Beauty care at home, Naturopathy and its importance

Pregnancy is the one stage in your life that you can truly pamper yourself and be waited upon by your family! Make the most of this time to relax and prepare yourself for the demanding times ahead, when your dates with the hairdresser and masseuse will play second fiddle to the pediatrician, maids schedules, colic panic....!! So read on and make your pregnancy the most beautiful time of your life!

Hair stylists say that pregnancy is the best thing for hair. It will turn amazingly full, shiny and soft.

Your new, thick healthy locks are due to an estrogen increase, which results in more hair follicles remaining in the resting phase and fewer in the falling out phase. Your healthy prenatal eating habits and vitamins help, too. The hormonal activity usually benefits the hair during pregnancy.

If there is any mental stress, however, this can reflect on the hair, by way of problems like hair loss. It is after the baby is born that hair loss can occur. In fact, post-pregnancy hair loss is almost routine. The hair may also begin to look dull and lifeless. There is no need to be alarmed about it. Once the hormones settle, the condition is usually checked. Regular hair care during pregnancy goes a long way in minimizing problems.

A tonic treatment can help problems like hair loss and dandruff. Select a good hair tonic or hair vitalizer, containing natural ingredients. It should be applied daily on the scalp, with the help of cotton wool.

Have it cut every six weeks and condition weekly.

If you want to color your hair during pregnancy, switch from a peroxide formula to a stain. It won't completely cover, but it's safe. Get highlights, which give your face a lift. The color is woven in and won't touch the scalp."

Don't get a new hairdo until six weeks after delivery, since new body chemistry changes can wreak havoc on hair. It may fall out or alter the texture.

SKIN CARE

Sometimes, the "mask" of pregnancy can appear around the 4th or 5th month of pregnancy. It is characterized by irregular pigmentation marks around the face. This phenomenon is strictly hormonal and progressively disappears after the baby is born.

Protect your skin from UVA and UVB rays that are responsible for accenting the "mask" of pregnancy.

Use a day moisturizer with an SPF (Hydration-Plus Moisture Lotion SPF 15) or apply a protective sun treatment (SPF 15 minimum) over your regular moisturizer.

VARICOSE VEINS

Varicose veins on your legs or perineum are sometimes caused by pressure on the pelvic veins from your uterus. Long periods of standing or sitting can make them worse.

When you're sitting or lying down, try to keep your legs elevated.

Mild or moderate support hose or elastic stockings can help your circulation.

A brisk walk daily, in addition to moving and bending your legs throughout the day, is also enormously helpful.

DRYNESS AND ITCHING

When the skin on the abdomen becomes stretched, there may be a problem of dryness and itching. Relieving the itching by scratching the skin with the nails can make the problem worse.

Massage with oils helps to prevent dryness of the skin.

MASSAGES

Massage helps to minimize the problem of stretch marks on the abdomen and breasts, which is very common in pregnancy. Use circular strokes to massage the skin in these areas.

Stretch marks form when weight loss follows weight gain. By maintaining skin elasticity and resilience, the formation of stretch marks after pregnancy, is minimal.

Massage can decrease stress and improve relaxation, improve lymph drainage, have a balancing effect on glands, all of which are of huge benefit during pregnancy.

Muscle tension and stress decrease the nutrient absorption and slows down the toxin elimination necessary for normal, healthy cells.

BENEFITS OF MASSAGE

Releases endorphines

Helps with lymph drainage

Helps muscle tone

Promotes muscle elasticity

Minimizes spider veins

Reduces fatigue

Helps allleviate symptoms of morning sickness

Although it has its benefits, it is important to remember that massage can also be used to stimulate miscarriage. If prenatal massage is done improperly, the potential for miscarriage is very high.