade into a less noticeable silvery-white. In the meantime, she recommends investing in laser treatments, as some laser procedures that target red color (such as pulsed dye lasers and KTP lasers) can also be used to fade them quicker.
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