It was one of the first things I noticed," Sheridan said. Sheridan said if she ever went back for baby number three, she wouldn't need to do a pregnancy test. And that's actually one of the reasons I don't really want to get pregnant again," she said jokingly. Pregnancy hormones can cause all sorts of changes to your skin, but just because they seem strange doesn't mean they're uncommon, Benjamin Daniel, a dermatologist at St Vincent Hospital Melbourne, said.
The hormones' effect on blood flow are behind most common skin changes, such as the "glow" pregnant women are often said to have, and the fact some expectant women grow thicker, more plentiful hair. Oestrogen and progesterone increase during pregnancy and contribute to many of the symptoms women experience, but an increase in melanocyte-stimulating hormone is behind some of the pigmentation changes women notice.
Some women's freckles and moles get darker, some see pigmentation change around the armpits, nipples and genitals, and some get a symmetrical pattern of darkening or lightening on their cheeks, forehead, upper lip and chin called melasma. Then there's the dark line, or linea nigra, many women develop on their bellies. Again, most of these changes fade back to normal, or close to it, within a few months of giving birth.
Another factor at play is a pregnant woman's immune system, which changes to stop her body rejecting the foetus. But how this plays out varies from person to person.
But then there's other conditions that improve," Dr Daniel said. For example, more than half of women with psoriasis find the condition eases during pregnancy, he said. While rare, a baby can be born with melanoma. This cancer is one of the few cancers that can cross the placenta.
If the mother has advanced cancer, the placenta can be checked for melanoma when the baby is born. When melanoma is found in the placenta, the child should be under the care of a dermatologist, who can watch for signs of cancer. If you had melanoma while pregnant and it was successfully treated, breastfeeding is usually fine. If you are treating the melanoma after the birth of your baby, you should definitely check with your dermatologist or obstetrician before breastfeeding.
Some, like those used in chemotherapy, can be very harmful to your child. Melanoma can return after treatment. It can return later, though. You also have a higher lifetime risk of getting another melanoma. Your dermatologist will tell you how often you should return for follow-up appointments.
The sooner you find a returning or new melanoma, the better your prognosis. Detect skin cancer Learn how to examine your skin for signs of skin cancer by watching this video. Body mole map Download this document so that you can keep track of the size, shape, and location of your moles.
References Basta P, Bak A, et a l. Talk to your doctor or a dermatologist for the right diagnosis if the moles:. These changes could happen over weeks and months. In some cases, these could be signs of melanoma, a type of skin cancer 1. There is limited study on the safety of mole removal in pregnant women. The local anesthetics, such as lidocaine, used to numb the area for a mole excision are relatively safe to use in pregnancy, but in small doses 7.
However, higher doses and exposure during the first trimester could have teratogenic effects on the fetus. Pregnancy moles are likely to go away after delivery, unless they are malignant, in which case they warrant medical intervention 2. Melanoma is a type of skin cancer that develops from pigment-producing cells melanocytes. It either appears as a new mole or changes an existing mole into a cancerous one. The specific genetic factor that contributes to acquired melanocytic moles remains unknown but developing large numbers of moles may be an autosomal dominant trait.
It is also likely to occur from exposure to UV rays from the sun and also tanning beds 8. The signs and symptoms of melanoma in pregnant women are the same as those in non-pregnant women. If you have a mole that meets one or more of the above criteria, you should consult a doctor immediately. As jmne has already explained, existing moles can change during pregnancy due to hormones - it's actually a quite common thing for dermatologists to see. My niece has had 2 pregnancies and they've monitored a dodgy looking mole each time but they were fine.
Also, the fact that your mole has only changed in one respect colour means there is a very good chance it's fine. Most dodgy moles are those that have changed in more than one way shape, size, colour, bleeding or itchy. I think your GP is in the second camp - they think it's fine but they want an expert to make the final decision so that they can put your mind at rest. They will examine the mole with a dermascope the handheld microscope which shows if there is any unusual cell activity in the mole.
If they are happy there is nothing of concern they will say it's fine. The chances of them saying yours is fine are very high. Try not to overthink it - thankfully your appointment is next week so you don't have too long to wait. Good luck and please let us know how you get on. Hi All, I went to the hospital this morning to see the specialist.
He took one look at it I'm not exaggerating prob seconds , he didnt even use a dermascope, and said it's benign and nothing to be concerned about.
I questioned the colour change etc and he said could be down to the pregnancy. I said 'so there's nothing at all about it that would warrant a biopsy' and he said no and again its benign. He said to biopsy it they would have to removal it all and I'd be left with a scar on my face. His manner was v straight to the point, no nonsense. There wasnt even a hint of him being unsure.
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