Pregnancy brings about many changes and some of those changes may not always be pleasant or welcome like the development of acne. Many women, who have never suffered from acne before, even during the acne prone teen years, may all of a sudden find themselves with acne during pregnancy and so for the first time have to deal with its effects and how to treat it. At a time when they already have to deal with so many body changes, this can be a very trying development.

Compounding the problem is that oral medications can usually not be taken during pregnancy and use of any products, oral or otherwise must be cleared with your physician. Therefore, many options that would be available to other acne sufferers are not available to pregnant women.

Hormonal changes during pregnancy are to blame for the sudden onset of acne. During pregnancy your skin may produce more of something called sabum which is produced by higher levels of hormones called androgens. During pregnancy there isn't much that can be done about acne. You have to be extremely careful about oral medications and your doctor is not likely to want to prescribe any type of oral medication during your pregnancy. You may want to ask your doctor about medicated lotions or cleansers that might help.

Acne during pregnancy is usually worse during the first 2-3 months. You will probably see improvement during the second and third trimester.

Here are a few suggestions that might help lessen the severity of the acne, but ultimately, it's probably a condition that you will have to just consider a temporary nuisance:

1. Wash you face twice daily with an oil free cleansers.

2. Pat dry, don't rub you skin as this can irritate it

3. Use water based products that won't clog your pores including using oil free make up.

4. Discuss the condition with your doctor. Don't take any oral medications or use and new products without your doctor's approval. Even with over the counter lotions and creams, it is best to consult your physician before using them.

5. Try to avoid stressful situations and major changes in your diet. While these do not cause acne during pregnancy, they may contribute to it being worse.

While it won't make the sufferer feel any better while dealing with acne during pregnancy, it is normally temporary and will clear up after the baby's birth and hormone levels return to pre-pregnancy levels. In cases where it does not clear up, once the pregnancy is over, medications can then be prescribed to clear up acne.