Pregnancy mask: everything you need to know

What is the pregnancy mask, a major concern for pregnant women? Are there effective methods to prevent its appearance, or even ways to make it disappear? In this article, FILORGA experts explore the origins of the pregnancy mask and offer solutions to protect facial skin from these dark spots.

What to remember about the pregnancy mask in a few lines

• The pregnancy mask, or melasma, is a skin condition common to pregnant women (but not exclusively!), characterized by the appearance of dark spots on the face.

• The main causes includevariations Hormonal changes during pregnancy, which stimulate melanin production, and exposure to UV rays, which worsen dark spots.

• Prevention through sunscreen is essential to limit the appearance or worsening of dark spots.

• Skincare products containing active ingredients such as vitamin C and glabridin can reduce dark spots by acting on melanin synthesis.

• Aesthetic medicine techniques, such as lasers and peels, are effective solutions for correcting persistent pigment spots by directly targeting melanin and stimulating cell renewal.

What exactly is a pregnancy mask?

The pregnancy mask, whose exact scientific names are melasma or chloasma, is characterized by the gradual formation of asymmetrical and irregular skin patches, mainly on the cheeks, forehead, nose, and upper lip. The term "pregnancy mask" comes from the fact that this phenomenon often affects pregnant women. Depending on the population, up to 30% of them may be affected. But this skin hyperpigmentation doesn't only occur during pregnancy. In fact, 10% of cases have been reported in postmenopausal women, and men are also sometimes affected.

Typology of the pregnancy mask

The pregnancy mask can take three different forms, depending on the area of ​​the skin where it forms and its color.

• The epidermal pregnancy mask: superficial, it is defined by an increase in skin pigmentation (melanin) in the upper layer of the skin, the epidermis. Brown in color and varying in color, the spots have a well-defined outline.
• Dermal pregnancy mask: this appears as blue-gray patches in the dermis, the second layer of the skin.
• Mixed pregnancy mask: this variant combines the characteristics of epidermal and dermal melasma and takes on a different color. brown-gray.

The evolution of the pregnancy mask over time

In pregnant women, the appearance of the pregnancy mask generally occurs during the second trimester and disappears a few months after delivery. The skin then regains a more even complexion. Important note: women who have already developed melasma during a previous pregnancy have a high chance of experiencing it again during a subsequent pregnancy. In other cases, those for which the term "pregnancy mask" is not appropriate, it will be necessary to examine the causes of melasma in more detail to learn how to avoid it.

Causes of Pregnancy Mask

There are several causes of pregnancy mask formation on the face. Let's see which ones.

One thing in common: the overproduction of melanin

Melanin is the pigment responsible for skin color. It plays a fundamental role as a natural UV filter, thus protecting the skin from the harmful effects of the sun. It is synthesized in the deep layers of the epidermis by specialized cells, melanocytes.

Melanin production is mainly stimulated by sun exposure, resulting in tanning. In the case of melasma, there is an over-secretion of this pigment due to significant hormonal fluctuations or excessive exposure to UV rays. This leads to the formation of clumps that cause skin spots.

Hormonal fluctuations

This is the most obvious and most cited cause.

As we saw earlier, nearly one in three pregnant women develops pregnancy mask. During this period, hormones (particularly estrogen) naturally produced in the body stimulate melanocytes, leading to an overproduction of melanin. This phenomenon is also observed in women taking oral contraceptives (10 to 25% of cases) or in people undergoing hormone therapy.

Unlike age spots, melasma can spontaneously disappear when estrogen intake is reduced.

Sun exposure

The characteristics of the pregnancy mask share similarities with those of photoaged skin. Among these similarities, scientific studies have highlighted:

• Solar elastosis. It is an accumulation of abnormal elastic tissue in the dermis due to chronic sun exposure. Nearly 90% of people with melasma have varying degrees of solar elastosis. li style="font-weight: 400;"> A disrupted basement membrane. This tissue connects the epidermis to the dermis, and its alteration has been reported in over 83% of people with melasma. This basement membrane is composed of collagen, but chronic UV exposure increases the levels of enzymes that break down type IV and VI collagen in the skin. Thus, a disrupted basement membrane promotes the diffusion of melanin into the dermis, giving rise to dermal melasma.
• An inflammatory reaction. An increase in the number of mast cells (white blood cells present in the skin's connective tissue) has been observed more frequently in skin affected by melasma. The role of mast cells in the development of melasma is not yet fully understood, but the release of histamine (a molecule secreted during allergic reactions) by mast cells in response to UV irradiation has been demonstrated. It is this histamine that stimulates melanin secretion.
• The sebaceous glands may also play a role in the appearance of the pregnancy mask, but this action is not yet clearly defined and requires further investigation.

Are brown spots and melasma the same?

Pregnancy mask isn't the only type of spot that can develop on the skin. There are two other types:

Hyperpigmentation spots or brown spots

Also known aslentigo or age spots, these are also the result of excessive sun exposure. They tend to develop mainly on areas less protected by clothing, such as the face, neck, forearms, etc. These gradual accumulations of melanin generally become visible after the age of 40, thus constituting one of the indicators of skin aging.

Acne

This condition can leave persistent marks on the skin, even after the spots have disappeared. These spots can be red or brown in color. Acne, as an inflammatory disease, is responsible, among other things, forexcessive production of melanin that accumulates in the areas affected by spots. Once the spots have healed, the melanin clumps persist, leaving lasting spots on the skin.

How to prevent pregnancy spots on the face?

Act on melanin production

Since melasma results from a localized excess of melanin, the key to fighting pregnancy spots is to block its secretion by melanocytes.

Active ingredients such as vitamin C and glabridin, a polyphenol extracted from the roots of licorice, can thus be used to inhibit the synthesis of the pigment, while the extract of brown "rainbow" algae will prevent the transport of melanin to the epidermal cells, thus preventing the formation of skin spots.

The skincare products in our SKIN-UNIFY range are formulated with these three ingredients for an even, anti-dark spot action.

Essential sun protection

As with pigmentation spots,protection against UV rays remains essential.

During the summer, avoid sun exposure. in the sun, especially between 12 and 4 p.m. Also remember to apply a quality sunscreen to your face, preferably with a high protection factor (SPF 50), and remember to reapply this regularly. A hat and sunglasses will also help protect you effectively.

Laser and peeling, two effective aesthetic medicine techniques against the pregnancy mask

When melasma persists, aesthetic medicine procedures such as laser or peeling can offer significant results. These techniques act directly on pigmentation, promoting a visible reduction of dark spots.

Laser: Targeting Dark Spots with Precision

By emitting focused light, it breaks up brown pigments into smaller particles, allowing the body to eliminate them naturally. It also stimulates cell renewal in the superficial layers of the skin while boosting collagen production in the dermis, which has a beneficial effect on skin quality. Laser is a very effective treatment for reducing melasma spots, but it requires strict sun protection afterward to prevent them from reappearing.

Peeling: Exfoliate to Restore Even Skin

Superficial facial peels and medium are treatments made from fruit acids (AHA and BHA) or trichloroacetic acid (TCA). These exfoliating agents remove layers of dead cells from the skin's surface and have a beneficial effect on cell renewal. Their action helps reduce pigment spots by evening out the distribution of melanin.

These two techniques must, of course, be performed by professionals to ensure optimal and safe results. Before any treatment, it is essential to consult a dermatologist to choose the method best suited to your skin and the nature of your pigmentation spots.

When in doubt, seek the advice of a specialist

As we have seen, melasma is not limited to pregnant women. It can also be the result of a hormonal imbalance and may require surgery if it persists after childbirth. FILORGA Laboratories do not treat this type of disorder and do not offer laser treatment or surgical peels. We therefore recommend that our consumers seek advice from a dermatologist, endocrinologist or cosmetic doctor if their situation requires it.