As we all know, women may have certain reactions after pregnancy, such as amenorrhea, breast swelling, nausea and vomiting, which is normal. However, some people may experience pigmentation in addition to breast swelling after pregnancy. So, why do nipples turn black after pregnancy?
According to normal physiological changes in the human body, women secrete a large amount of luteinizing hormone during their menstrual cycle, and melanocytes are stimulated by luteinizing hormone to secrete a large amount of melanin. Therefore, the areola and nipple will darken and deepen during the menstrual cycle. But this is a normal pregnancy change, there is no need to worry, it will gradually disappear after childbirth.
Not only do women experience blackening of their nipples and areolas during pregnancy, but there are also other areas that noticeably darken during pregnancy. For example, the commonly known melasma is a problem that troubles every woman. Women may develop gestational melasma on their face after 3 to 5 months of pregnancy, which gradually subsides after delivery.
If melanocytes are not only activated by hormones, external stimuli such as ultraviolet radiation can also greatly increase the number of melanocytes. The occurrence of pigmentation such as melasma and freckles is due to the presence of melanocytes under the skin that can produce melanin. Therefore, as the number of weeks of pregnancy increases, pregnancy related liver spots, mainly pigmentation and freckles, will appear under the eyes, while melanin in the areola and nipple will be more visible than before pregnancy.
