If there’s one word you hear the most to describe pregnant women, it’s glowing.
But is that famed pregnancy glow a real thing or something people say when they’re trying to be polite?
According to dermatologist Dr Hope Dinh of South Melbourne’s Hope Dermatology, it’s no myth.
Watch: Jamila Rizvi on the five things no-one tells you about pregnancy. Post continues after video.
“Pregnancy glow is an actual change in the skin with the pregnancy hormones. Perhaps it is nature’s way of compensating for the nausea, swelling and fatigue that goes with pregnancy!” she says.
We’re not sure even a Jennifer Lopez kind of glow would compensate adequately, but we’ll take whatever we can get.
However the specific cause of that bright glow isn’t exactly clear.
“It’s not completely understood but many of the skin changes are from the influx of pregnancy hormones which promote the sebaceous glands to produce more oil. This oil is nature’s moisturiser,” says Dr Dinh.
“The increase in blood flow in pregnancy is thought to contribute to the fuller, brighter face with the rosy ‘glow’.” (Post continues after gallery.)
Celebs during pregnancy
Unfortunately not everyone is blessed with the shine of the good kind.
“Not every gets the pregnancy glow. In fact, if your skin is already oily pre-pregnancy, you may find that in pregnancy you have an outbreak of acne from the extra production of sebum (which happened to me in a severe way),” she says.
“I call this the pregnancy No.”
Whether you get the glow or the not, know that both are entirely normal. If you do have any concerns, be sure to make an appointment with your GP or dermatologist.
Image: Getty/Instagram/@becjudd.
Did you get the ‘glow’?