Red spots and spider veins
Moles or 'naevi' are dark spots or patches on the skin that can vary from being grey to brown or black in colour. Moles can become darker and slightly larger during pregnancy, and while the average person has at least 20 of them, you may develop a few more before your baby is born.
NOTE: If your moles change dramatically, start bleeding or become excessively itchy you should consult your doctor or a Dermatologist, as these could be the early signs of skin cancer.
Skin tags are small pieces of skin that 'overgrow', sometimes looking a little like wart. They occur more frequently during pregnancy because of the body's increased metabolism. These can be annoying and unsightly, but if you break them off or rub them, they may bleed.
Skin tags can turn up anywhere on your body, but they are more commonly found in places where the skin rubs (such as under the arms, breasts and inner thighs). Most skin tags will disappear as mysteriously as they came during the first 3 to 4 months after the baby is born. If some do not and you find them annoying, your doctor or Dermatologist can usually remove them for you after this time. (Freezing them off is the mosy common way of doing this.)
If you notice growths like this in your vaginal area, they could be genital warts. These are caused by a virus and can grow rapidly during pregnancy, often subsiding after the birth. You can read more in
genital warts.
Red spots and spider veins
Red surface veins (also known as 'spider naevi') look like tiny 'spider leg lines' on the skin. They appear because the small blood vessels under the skin break with the increased blood circulating through your system during pregnancy. Spider veins can create intricate red patterns or spots on the skin. Spider veins are usually more common on the chest, upper arms and legs. They are different from the larger, deep purple blood vessels, known as
varicose veins.