Botox Q&A

64%

WORTH IT RATING

854 Reviews

Ask a Question

View Before and Afters

Average Botox Cost: $425

Learn about Botox

3,018 people and 923 doctors are talking about Botox

Get Free Email Updates

How Can I Remove my Pregnancy Mask?

asked 1 year ago by Donna Ellis in San Jose, CA
Latest answer by Michele S. Green, MD
Question viewed 1,196 times
Tags: face, wrinkles, female, eye bags, pregnancy mask

I have brown patches on my face like the pregnancy mask I had so many years ago. How can I make it go away? Also I have bags under my eyes and wrinkles as well, should I get Botox or a chemical peel?

12 answers to How Can I Remove my Pregnancy Mask?

Melasma, Bags Under Eyes, etc.

Hi Donna. You packed quite a few issues into this short question. For Melasma, the pregnancy mask, we recommend high strength bleaching programs with hydroquinone. Our programs vary between 6% - 8%, which is higher than the normal prescription. As for the bags under the eyes, we would either recommend a lower Blepharoplasty or Restylane injections depending on how loose the skin is. Finally, Botox can be great for wrinkles, but it depends where they are... more

Harold J. Kaplan, MD
Los Angeles Facial Plastic Surgeon

www.celibre.com

How Can I Remove my Pregnancy Mask? Lower Bags?

Hi Donna. I agree with what has been said up until now. Creams will help your pigmentation, and the bags would probably need surgery, depending on how bad the bags are. In terms of your wrinkles, possibly a chemical peel or laser would do the trick. If you will have laser for the wrinkles, you might want to consider lasering your whole face and then the pigmentation could be treated that way as well. With a proper consultation, the physician could go through all... more

Sam Goldberger, MD
Beverly Hills Oculoplastic Surgeon

Dark patches after pregnancy on face? Eye Bags?

The pigmentation correction can be attained by a comination of hydroquinone, Retin A, hydrocortisone, and sunscreen. Occasionall light peels to speed things along. This is 100% correctable but requires evangelical participation by the patient. Absolute sun protection is necessary. The hydroquinone permamnently reduces the melanocytes ability to produce pigment. The Retin A gets the hydroquinone into the deeper layers and helps peel away upper layer... more

George Commons, MD
Palo Alto Plastic Surgeon

Melasma is a treatable but preventable condition

The most important thing to do in order to prevent Melasma is to use a high degree of Sunscreen. Most cases could have been avoided with proper instruction of the photoprotection needed when pregnant. If you develop melasma, either from pregnancy or birth control pills there are a few very good treatments. A combination of retinoids, hydroquinones, bleaching agents, and topical chemical peels are usually the best treatment. The Fraxel Dual, using the 1927 has been... more

Michele S. Green, MD
New York Dermatologist

Removing the mask of pregnancy

Botox is not going to help with any discoloration that has resulted from pregnancy. This "mask" is called melasma and the best treatment would be a skin care regimine designed for this purpose.

Theodore Diktaban, MD
Manhattan Facial Plastic Surgeon

Melasma fraxel and lower eyelid wrinkles

Before you attempt to treat lower eyelid wrinkles with chemical peels or fraxel laser, remember that your skin is prone to develop post inflammatory hyperpigmentation because of your melasma, or pigmentation, mask of pregnancy. Any resurfacing treatment provides the risk of developing post inflammatory hyperpigmenation and as you are susceptible to this, you should not have a treatment without a test spot done or the most conservative settings employed. Melasma can be treated... more

Ronald Shelton, MD
Manhattan Dermatologist

Removing Pregnancy Mask

Step 1 would be using a broad-spectrum sunscreen that blocks UVA and UVB rays, high in SPF (greater than 50) and protecting the face as much as possible, wearing sunglasses and a wide-brimmed hat. Step 2 would be to wear a concealer or foundation on top of the sunscreen -- this will not only hide the discoloration but the main ingredient in foundation is titanium dioxide, which will act as a second layer of protection as a sunblock. Step 3 is to see a skilled dermatologist -- you may... more

Deborah Sarnoff, MD
New York Dermatologic Surgeon

Removal of Pregnancy Mask

Peels and/or bleaching creames are the best options to treat the increased pigmentation. The lower lid bags can be removed or the fat repositioned if you have grooves at the lower border of your eyelids. Botox will be helpful If the wrinkles are caused by animation, depending on their location. If the wrinkles are always present, skin resurfacing with a laser or chemical peel would be the treatment of choice.

Richard W. Fleming, MD
Beverly Hills Facial Plastic Surgeon

Pregancy mask?

I assume you mean hyperpigmentation that occurred with pregnancy. This is called melasma and can be treated in many different ways. I usually offer my patients skin care products which will gradually lighten the areas.

Steven Wallach, MD
Manhattan Plastic Surgeon

Lower lid bags and hyperpigmentation.

As the other doctors have said, Peels are probably going to be your best solution. Bags require a lower lid blepharoplasty and this is done thru an outer or inner incision.

Toby Mayer, MD
Beverly Hills Facial Plastic Surgeon

Treatment for a Pregnancy Mask

There are several treatment options for patches of hyperpigmentation on the face. For small areas, freezing the skin with liquid nitrogen is simple and effective. For larger areas, an Obagi NuDerm program can produce remarkable improvement over several months. TCA chemical peels can be used for really stubborn problems.

Mitchell Schwartz, MD
South Burlington Dermatologic Surgeon

dorsetstreetdermatology.com

Lower Eyelid Bags & Mask of Pregnancy

I feel that the best treatment of your eyelid deformity would probably be a lower lid blepharoplasty (photos would have been helpful). This can sometimes be familial and occurs in relatively young people. Botox and fillers would be temporary and would need to be repeated if helpful at all. An Obagi or Dermesse skin care regimen is the best way of treating your mask of pregnancy.