Post-pregnancy: What is the influence of pregnancy on the skin?

Following childbirth, the levels of certain hormones drop significantly. This particularly applies to the oestrogen and progesterone, steroidal hormones that act at different levels of the skin.

A decrease in the amount of oestrogen notably results in a reduction of fibroblast activity. These dermal cells are responsible for the synthesis of collagen, elastin and hyaluronic acid, molecules that ensure the flexibility, tone and hydration of the skin.

The decline in progesterone results in a decrease in sebum production and a weakening of the hydrolipidic film, an aqueous/oily mixture that fights against skin dehydration.

Thus, women often notice a certain skin dryness after childbirth, due to hormonal fluctuations. To alleviate this phenomenon, it is recommended to apply a moisturising cream daily to the face and body. These treatments, enriched with humectants and film-forming agents, retain water in the epidermis and limit its dehydration.

Pregnancy is accompanied by a varying degree of weight gain, which results in strain on the skin. The collagen and elastin fibres significantly elongate during this period and do not always immediately return to their original length after childbirth. The skin then appears looser and more lax than usual. This primarily affects the areas that have undergone the most significant weight changes, namely the stomach, buttocks, and breasts.

To limit skin sagging, we recommend applying during pregnancy and in the months following childbirth nourishing treatments to the body. These can be creams or vegetable oils, such as olein, shea or avocado oil, containing active ingredients capable of acting on the activity of fibroblasts and stimulating it.