Unpacking souvenirs after a joyful holiday is possibly the most exciting part of transitioning back to reality. That's only the case when they include the likes of wall plates from Sicily and straw totes from Bali. If it's a beauty worry you've brought back in your baggage, not so much. That was the case for Twinkle Khanna, who returned from a vacation recently, but with an unfortunate companion i.e. melasma. In a video on Tweak, Twinkle said, "I'm back from a family vacation and though we had great fun, I didn't get back souvenirs, exotic foods, not even a fridge magnet. I got back a melasma flare-up. This bin bulaya mehman has been living with me since my second pregnancy and nobody warned me about it. Everyone gives you tips about breastfeeding and hair loss but this problem has been a well-kept secret." Melasma is a skin pigmentation disorder in which patches and spots of discolouration appear on the face and body. Hormonal changes, genetics and sun exposure are causative factors for melasma, which is why it commonly occurs post pregnancy.
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Twinkle has learned from facing post-pregnancy melasma, saying, "Now every time I see a pregnant woman, I'm going to whisper "tranexamic acid, niacinamide and sunscreen" and hopefully, that'll save her from this." While sunscreen is a skincare basic to prevent UV damage and tanning, niacinamide is a form of vitamin B3 that is believed to work on hyperpigmentation while tranexamic acid is said to reduce discolouration. Tempting though it may seem to try out if one faces the skin problem; it is best run by a medical expert before you treat melasma.
Besides beauty, Twinkle also spoke about the importance of self-care when one has children. Giving valuable advice to parents, she said, "Everyone expects us to be Mother India and focus all our energies on the child. Let me tell you - the child will grow up, go to college and you will still be living with melasma. So give yourself permission to take care of yourself and your skin. As those annoying airline announcements say, put on your mask before helping others. That would also apply to a face mask." It's great advice for new parents and beauty aficianados alike.
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