If we can count on Chrissy Teigen for anything, it’s real talk about, well, everything. And in her latest series of snaps, the new mom has lifted our collective Instagram rose-colored glasses on early motherhood (from coming home in diapers, herself, and learning new bathroom habits). Most recently, she shared another development: the changes in her skin.
Yesterday, Teigen snapped a sad-faced shot of a slightly redder-looking complexion, saying, “Goodbye pregnancy glow. Hi itchy red spots.” (She also adorned her snap with a pizza emoji, cuz she’s good like that.)
We expect no less from Teigen and applaud her for her honesty. (Seriously, can you write a pregnancy book next, girl?) And it turns out, her snap probably resonated with a lot of women. “Itchy red spots on the face are extremely common postpartum," says Miami-based dermatologist Dr. S. Manjula Jegasothy.
But here’s the twist: the derm noted that what we’re seeing on Teigen's face (and likely, many other moms) might not be classic rosacea. “[It] can be related to a number of causes, mainly the pregnancy hormone levels rapidly going down while oxytocin (for breast feeding) may rapidly be going up at the same time,” Jegasothy notes. What’s more, this drastic hormonal flux can cause a host of other temporary skin conditions, including hives, mild cystic acne, and various hormone-related rashes.
The best defense against unruly skin post pregnancy is seeing a dermatologist or Ob/Gyn, who may suggest an over-the-counter cortisone cream if the new mom is breastfeeding. As for reclaiming that glow? We don't think you ever lost it, Chrissy.