The third trimester is when pigmentation tends to become the main skin concern for a lot of mums — melasma and other dark patches often deepen or newly appear in these final weeks, driven by peak hormone levels combined with however much sun exposure has built up across the whole pregnancy. It's very manageable, but it does need a slightly different focus than earlier stages.
General information, not medical advice — always check with your GP, midwife or pharmacist about your own skin and any product you're unsure of.
Why Pigmentation Peaks Now
Melanocyte-stimulating hormone and oestrogen are both at their highest in the third trimester, which is exactly when melasma tends to become most visible — across the cheeks, forehead, upper lip, or as I covered separately, along the neck and jawline. I've gone deep on the mechanics of this in Pregnancy Pigmentation: Why the Dark Patches Showed Up, and how to tell it apart from ordinary sun spots in Melasma or Sun Spots?
Sun Protection Matters More Than Ever
Whatever sun exposure has happened across the whole pregnancy compounds by this stage, so consistent SPF is the single most useful thing you can do for pigmentation now, alongside staying in the shade during the harshest UV hours. Australian UV is notably strong compared with similar latitudes overseas, and outdoor school runs and errands add up fast. I've written about protecting skin through an Australian summer specifically in Australian Sun and Pregnancy Melasma.
What's Safe to Use Now
Niacinamide and tranexamic acid remain generally considered pregnancy-safe and are the two ingredients I'd lean on most in the third trimester for pigmentation — I've explained why that pairing works so well in Is Tranexamic Acid Safe During Pregnancy? Keep avoiding retinoids and hydroquinone right through to birth and beyond breastfeeding unless your GP has specifically advised otherwise, and don't expect visible change overnight — pigmentation responds slowly, and most of the real fading happens after birth once hormone levels drop.
Comfort Matters Too, Not Just Ingredients
By the third trimester, standing at the basin for a long routine isn't always realistic, and skin can feel more sensitive simply from swelling, less sleep and general end-of-pregnancy discomfort. Keep the routine short and gentle rather than adding more steps — a cleanser, a brightening serum, a rich moisturiser and SPF is genuinely enough most days.
If your skin feels tighter or more reactive than it did earlier in pregnancy, that's common too, and it's worth choosing texture over strength — a cream-based cleanser rather than a foaming one, a serum layered under a proper moisturiser rather than left to sit alone. Comfort now doesn't undo progress on pigmentation; it just makes the routine sustainable in these final weeks.
If You're Earlier Than This
If you're not at this stage yet, the changes worth making earlier look quite different — I've covered the very first swaps to make in First-Trimester Skincare: What to Change the Day You Find Out, and the brighter, more forgiving window that usually comes next in Second-Trimester Skincare: The Glow Window.
Questions Mums Ask
Why does melasma get worse in the third trimester?
Hormone levels that drive pigmentation, particularly melanocyte-stimulating hormone and oestrogen, tend to peak in the final trimester, which is why dark patches often look most visible during this stage.
Will third-trimester pigmentation fade after I give birth?
For most mums, yes, it starts to look lighter over the months after birth as hormones settle, though sun protection through pregnancy and beyond makes a real difference to how much fades.
Is it too late to start sun protection in the third trimester?
No, it's never too late. Consistent SPF from now on still meaningfully reduces further pigmentation, even if some has already appeared earlier in pregnancy.
Where to Start
For pigmentation in these final weeks, the Dark-Spot Brightening Set ($154) is the one I'd reach for first. If you'd rather keep your whole routine simple and gentle right through to birth, the Pregnancy-Safe Routine ($185) is a good alternative. Browse the full range at alinabeauty.com.au.
Edwina x
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