Today I’m talking all about pregnancy mask! Doesn’t that sound JOYOUS? Don’t leave without leaving a comment to share your experience with pregnancy mask! Especially if you have tips to get rid of pregnancy mask.
I vividly remember a summer vacation at the beach where I forgot to put (any) sunscreen on my upper lip. That night, while slathering aloe about my body, I saw something bizarre in the seashell-covered mirror in our beach condo. I had a mustache. Not a mustache of hair, mind you.
I had a TAN MUSTACHE.
Despite wearing sunscreen, my olive skin tans well. Too well, it turns out, in places where I might not be so vigilant. Like…my upper lip.
Tell me the truth: have YOU ever really thought that hard about making sure your upper lip was covered? It was pretty horrifying. Not subtle. But I was able to correct the next day by putting SPF 8 on most of my face and SPF 50 on my upper lip.
If only it were that easy to get rid of pregnancy mask.
Pregnancy mask is the nice term for chloasma or melasma gravidarum. It is a darkening of areas of your skin during pregnancy. You don’t know where, when, or IF it will show up on you. Typically it affects women with darker complexions more and tends to be something that appears on the face, sometimes other areas of the body.
I didn’t have a lot of pregnancy mask with the first few kids, at least not that I noticed. With Cooper I had some light freckling on my forehead that became way more pronounced with Quin, spreading out over my cheeks as well.
It looks essentially like sun damage, but oddly washes away within a few months postpartum. (I had the best results with Rodan + Fields Reverse regimen, which removed the melasma and also some sun spots I had! I no longer sell it, but email me if you want recommendations.) It’s not terrible, but it’s certainly annoying and just one more thing that make pregnancy feel…not-so-beautiful.
You know where else I get pregnancy mask? I get pregnancy mask in MY ARMPITS.
Yep. Armpits.
I know that armpits aren’t like your face—on display all the time. I’m not a huge fan of tank tops either right now, so my pits are mostly hidden. But whether or not they are publicly visible, my armpits are a distinct brown color. I look like I have permanently dirty pits. It’s gross.
I tried scrubbing this away when pregnant with Quin until I realized it was pregnancy related. And, like the melasma on my face, it scrubbed away within a few months postpartum.
It’s back. And it’s lovely. Nothing like dark brown armpits to make you feel like a woman. A lovely, clean woman. I’ll spare you a picture. You’re welcome. 
Pregnancy is a gift and a joy, but it comes with weird side effects. This one isn’t such a complaint. In fact, it’s much more comfortable than my spine and hips (which keep popping) or just the general exhaustion I’m feeling all the time. But you know what? I would prefer my pregnancy without a spotted face and dark stains in my armpits.
Have you experienced pregnancy mask on your face or anywhere else?
Share your story (and any tips for getting rid of, hiding, or avoiding it) in the comments!
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