I’ve been fairly fortunate to have clear skin for most of my life. I even managed to escape the awkward teenage years with anything more than the occasional zit and breezed through my first pregnancy without the dreaded pregnancy acne. In fact, I was able to to escape most of the worst pregnancy symptoms with my daughter including nausea, fatigue and aches – up until that pesky 9th month. The opposite couldn’t be more true with my second pregnancy, from the very beginning my body has been in a state of anarchy. To say I’ve been put through the ringer would be an understatement. Even as I type this I’ve been battling sickness for 12 days and an exploding case of acne that appeared almost over night. There isn’t much to be done about the sickness but the acne? I could handle that! But before I tell you a secret first we must address what this pregnancy acne is all about anyway. Where does it come from and why me?! 

It turns out I’m not that special. In fact, acne is common during pregnancy with more than one out of every two pregnant women experiencing pregnancy acne. We have those pesky hormones to thank for this. You know the ones that make you sob uncontrollably at the drop of a hat and cause you to fall asleep suddenly in the middle of the day. These higher levels of hormones also tend to increase our skin’s production of natural oils.  Unfortuntaley this problem is compounded when when faced with the mile long list of medications and over-the-counter treatments that are banned during pregnancy. While it’s totally worth it to keep my little bumble bee safe from harm, it doesn’t make dealing with acne a walk in the park. The good news is there are some things that you can do that are good for you and baby too! 

Tips For Battling Pregnancy Acne

1. Keep your hands away from your face. That means no picking, scratching or popping. Not only can that spread the acne but it could also leave scars.
2. Take those prenatals! Most prenatal medications offer about 150% of your Daily Vitamin C, a known acne deterent.
3. Hydrate, hydrate and hydrate some more. If your doctor or midwife is on you about this as much as mine it can become old news. But not only is staying hydrated good for you and baby, it’s good for your skin too.
4. Skip the makeup. I know that it can be tempting to layer on the facepaint in an effort to hide those unsightly zits but it’s only making the problem worse. Instead, opt for a fresh faced look to let that pregnancy glow shine through. You can always add a bit of tinted chapstick and mascara!
5. Maintain a healthy diet. With my son, I’m craving all of the things that aren’t good for me (or my skin). I could eat pizza every day of the week and pass that candy please! But greasy, fatty foods aren’t good for your weight goals or your skin and could be making the acne worse. Instead swap those cravings for a healthier option most of the time and allow yourself to give in once a week.

In addition to all of those things I keep a secret weapon in my bathroom: The Clarisonic Smart Profile. The Smart Profile, is Clarisonic’s top-of-the-line device and cleanses 11x better than hands alone. The device is safe to use twice a day and only takes 60 seconds to cleanse. It even tells you what part of your face to clean and for how long, with smart technology that applies just the right amount of pressure to each area.  After checking with my doctor, who gave the green light to use the Refreshing Gel Cleanser (always check with your doctor before using any cleansing products while pregnant) I began a 7 day challenge to see what kind of difference the Smart Profile would make for me. Warning: I HATE taking selfies and I’m really not good at them. 

Day 1 was the perfect time to start. I woke up with bumps under my chin, a zit on my nose (hello, wicked witch of the west) and another on my forehead. I think the results do a good job speaking for themselves. By day 7 the acne breakouts were totally gone and here is myselfie on Day 8. 

One thing I do want to point out it that while I noticed a drastic improvement on my acne, I’m still working towards a clearer complexion overall. On a normal pregnancy day my skin isn’t exactly smooth. My cheeks regularly get irritation spots from sleeping or being touched that cause small bumps. I also wind up with dry patches that don’t make any sense given how oily my pregnancy skin is but atlas that’s pregnancy. Over the course of the week I noticed an improvement in the overall feel of my skin. Not only are the dry spots buffed away thanks to the oscillating brush, but it’s starting to feel smoother and more supple as well. I can totally see why Clarisonic is the #1 most recommended skin cleansing device by US dermatologists. 

We have an exclusive offer available ONLY to our readers to keep your skin healthy and happy when you travel. Save 20% off any device at Clarisonic with promo code SURF20. Coupon expires 11/15/15 and is valid for only the first 100 purchases.

I received a product in partnership with Clarisonic in order to provide this review. All opinions remain my own.