Adriana Lima and her postpartum look: 7 common changes new moms face

nypost.com:

welcomed newborn Cyan Liam Lemmers into the world last year.What was less welcome, however, were some of the comments supermodel Lima, 42, received over her postpartum appearance.“She did something to her face,” one Instagram comment began. “Botox, fillers, she’s not the same.”“What did you do to your gorgeous face?” another commenter asked. “It looks different?”But the Victoria’s Secret model, who has three children, shut down any criticism with a photo of herself and the following statement: “The face of a tired mom of one teenage girl, two pre-teens, one active boy, a one-year-old learning to walk, and three dogs…thanks for your concern.”Lima is hardly the first mom with a different appearance after giving birth.

Pregnancy and postpartum body changes are common in all women, and while most are just temporary, some of the effects of childbirth stay with a woman her whole life.Sometimes called the “mask of pregnancy,” dark patches of skin called melasma can appear on the face during pregnancy.

Moles and freckles can also darken. These are due to increases in the pigment melanin, which adds color to hair and skin. The dark patches often fade after childbirth, but some women with melasma may have patches for years.Melanin is also responsible for the linea nigra — Latin for “black line” — a dark line that runs over the belly to the pubic hair during pregnancy.

Both the linea negra and melasma can be lightened by using skin-lightening creams.Women typically lose less hair during their pregnancy, which is why many pregnant moms-to-be notice their hair is thick and lustrous during their pregnancy, according to the International Journal of Dermatology.But after giving birth, women fret that their hair is falling out.