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Lips during pregnancy: how to care. Little pregnancy problems: what causes the corners of the lips to crack

Dry and cracked lips are not a pleasant sight. The lips of the fair sex are a very sexy and attractive part of the face, so I would like to keep it in perfect shape. However, every woman, and more than once, wondered why they dry and crack, while delivering considerable discomfort. Not only is it just unpleasant, such a problem can lead to infection and various inflammation of the epidermis of the lips.

In order to take some measures and start treating chapped and dry lips, you need to determine the causes of this trouble.

Causes of the problem

  • There is a dependence of the condition of your lips on the season. If dry lips are observed in summer, then this most likely indicates a lack of moisture in the body. Increasing your daily water intake is likely to solve this problem. In winter, the lips, like other areas of the skin, are subject to bad weather - wind, snow, frost. Therefore, a thin layer of the upper epidermis of the lips should be covered with protective agents - hygienic, for example.
  • Dry lips can also be an allergic reaction to some individual components, incompatibility with individual components. Therefore, if the first problem definitely does not apply to you, then it is worth changing your toothpaste.
  • Smokers' lips dry much more strongly and more often than non-smokers. Inhalation of tobacco worsens not only the general condition of your body as a whole, but also the epidermis in particular.
  • Often, manufacturers of lipsticks, gloss and lip hygiene products add substandard colorants there, which can cause an allergic reaction. Women, not knowing this fact, paint their lips twice as often, trying to hide chapped lips, thereby aggravating their condition.
  • The condition of your lips depends on the food you eat. Such a dry effect can be caused by the spices contained in it.
  • Chapped and dry lips can be a sign of stress, during which a person involuntarily licks and bites their lips too often. This may be the reason why a respected child's lips are very dry, so it is worth taking a closer look at his behavior.
  • As you can see, there can be many reasons, so it is worth considering carefully and determining exactly your case. If none of the above points suits you, then it is quite possible that your body suffers from a lack of vitamins - A, B, E. Usually, in this case, a doctor prescribes a vitamin complex that restores balance in the body.
  • Many women during pregnancy wonder why lips dry, and how long will it last? In the early stages of this interesting situation in women, vitamin deficiency is also observed, even with a balanced diet. This is a consequence of the restructuring of the body and changes in hormonal levels during pregnancy. Again, the prescribed vitamin complex, the use of a large amount of fruits and vegetables can help here.

We solve the problem

It is necessary to identify the cause and fight against it. Daily lip massages with fingertips, a towel, or a wet toothbrush may help. It will take just a couple of minutes, and the effect will not be long in coming.

Lips love. You can moisturize your lips with commercially available hygiene products, but try to avoid the presence of colorants in them. The best remedy would be natural moisturizers - sea buckthorn oil, petroleum jelly, carrot juice, butter, vitamins A and E in oily form.

Changing lipstick, toothpaste, and eating habits can also help combat dry lips.

Healthy nutrition can be created using the secrets of traditional medicine. Such products have emollient and moisturizing properties, your lips will thank you more than once for your 20 minutes of time.

It is very important that with increased dryness there is a constant desire to lick them, thereby supposedly softening the skin. Here you will have to control your actions, because this brings additional harm and interferes with treatment. If a child's lips are very dry, then he will have to explain this fact and look after him, because often this is an involuntary reaction of our body that is difficult to control.

Nutritious and effective masks

For example, a sour cream mask for the skin of the lips is very useful. Dissolve a spoonful of lemon juice in a couple of tablespoons of sour cream. You can also add a couple of drops of any vegetable oil there. You can pamper your lips for 15-20 minutes.

Fruit care is also very good. To do this, for example, grate half of the peeled apple. Mix the resulting gruel with vegetable oil (a teaspoon) and apply the mixture on the lips, hold for 15-20 minutes, then wash them with warm water. In place of the apple, you can use cucumber, watermelon, apricot, banana and many other fruits.

Homemade balms also have nutritional and healing properties. For example, balsam from - grind fresh petals and mix with a tablespoon of lard. Store the infusion in the refrigerator and apply daily.

Be healthy and smile. After all, a smile is the most free and invaluable way to look beautiful.

If you notice that your labia have changed their color, then we advise you to do a pregnancy test first, and then, perhaps, visit a gynecologist. Because such symptoms are highly likely to indicate that conception occurred in the last menstrual cycle of a woman.

There are hardly many girls who regularly examine the color of their labia, but it is quite possible to notice such a change. Moreover: some couples notice this symptom very first, not even suspecting that pregnancy could occur. All in all, this is definitely worth talking about.

Every healthy, sexually mature woman regularly matures an egg, ready to potentially become the foremother of an unborn child. This happens at different times for everyone, but most often - around the middle of the menstrual cycle every or almost every month. After the release of the egg from the mature follicle, that is, after ovulation, the level of the hormone progesterone that has risen by this time remains high, creating favorable conditions for the onset and maintenance of pregnancy.

This will continue throughout the entire first trimester of pregnancy, and against the background of such hormonal changes, a pregnant woman can feel and observe a wide variety of signs of pregnancy, many of which sometimes seem unexpected or strange. These symptoms include changes in the labia at the earliest possible date.

In particular, both the labia minora and the labia majora in a pregnant woman can increase in size and change their color from the very first days. This is due to increased blood circulation in the pelvic organs, which is necessary for the full provision of the fetus with oxygen and nutrients that come with the blood.

For this reason, the labia of a pregnant woman can become poured, enlarged, and swollen. Such changes are noticeable already from the first weeks, but also often appear only by the second or third trimesters. As the gestation period increases, the muscle tissues in the body of the expectant mother become more elastic and resilient, and among them are the labia.

With a tendency to varicose veins and thrombophlebitis in the labia during pregnancy, seals may occur, nodes - enlarging veins appear. This situation should not be ignored. Although this, as a rule, does not pose a great danger, there are still some risks, and therefore, if inflamed areas in the labia are found, it is imperative to tell the doctor about this. The same applies to other formations on this organ: rashes, erosions, seals.

In addition to the size, the color of the labia also very often changes during pregnancy. And that shouldn't scare you.

Crimson, dark red labia during pregnancy

It should be noted that the color of the labia is different for all women, and for each of them it can change at different periods of life. This feature is highly individual, and can vary in different colors and shades - from beige to black, from pale light to very dark or saturated.

Most all women usually have pink labia. But whatever their color you have, and with the onset of pregnancy, their color and shade may change.

After conception, the labia that were pale or dimly red before the labia often become deep red, purple, dark, as if inflamed. Do not worry: such changes, as we have already said, are the absolute norm, if, in addition to them, there are no "suspicious" vaginal discharge, itching, burning and other pathological symptoms.

Also, do not be surprised if during pregnancy only one labia changes color, and the second remains unchanged: this also happens normally.

Blue labia during pregnancy

The blueness of the labia during pregnancy is a very common early sign. As a rule, at about the same time, the areoles of the nipples on the breast darken: sometimes they also turn blue, but more often they acquire a dark brown color. The venous mesh on the chest may also show through.

Blue labia in a pregnant woman can also become with varicose veins, which is observed in about a third of women who become pregnant for the first time and in most of re-pregnant women. Overweight pregnant women and women genetically predisposed to this are at risk.

Most often, this condition is temporary and harmless: shortly before childbirth or shortly after it, it goes away on its own. But sometimes the blue labia during pregnancy begin to hurt and bleed, which needs to be told to the doctor. He will prescribe you an anti-inflammatory ointment, and also recommend you to wear special compression underwear without seams, not to sit up and not stand for a long time in one place, move more and lie only on your side.

Also note that blue tissue in this area can occur even in non-pregnant women due to wearing tight synthetic underwear, aggressive sex, very early onset of sexual activity, and also with age.

Black labia during pregnancy

Sometimes on the forums you can find messages that in women during pregnancy the labia became very dark, almost black. It scares and worries some of them, but there is no cause for concern.

The color of the labia during pregnancy can actually not only darken a lot, but actually turn gray or black. Moreover, approximately 2-3% of fair-skinned women in the world have this color of mucous membranes in the perineum as their normal norm.

If nothing else bothers you besides the color, then there is no need to worry. If you are not yet confident in your pregnancy, then when you change the color of the labia, you should dot the "i": it's time to buy a test.

Especially for - Ekaterina Vlasenko

During pregnancy, the expectant mother is wary of any disease. This is understandable, because the development of the baby depends on her health. Throughout the entire period of gestation, a woman's immunity is in a physiological suppressed state, therefore, all kinds of diseases now and then cling to and aggravate. What to do if herpes appears on the lips in the early stages of pregnancy, is it worth panicking and how to be treated?

Read in this article

Reasons for the appearance

The rashes on the lips, familiar to all, are manifestations of the herpes simplex virus (HSV) of the first type. This is a classic habitat for it, but it can also exist on the genitals of women and men. The herpes virus of the second type also causes identical rashes, it can be rarely found on the lips, but the cervix and other structures of the genitals are a favorite place.

According to the WHO, around the world, about 65% of people are carriers of HSV of the first type, and about 15% of the second. But if you investigate immunity, then almost 100% have antibodies to this pathogen. The whole point is as follows.

Every person after birth at some point is faced with the herpes virus. Depending on the state of its immunity, this pathogen is either completely destroyed, or the disease disappears clinically, but the microorganism itself remains in tissues for life, namely in the structures of the nervous system.

In the latter case, as soon as the body is in a state of immunodeficiency (including during pregnancy), the virus is activated, the clinical picture is clearly visible: bubble-shaped rashes appear, preceded by itching and burning in this place, then crusts appear, but gradually everything goes away.

However, the virus is still constantly in the nerve cells that approach this place. It is located there in an inactive state until a certain time.

In order for infection to occur, a source of infection is required. Primarily, the herpes virus can enter the body in the following ways:

  • The contact-household transmission mechanism implies the ingress of the virus with a towel, linen, dishes and other household items, if a person with manifestations of herpes does not have separate ones.
  • The sexual route of infection is quite common, and oral-genital contacts lead to the fact that the border between the habitat of HSV types 1 and 2 is erased. That is, they can be found with equal probability both on the lips and on the genitals.
  • Airborne droplets are not always implemented, more often with close contact, for example, when talking with a sick person, viruses can get to a healthy person with droplets of saliva.
  • The vertical route of transmission is from the sick mother to the fetus. And if for a woman the herpes virus does not pose a particular danger, it can have a rather serious effect on a developing fetus. It all depends on the frequency of recurrence of the infection, the presence of concomitant pathology and many more factors.

So, during pregnancy, a woman's body experiences an immunodeficiency, which is necessary in order to endure half of the foreign genetic material. But on the other hand, this leads to the fact that various infections, including herpes, often appear at this time.

Where can be localized

Depending on the variant of the first contact with the virus, the clinical picture of the disease will depend. Most often, rashes appear in the area of ​​the lips, oral mucosa (soft and hard palate, gums, etc.), and also not uncommon and herpes in the nose in early pregnancy. Less commonly, the eyes and other organs (lungs, bronchi, etc.) are affected. The more pronounced the immunodeficiency, the more areas are affected and the more severe the infection progresses.

During the sexual route of infection, foci appear on the mucous membrane and skin of the labia, and upon examination, pathogens are found both on the cervix and in the cervical canal.

Is herpes dangerous?

Herpes of any type and type is a rather dangerous infection. This is due to the fact that these viruses multiply and directly change the cell nucleus, which contains the genetic material. It is because of this that herpes often leads to the threat of miscarriage, miscarriage, pathology of the placenta and amniotic fluid.

The following clinical options are relevant:

  • Infrequent (once every few months) herpes on the lips, mucous membrane of the mouth or nose should not cause much concern to the expectant mother. The fact is that her blood contains antibodies to this pathogen, so the immune system will immediately capture it even before it could penetrate the fetus and harm it. In this case, it will be enough to use local creams or ointments, as well as simply treat the affected area with an antiseptic.
  • Frequent herpes on the lips with the defeat of several zones should concern the expectant mother. Despite the fact that this is not even the first case of herpes, large affected areas may indicate the presence of some kind of immunodeficiency condition (the most unpleasant one is HIV). Frequent relapses do not pose a significant danger to the developing embryo, but they require certain treatment with antiviral drugs, interferons, vitamins, etc. are also added.
  • Herpes on the labia is also common in pregnant women. If these are several rashes in the early stages, and the episodes do not recur, most likely, the disease will not affect the embryo in any way. But permanent foci will lead to the spread of viruses, he can get to the baby in an ascending way.
  • Herpes in the cervical canal is the greatest danger to the embryo. Directly from here, it is very easy for viral elements to penetrate the placenta or amniotic fluid and directly to the developing baby.

Thus, it becomes clear how dangerous herpes is in early pregnancy. In each case, the risk is different. Unambiguously, the less frequent the repetitions of the disease, the less the likelihood of harmful effects.

As for the duration of pregnancy, it is dangerous to occur in the early stages, as well as on the eve of childbirth, since at this time the risk of infection of the child and the development of unpleasant consequences will be slightly higher. You should be especially careful with genital herpes, as the path to the embryo in this case is significantly reduced.

Watch the video about the disease:

Treating the virus

The most adequate treatment regimen can be prescribed only by a specialist after studying the entire clinical picture and talking with the expectant mother. The acute period, recurrence of herpes in early pregnancy, or primary infection have similar treatment principles.

The main areas of therapy are as follows:

  • Antiviral treatment- the main thing, acyclovir is most often used for this, since its safety during pregnancy has been confirmed by many years of use in medicine in this group of patients. However, there is no reliable data, so even its appointment should be taken seriously.

Acyclovir is prescribed for the primary onset of herpes, in this case, the usual dose will be higher than the average, in the range of 0.4 - 0.8 g up to 5 times a day for 7 - 10 days. If this is a relapse of the disease, the amount of the drug taken is halved. Local use of the gel is popular and effective for small foci and rare episodes of the disease.

  • Means that enhance the body's natural antiviral defenses. This includes preparations of interferon and its inducers, immunomodulators, as well as drugs based on bifidobacteria. The duration of treatment with them can affect the entire period of gestation.
  • Vitamins and antioxidant complexes in courses of 10-14 days.
  • With severe pain or edema, anti-inflammatory drugs are prescribed, for example, ibuprofen and the like.

Treating herpes in early pregnancy also includes following basic hygiene practices to prevent other areas from being affected, as well as to prevent transmission of the virus to other family members. They include the following:

  • for the duration of the illness, it is better to allocate separate dishes in order to minimize the spread of the pathogen;
  • towels and other hygiene items must also be individual;
  • you should refrain from intimate relationships and even kissing during treatment;
  • in no case need to rip off the crusts, there are still active viruses under them;
  • if a girl uses contact lenses, it is necessary to very carefully handle her hands before the procedure;
  • it is advisable to apply all medicinal creams and ointments with a cotton swab or something similar, and not with your hands.

Prevention of reappearance

Despite the fact that this virus can have a serious effect on a developing baby only in 3 - 5% of cases, it is better if herpes and pregnancy do not occur in the early stages. To do this, prevention of the disease should be carried out, especially in those women who are characterized by relapses, for example, on the eve of menstruation, after ARVI, etc.

  • The main thing with a tendency to recurrent infection is to strengthen the immune system. This includes both hardening, regular ventilation of the premises, and the use of interferon preparations and its inducers throughout the entire gestation period.
  • Laser blood irradiation gives good long-term results, but it should be done before pregnancy, when planning.
  • Vaccination against HSV of the first and second types is also effective, which will help create reliable immunity against this infection.

Herpetic infection is a serious disease that indicates a defect in some link in the immune system in case of frequent relapses. The appearance of rashes on the lips several times during pregnancy will not have a significant effect on the development of the baby.

But with frequent episodes, as well as with the location of foci in the genital area, you should definitely consult a doctor. Only a specialist can say how to treat herpes in the early stages of pregnancy or already in the second or third trimesters is effective and safe for mom and baby.

Dry lips during pregnancy is a very common problem. She does not pose a serious danger to the expectant mother and her baby, but it causes discomfort. Should I see a doctor?

Physiological causes

Starting from the moment of conception, the mother's body is rebuilt to carry and give birth to a child. Changes in hormone levels in the early stages are often accompanied by toxicosis: a woman is sick even after a light meal. It is quite predictable that in this state you do not want to drink or eat.

Such a forced diet leads to dehydration. Dehydration is harmful to both the woman and the fetus. She can provoke:

Lips dry out at the beginning of pregnancy and due to a lack of vitamins: if the amount of nutrients in the diet is insufficient, the growing baby consumes the reserves of the mother's body. In this case, not only dryness is observed, but also accompanying symptoms - cracks, sores in the corners of the lips. The most noticeable effect on a woman's appearance is the deficiency of tocopherol, retinol and ascorbic acid.

If a woman's lips not only dry in the early stages of pregnancy, but also swell, this is a symptom of puffiness. The reason again lies in the wrong diet, and especially in the passion for salty foods. It should be understood that reducing the amount of fluid you drink daily will not relieve the expectant mother from edema. Severe swelling can indicate impaired renal function, therefore, requires consultation with a doctor.

Dry lips are accompanied by some infectious diseases - candidiasis. Often they are present in the body in a latent form, and are manifested due to a decrease in immunity caused by pregnancy. If dryness is accompanied by rashes in the form of small blisters, itching, the disease must be treated urgently.

Due to the increase in the volume of blood circulating in the body, the lips often not only dry out, but also acquire a more juicy shade. This phenomenon is normal and does not pose any threat to a woman.

External factors

Sometimes dryness of the skin and mucous membranes has nothing to do with the processes taking place in the mother's body. It can be caused by:

Most of the external factors are easy to eliminate: just install a room humidifier and use hypoallergenic cosmetics during pregnancy.

Treatment methods

If dry lips during pregnancy cause severe discomfort, you can cure it in one of the following ways:

Dryness in early pregnancy caused by maternal remodeling usually goes away on its own. If this did not happen, you should think about your own eating habits. Try to eliminate smoked, fried, and overly salty foods from your diet. Balanced, correct and regular nutrition will appeal not only to you, but also to your growing baby.

During the period of bearing a child, a woman has to face new sensations that arise in the early or late stages. During pregnancy, new conditions arise, to which the body and the expectant mother herself must adapt. Quite often, unpleasant symptoms arise that I would like to get rid of as soon as possible. Among them are pain in the labia. Many are looking for an explanation of why this is happening and whether there is some hidden threat in this. But a complete answer can be obtained by contacting a doctor.

General information

The labia are folds formed by the skin and mucous membrane. They run from the pubis to the perineum, covering the vaginal opening, clitoris, and urethra. There are two pairs of labia in total: large and small. The former are designed to protect the vagina from external factors and maintain a normal temperature regime in it. They contain sebaceous and bartholin glands and are also covered with pigmented skin.

The small lips are located under the large ones, directly surrounding the vestibule of the vagina, and in front they pass into the clitoris. As a rule, they have a bright pink hue, and in some girls they protrude from the genital slit. The small lips are well supplied with blood and have a large number of nerve receptors.

Causes

The labia undergo physiological changes during pregnancy. This is not a deviation from the norm, but is considered as a natural consequence of hormonal changes. In the blood, the concentration of progesterone, a hormone responsible for preparing for pregnancy and its preservation, increases. It dilates blood vessels and stimulates blood flow to the genitals. Therefore, there is swelling of the labia. As a result, they acquire a somewhat bluish tint and become more pigmented.

The above phenomena should not cause concern, since after childbirth they disappear without a trace. But other situations in which the labia ache during pregnancy should make you think. We can talk about the following conditions:

  1. Vulvovaginitis.
  2. Bartholinitis.
  3. Genital herpes.
  4. Venous varicose veins.
  • Violation of the rules of intimate hygiene.
  • Wearing synthetic or tight underwear.
  • Individual hypersensitivity to tampons or pads.
  • Intolerance to certain foods.
  • Imbalance of the vaginal microflora.
  • Emotional and mental stress.

To establish the cause of discomfort in the labia, the likelihood of each of the listed factors should be considered. And by minimizing their influence, you can significantly facilitate the life of a pregnant woman.

The reasons due to which the labia can swell during pregnancy include physiological conditions and certain pathology (local or general).

Symptoms

In order for the doctor to have the opportunity to create a complete picture of the changes taking place, he must conduct a survey of the patient and a physical examination - gynecological and clinical. First, they find out, analyze and detail the complaints presented by the woman. During pregnancy, there may be vague discomfort in the labia or even pain. Therefore, their nature should be determined:

  1. Blunt or sharp.
  2. Aching, shooting, throbbing.
  3. Local or spilled.
  4. Permanent or periodic.
  5. Weak, moderate, or strong.
  6. Arising at rest or under some influence (touch, movement).

Be sure to evaluate the appearance, that is, the size and color of the labia during pregnancy, determine if there is puffiness, rash, plaque or other formations. Other symptoms that may worry a woman in position are also taken into account.

Vulvovaginitis

Inflammation of the labia is quite common. As a rule, it occurs secondary to changes in the vagina and can be provoked by various pathogens, including specific ones (gonococci, Trichomonas, chlamydia, candida). The symptoms of vulvovaginitis are as follows:

  • Redness and swelling of the labia.
  • Burning and itching in the vagina and perineum.
  • Vaginal discharge and plaque on the lips.

The presence of a specific pathogen can be assumed by the nature of the pathological discharge. For example, with gonorrhea, they have a purulent appearance, and candidiasis is characterized by a cheesy bloom. Quite often, the infection spreads to the urethra, which provokes cramps at the beginning of urination.

Bartholinitis

When the glands at the base of the labia majora become inflamed, they speak of bartholinitis. This disease is provoked by various microbial flora penetrating through the excretory ducts. As a result, the following signs are observed:

  • Pain and swelling of the labia.
  • Discomfort during intercourse.
  • The appearance of seals around the vagina.

In this case, the edema of the labia during pregnancy is often asymmetric, it can even be one-sided. If acute inflammation is not eliminated in time, then the infection can progress with the development of an abscess. And in a chronic process, the iron is often clogged, turning into a cyst.

The labia can be sore due to bartholinitis, an inflammation of the glands that produce mucous lubricant.

Genital herpes

Herpetic eruptions can be found on the labia. In women in position, there is a decrease in immune reactivity, which allows the virus to escape from its shelter and cause characteristic inflammation. On the reddened and slightly edematous skin or mucous membrane, rashes appear in the form of vesicles filled with transparent contents. They tend to merge and are accompanied by pain, burning sensation, itching. When the elements of the rash burst, crusts form in their place.

Herpes infection is dangerous for a child, especially during his passage through the birth canal. But there are also cases of intrauterine infection. The disease is at the greatest risk in the early stages, since the virus can have a teratogenic effect, provoking various anomalies and malformations of the fetus.

Venous varicose veins

If the labia are swollen in late pregnancy, then venous varicose veins cannot be ruled out. This situation is quite common when carrying a child, which is associated with the influence of hormones and an enlarged uterus on the vessels of the small pelvis. Those who previously had signs of venous insufficiency, for example, on the lower extremities, are at risk for varicose veins during pregnancy.

The labia become enlarged and cyanotic. The woman feels a heaviness in the perineum, which increases in an upright or sitting position. Signs of varicose veins can also be seen on the legs. Expanded areas and nodes can form there. This situation is not as simple as it seems, since there is a possibility of complications: venous thrombosis and subsequent embolism.

Additional diagnostics

To find out the reasons due to which the labia may swell and ache while carrying a child, a woman will have to undergo an additional examination. Diagnostic measures consist of laboratory and instrumental methods that can confirm and clarify the nature of the pathological process. These include:

  1. General blood and urine tests.
  2. Blood biochemistry (indicators of inflammation, antibodies to infections, coagulogram, glucose, liver, kidney tests, etc.).
  3. Analysis of selections and smears.
  4. Colposcopy.

Based on the research results, it is possible to draw a final conclusion and plan further treatment measures. Each pathology requires appropriate correction, and the earlier it is carried out, the better the pregnant woman will feel. Active therapy will avoid complications and the return of unpleasant symptoms.