Why does a pregnant woman's face itch?

Pregnancy is a very special and important period. Any abnormality in a woman at this time will be taken seriously for fear that it will affect the development of the child. Some pregnant women may experience itching on their faces. This is a local manifestation of skin itching during pregnancy. We can learn more about this situation and deal with it correctly. So, why does pregnant women’s faces itch? Let’s take a look below.

Itchy skin during pregnancy

Pruritus during pregnancy refers to the phenomenon of itchy skin during pregnancy. The reason is that due to the increase in hormones, not only will the expectant mother's body undergo changes, but her skin will also become particularly sensitive, prone to rashes and itching.

In severe cases, it will affect daily life and mood. Pregnant women with skin itching often appear in the middle and late stages of pregnancy, and the degree of itching varies. In mild cases, the skin is just slightly itchy, while in severe cases, the itching is unbearable, and the patients are restless, unable to sleep at night, and suffer unbearable pain. Some even scratch their skin to temporarily relieve the itching, resulting in scratches all over the body and prone to purulent skin infections. You should consult a dermatologist promptly for correct diagnosis and treatment so that you can spend the entire pregnancy comfortably.

Symptoms

Symptoms: Itching between the fingers of both hands, and then the whole body itches, especially the back and neck. The most serious symptom is itching on the belly, which feels stinging when scratched. The belly and back are found to be red and congested, and fade when pressed. From the xiphoid process to the anterior superior iliac spine on both sides, and the same is true for the back. There is no noticeable rash, just redness. And the local skin temperature is higher. The temperature is not high. It is still red at night, and my hands are red and swollen, and they feel tight when I move.

Symptom relief methods

1. Mental stress and emotional excitement will aggravate itching, so pregnant women should first reduce their mental burden and avoid irritability and anxiety.

2. Avoid scratching to relieve itching. Because of constant scratching, the skin often turns red and scratches appear, causing the epidermis to fall off and blood scabs to form. Over time, this will lead to thickening of the skin and darkening of pigmentation, which will in turn aggravate the itching and may even cause purulent infection.

3. Change your underwear frequently.

4. When bathing, avoid using water that is too hot or scrubbing vigorously with alkaline soap, as this will aggravate the itching.

5. Prevent stimulation from food factors, such as eating less spicy foods such as chili peppers, ginger, raw garlic, etc. Seafood should be consumed in moderation as it can aggravate skin itching.

6. Wear pure cotton clothes to avoid friction between chemical fiber fabrics and skin.

7. Drug treatment. Pregnant women need to take medication under the guidance of a doctor. For local itching, menthol, camphor cream, camphor tincture, or camphor powder can be applied externally. If necessary, hormonal ointments with small side effects, such as Elocon, can be used for a short period of time. For systemic itching, you can take sedatives or desensitizers for a short period of time, such as oral chlorpheniramine tablets, 4 mg 3 times a day; sedative tablets, 1 mg 2-3 times a day, etc. You can also take oral B vitamins and vitamin C at the same time. Alternatively, calcium gluconate can be taken orally or intravenously.