Dark stripe on the abdomen during pregnancy: why it appeared and when it will pass

2024 Author: Priscilla Miln | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-16 00:21

Surely, everyone has heard or knows from their own experience that pregnant women have increased pigmentation. Spots of various sizes appear on the face and in other parts of the body, which indicate a global restructuring in the body and hormonal changes. A dark stripe on the abdomen during pregnancy is no exception, it does not cause any harm to the expectant mother and fetus. It also does not indicate the presence of pathologies or diseases. Further, this phenomenon will be considered in more detail.

Pigmentation during pregnancy

Pigmentation refers to the darkening of certain areas of the skin or, conversely, lightening. A distinctive feature of age spots is that their edges are even, the shape is usually irregular. During the period of bearing a child, they canappear as a dark streak on the abdomen during pregnancy, and are even more common on the face (the forehead, lips, cheeks or area around the eyes is exposed), on the inner thighs and mammary glands.

As a rule, one of the first signs of pregnancy is the darkening of the skin around the nipples. Pigmentation on the face is popularly called the "mask of pregnant women", which is actively manifested in the second trimester. These signs occur in 90% of expectant mothers.

Causes of the dark band

Being one of the manifestations of pigmentation, a dark stripe on the abdomen during pregnancy has its own causes. The main reason for this phenomenon is hormonal changes. And the main participants in the process are progesterone and estrogen. It is they who are involved in the formation and secretion of the hormone melanotropin, which is produced by cells that give certain areas of the skin a dark color. Distribution occurs randomly during pregnancy.

Why does a stripe appear on the abdomen during pregnancy and not elsewhere?

This is due to the fact that in this part of the body there is no muscle tissue, there is only connective tissue. During pregnancy, the abdomen gradually stretches and the thickness of the tissue decreases. That is why a pigment stripe appears on the abdomen during pregnancy.

It may vary in location. For some, it crosses the entire abdomen, and for others it goes from the pubis to the navel. In women with fair skin and hair, stripes are eithernot at all, or it is hardly noticeable.

Factors affecting the appearance of the stripe

Despite the fact that the appearance of a dark line on the abdomen during pregnancy is the work of hormones, there are a number of factors that influence it and provoke its occurrence:

1. One of the common reasons is the use of oral contraceptives during the pre-pregnancy period, which contain hormonal elements. This also includes the lack of folic acid in the body of the expectant mother.
2. Improperly performed cosmetic procedures, the use of large quantities of cosmetics or poor quality care products.
3. Incorrect functioning of the liver, ovaries or pituitary gland can also cause increased pigmentation in a pregnant woman.
4. Stressful situations cannot be excluded from this list.
5. Genetic predisposition.

What to do to prevent the appearance of the line, reduce its pigmentation

Of course, it is very difficult to completely prevent the appearance of a brown stripe on the abdomen during pregnancy, but you can minimize its brightness level. Some tips to follow:

1. In the event that the process of pregnancy fell on the sunny months, and the rays of the sun indulge in warmth, you need to refuse it. It is not worth being in the open sun, it is better to hide in the shade under a canopy or a tree so as not to provoke the production of melanin.
2. If still being in the openthe sun is inevitable, you need to actively use sunscreen - creams, oils and gels, no matter what the gestational age.
3. Do not undress in the sun, it is better to cover yourself with a light pareo, scarf or cape to minimize skin contact with the sun.
4. When using cosmetics, carefully read the composition, it is important that there is no vitamin A, which stimulates the production of the hormone and the appearance of age spots.
5. Eliminate folic acid deficiency, if any, that is, eat more fish, cereals, butter, liver or beets, indulge in vegetables, herbs and fruits.
6. Go to the endocrinologist, perhaps he will tell you how to reduce pigmentation during pregnancy, given the individual characteristics of the body.

When the bar appears

Experts did not have a clear opinion on how long the gestation period for the child appears stripe. For someone, it may appear at the beginning of the second trimester, for someone - on the eve of childbirth.

In general, pigmentation is one of the first signs of pregnancy, but, as you know, there are many manifestations of this process, and the strip on the abdomen is far from the only one. If such a phenomenon is observed in the first trimester, then by childbirth, for sure, the strip will be very dark, even more blue. There is no need to be afraid of this, all this is normal.

Increased pigmentation in pregnant women appears after 12 weeks, so if you did not have any manifestations before this period, they may occur afterspecified period.

When the bar disappears

Such an "attribute" is liked by every woman, so the question arises, when will the strip on the stomach after pregnancy pass? It is quite difficult to predict in advance when this will happen, as well as to understand when it will occur. This can take both a couple of months and a year and a half after giving birth. There are times when the pigment remains with a woman for life, but this is very rare. If subsequent pregnancies occur, then the band will appear brighter, as well as at earlier periods than the first time. Doctors strongly recommend not to get rid of the dark line with questionable methods, just be patient and wait until it disappears on its own.

Dark line removal

A stripe on the abdomen during pregnancy does not cause as much inconvenience as after the delivery of a woman. First of all, they are related to aesthetics. A woman does not like the appearance of her belly. In this case, you can seek help from a cosmetologist who will advise you, focusing on the individual characteristics of the body.

Before starting a cosmetic procedure, it is advisable to be examined and do an ultrasound scan to exclude various diseases that can cause the appearance of a dark line. With the help of specialized equipment, the strip is removed by several methods. These include:

1. Laser resurfacing, in which the top layer of the skin is removedand thereby changing its tone. This procedure is carried out with a special device. You don’t have to worry, only a layer of dead cells is removed, the procedure will not bring any harm.
2. Professional peeling, which is performed by various methods from mechanical scrub to laser. In these cases, dead cells are also removed.
3. Cryotherapy is the effect on the skin with devices with a low temperature, due to which the blood vessels constrict. In the process, they begin to expand, while capillaries that did not work before also expand. As a result, metabolism is improved, the top layer of the epithelium is easily removed.
4. Mesotherapy is carried out by introducing into the skin several types of medicines that go well with each other. The effect is achieved not only by the positive action of the preparations, but also by the stimulation of the natural points of the body, which increase the elasticity and firmness of the skin, allowing it to restore balance.

These methods should be used only after pregnancy, choose a clinic that is distinguished by modern equipment, highly qualified specialists and status in the service market.

The appearance of a dark strip without pregnancy

The appearance of a dark line on the abdomen without pregnancy is quite possible, and many women point out this. For some, the strip is formed from childhood, for others - during puberty, for others - just during the reproductive period. In this case, you should not be afraid and panic.

First of all, you need to make an appointment with an endocrinologist and consultwith it, because some organs, including the thyroid gland, may not work properly, which leads to spot pigmentation of the skin. In parallel, you can be examined by a gynecologist, take tests for hormones. Based on the results of the studies, a therapy will be prescribed that will help restore balance in the body and get rid of the dark strip that many do not like so much.