The rumor is circulating on TikTok that the nose grows during pregnancy, relayed by pregnant women, in videos where we see them before and during their pregnancy. The objective: Show to what extent this period has transformed their physique, and more particularly, their nose, which triples in size!
Under the hashtags #PregnancyJourney or #PregancyNose (which has 184.2 million posts), these young mothers sow doubt (and sometimes fear) in the hearts of those who have not yet had a child. Is there any reason to worry? We verified this information with Dr. Arnaud Lambert, founder of the Aesthé aesthetic medicine centers.
Yes, “the nose can grow” during pregnancy
“It is undeniable that during pregnancy, there are physiological changes,” says Dr. Arnaud Lambert. He first explains that “under the effect of hormones, the estrogen peak can cause an overproduction of sebum.” As a result, the sebaceous glands enlarge and therefore, “the nose can get bigger because it is an oily area.” However, this can be treated with a suitable routine containing ingredients that will regulate seborrhea (niacinamide or salicylic acid for example).
On the other hand, Dr. Lambert “finds it hard to believe that the nose, alone, can change volume so much.” There are other factors. This larger nose is certainly also “linked to weight gain”, adds the doctor. Each person’s body is different, so some may store more fat on their face. A slightly bigger nose, certainly, but also more cheeks, it’s not just the nose that takes…
Moral of the story: “These changes are only temporary.” A bigger nose won’t stay that way after giving birth! “Pregnancy is not a disease,” continues the founder of Aesthé. If even Pinocchio’s nose eventually shrinks, you have to be patient.
Side effects of pregnancy and their solutions
Other changes that TikTokers encounter include pigment spots, an uneven and darker complexion across the entire face. This is quite common, “it is the pregnancy mask, also called melasma,” explains Dr. Lambert. To anticipate it, you should avoid sun exposure and apply daily sun protection factor 50 + against UVA and UVB. If this is not enough, you can turn to aesthetic medicine solutions such as peeling or laser, only after giving birth, because the doctor says: “these spots can take several months to disappear.”
Another social media anxiety: stretch marks. To prevent them, the doctor encourages you to “massage your body and hydrate well”. “90% of women have them”. If you want to fade them, you have to treat them after giving birth, using laser or microneedling. But be careful, the marks must still be young otherwise it will not be effective.
Dr. Aranud Lambert also points out that these side effects “vary from one pregnancy to another” and “should in no way be a deterrent to the desire to have children.”