My Postpartum Skin Journey (2022)

As a freelance social media manger and makeup artist, I didn’t like that I couldn’t seem to find sufficient time on hand to sit down and really get down to blogging about my skin update (especially about my acne-prone skin) and skincare/beauty reviews. But now that I’ve survived my postpartum (the dreaded fourth trimester), I reckon there really shouldn’t be any reason for me to procrastinate any further, and so I think it’s worth documenting some Q&As of my skin condition during and post-pregnancy with you here. Plus it’s easier to read and friendlier to the eyes! (:

But before we dive in to the Q&As, here’s my latest life updates.

To those of you who’re new here or don’t know yet, I became pregnant in 2021 (after trying to conceive for close to 5 years) and now I’m been promoted in life - into a mama to an incredibly bright, sweet, adorable and handsome baby boy, Elijah! God has indeed been so so so good and faithful! (‘:

I vividly remember the moment I found out I was pregnant - and it was exactly on my hubby’s birthday, 13th July 2021. I broke down in happy tears. All of a sudden, I felt as if my whole world and lifestyle were about to change for good, and God was about to bring forth the miracle I’ve been praying and pining for years. During my pregnancy, I became really conscious about my body, growing bump, and even the food I consumed. I really prayed hard for my baby, and there’s nothing in the world I wouldn’t trade for him to be born into this world healthy, happy, and whole.

For the most part of my pregnancy, it was smooth. I stayed away from all raw food, and cold drinks, except for the final few weeks where I actually drank iced latte to gain back some sanity. I consumed antenatal vitamins and fruits daily to aid nutrients absorption for my baby’s development and generally took it easy throughout my pregnancy - even doing regular prenatal home workouts. In essence, I was pretty much thriving at home as a pregger. LOLLLLLL.

Even though I contracted COVID 10 days before my EDD which made my pregnancy tougher than I had anticipated, I soldiered on and continued to pray for God’s protection and for a smooth and safe delivery for baby on his EDD. I think I surprised myself with how strong and empowered I was as a mother-to-be from the get-go!

Finally, on 16th March 2022, my sweet baby boy, Elijah Loh was born into this world, after a full 12 hours labour with some unexpected twists in my delivery.

So yep, that’s pretty much my latest life update, with a new addition to my family #mckingdom. I love my baby soooooooooo much already and I can’t wait to feature more of him here and on my social media platforms as well. But for now, let’s get down to the purpose of this post. (:

Pre-Pregnancy, During, Postpartum Skin And Wellbeing Q&A

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Pre-Pregnancy, During, Postpartum Skin And Wellbeing Q&A 〰️

**Q. What was my skin like before pregnancy?**

My skin has always leaned towards the oiler, sensitive and dry side, which contributed to cystic acne since my secondary days. My skin was almost impossible to deal with. Thankfully, after starting a series of acne treatments with Dr. Gerard Eee at The Clifford Clinic since 2015, my hormonal acne cleared up ever since, and yes, I’m still with them to this day. *does a happy ‘lil dance*

Here’s sharing my before and after photos - you can see how my skin was so angry, red, and inflamed when I first started my acne-free journey!

Still some pigmentation, but so so so so so much better.

No two skins are alike. Similarly, the same treatment may yield different results for different individuals. So here are just some of the treatments I’ve done that have worked well for my skin to soothe, clear, hydrate, and haven’t created congestion and breakouts:

AGNES Acne Treatment
Q-switch Laser
Hydrafacial (My trusty monthly facial to prevent acne breakout and to win back a soft glow! I know I can count on this as my go-to facial treatment if/when I do get pregnant next time! :p)
Bellasonic Facial
Edge Fractional Laser
Vbeam Laser

To read more about my acne-free skin journey, head over to the following links.

Acne Treatment (Part I) - Agnes Acne

Acne Treatment (Part II) - Agnes Acne + Q-switch laser

Acne Treatment (Part III) - Agnes Acne + Q-switch laser

Vbeam Laser

I enjoy sharing occasionally about my skin journey and condition on my social media as well. Have a follow if you will!

IG: @sherlenelian

I’ve also shared The Clifford Clinic’s details below should you be keen to enquire about the pricing.

Opening Hours: Mon to Fri: 10am to 8pm | Sat: 10 am to 2pm | Sun: Closed
Address: 24 Raffles Place, #01-03 Clifford Centre, Singapore 048621
Tel:+65 6532 2400
Website: www.cliffordclinic.com | Email: thecliffordclinic@gmail.com

p.s. Kindly call up the clinic for more information and secure a consultation with the doctors prior to getting the right targeted treatment for your skin condition (:

**Q. What was my skin like during pregnancy?**

In hindsight, during my pregnancy, I was blessed with minimal skin issues.

My skin was generally calm and under control, and I enjoyed the subtle “pregnancy glow”.

In addition, I was consciously making effort to take better care of myself, by practising healthier habits such as eating well, getting more naps and sleep and drinking more water to keep my skin hydrated. Oh, and going for my monthly Hydrafacial at The Clifford Clinic. (:

While I occasionally still deal with mild breakouts around my jaw and chin area especially during my pregnancy, but it’s already so so much better.

Anyways, here’s sharing some photos from my maternity shoot. ^^

Body wise, I also generously applied a number of body and belly oils (my favorite being Clarins Huile!) to tone up my belly and potentially reduce the appearance of stretch marks from the second trimester onwards. I would highly recommend it to anyone!

**Q. What has my skin OR SKINCARE been like after giving birth?**

I’ll be honest though. Since giving birth to Elijah, I have been so tired due to frequent night wake-ups so I feel like a lot of the goodness I’m putting into my body is being used up here! I began seeing dark spots around my eyes and cheeks region. It was super frustrating to get pigmentation, especially around both of my eye areas for the first time in my thirties, and I was nervous about whether they’ll continue to spread to other parts of my face.

I’ve also noticed my skin feeling dehydrated and I can certainly see my fine lines and enlarged pores more clearly as a result. On top of that, I think I’ve been pretty consistent with my skincare maintenance regime. And so I figured pregnancy hormones were to blame. I’m trying to find the time to take care of myself but it’s a challenge with a 17 week old so things that are quick to do/use take priority.

sherlene lian postpartum skin — *#nofilter*

For now, to reduce any potential hormonal acne flare-ups postpartum, I’m just about managing a simple but effective 3-step routine so can’t imagine trying to incorporate anything more than that. My skincare staples revolve around using #skinceuticals products, especially their C E Ferulic Acid to lighten up my pigmentation marks. Perhaps I’ll throw in more products when I feel that my skin is ready to amp up the goodness! For maintenance wise, I’ve resumed doing monthly Q-switch laser treatment with The Clifford Clinic!

I’m looking to incorporate more targeted laser treatments in the near future though, especially to reduce the melasma around my eyes and to improve my skin texture and appearance of pores. So let’s see about that!

Q. How has my mental wellbeing been affected since giving birth? Any challenges?

The change in my postpartum body size and shape topped the list!

I was initially anxious with a widened pelvic and hips after giving birth, and I just didn’t recognise the face and body that was staring right back at me after shower. However, as the days flew by, I told myself that having my baby was already a miracle, so rather than focusing on the negatives, why not choose to celebrate what my body has created? And I did just that. But really, the adjustment and shift in mindset can be difficult on some days…

In addition, keeping an active lifestyle has been a challenge. I never realised the fourth trimester would make me so weak and vulnerable - physically, mentally, and emotionally. Like most mamas, I struggle to believe that I will ever bounce back to my pre-baby weight and even exercise routine. A month into postpartum, I found myself unable to fit into most of my pre-pregnancy clothes, and at that moment, I felt so bad about myself. At the time, I really struggled to find time to do anything for my own physical or mental well-being. Looking after myself seemed so far down the list of priorities in those early weeks, because I was so consumed with getting to grips with how to be a mama to bb Elijah.

Now, I’m certainly more mindful about my own thoughts and actions, that I should craft more intentional time for myself, with my spouse, and to treat any other pockets of free time as a bonus. And that it’s absolutely okay to honour my own demands and to feel what I am feeling (even during the not-so-good and sleep-deprived days). I’m looking to bring healthy back by staying active on the go with my baby! My hubby and I started to go for evening stroll with bb Elijah nearby our neighbourhood to breathe in fresh air and to catch the sunset, so I suppose it’s these little things that bring me joy in my day, however small they might be. #simplejoys

Lastly, I just wanna say this to all mamas (especially new mamas):