What is 'pregnancy mask' and what causes it?


Basically it is pigmentation caused by hormones. Medically 'mask of pregnancy' is known as melasma or chloasma and occurs in about 60-70% of pregnancy cases. It typically appears as brownish or grayish patches on parts of the face such as cheeks and forehead. The hormone estradiol and the melanocyte cells beneath the skin surface boost the production of the melanin pigment in excess thereby causing melasma. It is more pronounced on sun-exposed parts of the body. Therefore the more you are out in the sun the higher the risk of developing mask of pregnancy. It is most likely to occur in the 2nd and 3rd trimester and fades away after delivery for most women. For some women this problem recurs in subsequent pregnancies or with the use of hormonal contraception.