They say that childhood scars are little “war traces”, traces that they have lived and had a lot of fun. Who hasn’t shown an old scar from that tree they climbed when they were five or six years old? Or those transparent seams that show that at some point someone needed urgent medical treatment after a domestic accident while playing? Bumps and scars are part of the stage of childhood and something similar happens with pregnancy. Whoever says pregnancy leaves no traces is wrong.
Somehow, every woman accounts for the record left in her body after harboring a baby in her womb. Footprints may be invisible to outsiders. But not for us, who know what our body looked like before those nine months and what it is like now. There are cases when the spurs are internal and appear in the form of circulatory problems or waist pain. In other cases, they are external and visible. It could be anything from increased cellulite to a saggy, bulging tummy. Or sagging breasts after breastfeeding, to which the thinner skin in the area is added. Pregnancy revolutionizes the body, with its hormonal load and with everything that means carrying a baby in the womb for so many months.
And witness of that passage are the marks on the body. Many women suffer from varicose veins or varicose veins because circulation slows down, something that can hardly be reversed once they appear. In other cases, the problems appear in the form of stretch marks or flaccidity, especially in the abdominal area and despite the many creams used during pregnancy to prevent them. And then there’s the linea alba… which was there before you got pregnant but is now one of the great witnesses that that body has housed a life.
what is the dawn line?
The linea alba is also known as the linea nigra and, as the word implies, is a line that can come into view during pregnancy. This does not happen to all women, but pregnancy is a common symptom. It is a dark line that runs down the woman’s abdomen, from the navel to the pubis. As the pregnancy progresses, many women will discover this line appearing out of nowhere and staying there for some time after delivery.
What is his appearance due to? The most curious thing about this issue is that the linea alba is that it is not a sign of pregnancy, but rather a line that all women have, but that begins to be delineated during pregnancy. As the abdomen grows and the skin stretches, you may notice this line that is darker in color than the rest of the skin. One of the great curiosities is that most people believe that the linea alba is brown. However, this is not so.
It’s a white line with a fibrous condition that runs from the pubic bone to the navel and shows up in the light turning brown in some pregnancies. But this line was already in the body before it. Another curiosity of the linea alba is that not all women appear during pregnancy. Although there is a large percentage of women who have this line changes color and become visible, this does not always happen. As with all symptoms related to pregnancy and hormonal changes, there are times when they can show up, while in others they don’t.
A curiosity of the case? As is known, among the pregnancy myths, there is one associated with the linea alba. There are those who believe that the linea alba can predict the sex of the baby during pregnancy. How is this? Well, far from the hormonal revolution, the shape and length of the line would indicate whether a boy or a girl is expected. So if the linea alba is above your navel, the baby is a boy, and if it doesn’t reach the mother’s navel, it will be a girl. Little is known about how much truth there is in these myths, yet there are those who choose to believe and analyze the format of the linea alba in order to anticipate the mysteries of life. And what do you think of it? Do you believe in these popular myths?
Hormones and Pigmentation
When the linea alba appears in a woman, there should be no problem as it is common for it to remain visible until after delivery. Little by little, and as the pre-pregnancy hormones return to their normal levels, it will lose color until it disappears. This is because it is these hormonal changes that cause this change in pigmentation that causes a hitherto invisible line to begin to show. Pigmentation can be affected in different parts of the body due to hormonal changes and the linea alba is one of them, but it is also common for spots to appear on the face and therefore it is recommended not to expose yourself to the sun so they don’t stay after giving birth.
There are two hormones that are central to changes in the dermis: progesterone and estrogen, which are the two hormones that fight the most during pregnancy. These hormones stimulate the production of melanin, making the skin more pigmented. And this happens especially in the first trimester of pregnancy, when progesterone levels are high, causing body temperature to rise. Although the body is a Swiss watch during these nine months and everything has a reason to exist, the truth is that this hormonal increase leaves some traces that then take some time to overcome. Fortunately, in the case of the linea alba, there will be no more traces over time.
In most cases, only a change in the color of this line is recorded, but there are times when some hair may also appear due to the high presence of androgens, other hormones associated with pregnancy, which are very present in men. You don’t have to worry, because just like the line, the hair will also disappear after childbirth and when the hormones return to their normal levels and the body stabilizes.
The moment it appears
Now let’s look at some additional details: Although the linea alba or linea nigra starts at the pubic bone, the extension is not exact. There are cases where it ends at the navel, while in other cases it can continue even slightly higher and reach the diaphragm area. The best advice as it seems is to carry on with the pregnancy as if it wasn’t there because there is nothing to be ashamed of, no matter its size. Just a color field that has been changed for a short period of time.
Also remember that there is no exact time for the appearance, this is another point where there can be differences. In some women it is already visible by the end of the third month and in others only by the fourth month and when the abdomen enlarges and the skin starts to stretch more and more. It is generally estimated that the linea alba appears in the second trimester, more precisely between the fourth and sixth month. What’s natural during pregnancy are these minor variations, but when we live them as part of life, because we are exactly getting life and nothing can be planned down to the millimeter when we talk about pregnancy…
Finally, if you are within the percentage of women who have this line appearing during pregnancy, remember that changes in the dermis can be very varied and can occur in many ways. While there are women who deny this line, there are others who suffer from other types of pigment changes such as the appearance of freckles, chloasma, change in the color of the areola, spots on the face, etc. in the case of the linea nigra it may be more pronounced in dark-skinned women due to a greater presence of melanin. In addition to the aesthetic factor, the most important thing is that it does not leave traces in the long run.
How to remove the white line?
And if you are concerned about the trace that can be left and you do not trust the statistics that indicate that there is no trace of the linea alba, then you should know that you can build in some habits to avoid exaggerating the pigmentation . The first is to take care of the sun and use a full screen sunscreen to avoid sun exposure and thus avoid excessive pigmentation in the linea alba. On the other hand, it is recommended to protect the skin from solar radiation during pregnancy. As you know, it is important to always protect the skin from solar radiation so as not to damage the dermis, always have a cream with a sun protection factor on hand, especially on days of very intense radiation and in the warmer seasons since we use less clothes that cover us.
On the other hand, a healthy diet is also important; with abundant presence of foods of vegetable origin, and especially those rich in folic acid. This vitamin also helps control pigmentation, so it’s ideal to take into consideration. Which foods contain folic acid? For example, it is present in citrus fruits, green leafy vegetables, carrots, broccoli and many other vegetables. As you know, proper hydration is also very important and water always helps. Aim for a generous intake of water of no less than 2 to 3 liters per day to help the skin become elastic and there are no spots on the skin.
Tips to take good care of yourself
But the most important thing is to know that while it is an unsightly line for some women, it does not pose any risks to the mother or the baby. This means you don’t have to worry about the health of either, just have a little patience and wait for the hormones to drop and return to pre-pregnancy levels.
Finally, remember these tips and always keep them in mind:
- The white line is a mark whose appearance cannot be avoided at this stage, so avoid using bleaching creams or any other product aimed at removing it.
- After childbirth and when the hormonal levels are regularized, the line and excess hair will disappear without a trace.
- Use sunscreen while sunbathing to minimize it and prevent it from darkening.
- Always use sunscreen, especially during the hours of maximum sun intensity and if the area is directly exposed.
Remember, as we always speak, if you notice anything strange or that catches your eye, make an appointment with your trusted doctor. Although unlikely, he is the one who can monitor you to make sure everything runs smoothly.
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