Feeling warm and sweaty
Skin rashes
Skin darkening
Dry or oily skin?
Stretch marks
Moles and skin tags
Red spots and spider veins
Hair, hair dying and nails
When a woman becomes pregnant, her skin often goes through many changes. What each woman experiences during her pregnancy will be very individual to her. However, it is not unusual for many women to notice different changes during different pregnancies (and this has nothing to do with the sex of your baby!)
Some women like the changes they experience. Their skin may look healthier and clearer, even 'glowing' so to speak. But for others, their skin changes are not pleasant because it is oily, more blotchy and perhaps has more blemishes. These changes can just be another 'side effect' of the pregnancy, to be tolerated until after the baby is born.
Feeling warm and sweaty
The increased blood flow through the skin during pregnancy makes most pregnant women feel warmer than other people. The amount of blood flowing through a pregnant woman's body starts to increase at about 6 weeks, so that by about 32 weeks it can be as much as 50% more than what it would normally be. This increased blood flow combines with the relaxing effects of the pregnancy hormone 'progesterone', to make the tiny blood vessels in the skin's surface (or 'capillaries') open up more. The capillaries become more filled with blood (often referred to as 'vasodilation'), making the pregnant woman feel warmer, even heated or 'flushed' at times.
Vasodilation can also contribute to women fainting in hot situations. (Be aware that crowded rooms or steamy bathrooms can contribute to this.) Also, if you get up too quickly, the blood can drain rapidly from your head to your hands and feet, causing you to feel faint or briefly see stars in front of your eyes. You can read more in
dizziness and fainting.
Pregnant women also tend to sweat more. During pregnancy the skin's sweat glands work overtime.