M'sian woman, 28, suffers from severe pregnancy-induced facial acne, shares story to raise awareness

A 28-year-old Malaysian woman went online to share her experience with severe facial acne during her pregnancy, which led to drastic changes in her facial appearance.

After posing her story to X to spread awareness and encourage mothers in similar situations, it has since circulated internationally with over 15.2 million views.

The post has also elicited messages of encouragement from numerous social media users, some of whom shared their own challenges during pregnancy.

Acne started when 2 months pregnant

The woman from Selangor, who wished to be known as Farah, told mStar that she noticed pimples appearing on her face when she was two months pregnant with her first child.

Pregnancy induced facial acne is caused by increased progesterone levels during the first trimester, which leads to excessive oil and sebum production.

Some women experience a pregnancy glow as a result, while others get acne breakouts.

At the time, Farah didn't know she was pregnant, and tried using various skincare products to address the acne.

They did not work.

Subsequently, when Farah realised her period was late, she went for a checkup, which confirmed that she was pregnant.

As the pregnancy continued, the facial acne caused Farah's skin to become redder, deepened her smile lines and made her nose look swollen. It would also itch occasionally.

Farah, who is currently eight months pregnant, said in her post that her face had gone through a "100%" change, which led her to be insecure about her looks.

But she was glad to have a supportive husband who assured her it was a temporary condition and that she is beautiful in his eyes, The Rakyat Post reported.

Other users sent encouraging messages

Farah also highlighted a similar 2021 case of a Malaysian woman with severe pregnancy-induced facial acne, adding that she saw her own experience as a "test" from God.

For herself, she was grateful that she has not experienced morning sickness yet in the pregnancy.

Farah's post was met with comments from women sharing about the changes they experienced during pregnancy, with one user saying she had cysts, pimples and darkened skin that went away after she gave birth.

Others shared that they vomited blood every day and experienced cold-like symptoms, Farah told mStar.

"Many also gave words of encouragement and even prayed for me and the baby. When I read them, I cried, even though we don't even know each other," she said.

Farah also reminded others in her post that pregnancy is not an easy task, and every woman will have a different experience in their pregnancy journey.

Top image from @ayyitslala/X