What is the reason for the bulge on the areola of pregnant women?

After a woman becomes pregnant, her body will easily undergo some changes as the fetus grows, and her breasts and areola will also undergo some slight changes. As the pregnancy progresses, many pregnant women will find that some granules or bulges of flesh will appear on their areola. Generally, this is a normal change. You can pay more attention to it and observe it. If there is a tendency for growth, timely treatment is needed.

What is the reason for the fleshy bulge on the areola of pregnant women?

During pregnancy, every aspect of the body responds to adapt to fetal development and breastfeeding after birth. At this time, the breasts develop, the areola enlarges, and there are some small protrusions around them.

Pregnant woman's body changes

Pregnant women's skin sweats

Because the adrenal and thyroid glands are relatively hyperactive during pregnancy, metabolism speeds up, and blood circulation in the skin increases, so you sweat more and your skin is more moist. Some pregnant women have dilated capillaries on their faces, making their skin look rosy, delicate and radiant. However, some pregnant women develop pimples on their faces, which become oily and rough due to the excessive secretion of progesterone and testosterone by the placenta and active secretion of sebaceous glands. This is more common in obese pregnant women. At this time, you should drink more water, exercise appropriately, control weight gain, and pay attention to skin cleansing. You can choose appropriate skin care products according to the characteristics of personal skin changes.

Several changes in the skin of expectant mothers during pregnancy

The second is the increase in skin pigmentation.

Pregnant women will have chloasma and butterfly spots on their faces; obvious pigmentation on their abdomen and vulva; and their nipples and areolas will become darker. This is also because the secretion of the adrenal cortex increases during pregnancy. Generally, this type of pigmentation will gradually fade away after delivery. During pregnancy, you should avoid direct sunlight. When going out, you should wear a hat or hold a parasol, apply some sunscreen, and wash it off when you return indoors. This is because the UV protection ingredients in sunscreen products can irritate the skin and should not be left on the skin for a long time. It is best not to use anti-freckle cream during pregnancy because the drug ingredients in it can be absorbed through the skin. Pregnant women should also eat more fruits and vegetables, supplement vitamin C, and ensure adequate sleep and a regular life.

Several changes in the skin of expectant mothers during pregnancy

Stretch marks on the abdomen

The stretch marks of women who have given birth again are white, while those of first-time pregnant women are purple-red, mostly concentrated on the abdomen, and sometimes spread to the upper thighs. As the pregnant uterus grows, the abdominal wall is stretched and the elastic fibers of the abdominal wall are broken, resulting in the appearance of striped stretch marks. If you exercise your abdominal muscles regularly and your abdominal muscles are elastic, you may not have stretch marks. Once stretch marks appear, they will not disappear. However, for first-time mothers, their stretch marks will turn from purple to white after giving birth.

Several changes in the skin of expectant mothers during pregnancy

Itchy skin

It often occurs after the second trimester of pregnancy, especially in the chest, abdomen, and lower limbs, which are more sensitive. In severe cases, rashes - red papules - may occur. Because of the severe itching, the skin is often scratched, bleeding and scabs form, which is called prurigo of pregnancy. The cause of this is that the liver burden increases during pregnancy, bile stasis occurs, and the excretion rate of bile acid decreases. In severe cases, in addition to skin itching, there are also jaundice, mild liver damage, etc. In addition, due to cholestasis, the intervillous space of the placenta becomes narrower, affecting the material exchange and oxygen supply between the mother and the fetus, causing intrauterine growth retardation of the fetus and a lower birth weight than that of newborns of the same gestational age. If intrahepatic cholestasis occurs, you must not take it lightly and must seek medical attention immediately. Of course, the rash and intrahepatic cholestasis will naturally subside after delivery. The chance of recurrence is still high during subsequent pregnancies.

During pregnancy, you should wear cotton underwear, as synthetic clothing will irritate the skin and aggravate symptoms. You should also pay attention to skin cleanliness, do not use alkaline bath soaps, and never scratch the skin to prevent secondary infection. If the itching is severe, you can use calamine lotion, which can relieve the itching.

Numbness in hands and feet

The cause is still unclear, but it is mostly related to severe vomiting during pregnancy, poor eating, and insufficient intake of cereals, leading to vitamin B deficiency. In order to avoid the occurrence of symptoms, you should pay attention to the supplementation of cereal foods, eat more whole grains, and you can also take vitamin B1 or multivitamins.

Varicose veins

Varicose veins are actually changes in the blood vessels under the skin, which appear as blue veins on the surface of the skin. It usually occurs in the late pregnancy, with obvious veins in the lower limbs and vulva. It is mainly due to the compression of the abdominal cavity by the pregnant uterus, which obstructs the venous return of the lower limbs and pelvis.

In the lower limbs and perineum, you can see curved, protruding veins, sometimes in the shape of an earthworm. There is a feeling of soreness and pain in the affected area, often accompanied by edema of the lower limbs. If a pregnant woman has varicose veins, she should reduce her workload, avoid standing for long periods of time, raise her lower limbs when sleeping, and wear elastic stockings or use elastic bandages. However, since the root cause of pregnancy has not been eliminated, the symptoms can only be alleviated but not completely eliminated. If a pregnant woman with varicose veins of the vulva needs an episiotomy during delivery, the doctor will avoid the affected area to prevent damage to blood vessels and blood loss. Varicose veins generally improve after childbirth and the symptoms are alleviated, but they will not disappear completely.