MIAMI BEACH, FL – OCTOBER 04: Cardi B performs on stage at the BET Hip Hop Awards 2018 at LIV nightclub at Fontainebleau Miami on October 4, 2018 in Miami Beach, Florida. (Photo by John Parra/Getty Images for BET)
Three months after welcoming daughter Kulture, Cardi B may have shed the pounds she accrued during pregnancy, but she hasn’t been able to be rid of the linea nigra, or pregnancy line, which runs from the navel to the pubic bone (and often above the navel during pregnancy). It hasn’t stopped her from showing off her midsection here and there, but over the weekend, the 26-year-old mom unabashedly showed off the line and asked fans how she could move on from it.
“Ladies how do you guys get rid of the black line in the middle of your stomach after giving birth??”
Here are five things to know about the linea nigra:
- According to the experts, that line is something most of us have always had but maybe never noticed. Before pregnancy, it is called the linea alba, and it is usually light.
- During pregnancy, estrogen and progesterone hormones increase, and they stimulate melanocyte cells in your skin that cause you to produce more melanin. Your stomach may appear darker, as well as your nipples, but in Cardi and many women’s cases, so does the linea alba, turning it into a linea nigra, which is Latin for “black line.”
- While it might not be the most visually appealing thing to you, the line is harmless. For many women, the line fades soon after pregnancy, though it may reappear if you get pregnant again. For others though, it can stick around for the long-term, especially if you’re darker.
- Skin-bleaching cream has been shared as an option for those who find the line off-putting (but shouldn’t be used while with child or breastfeeding). Otherwise, it’s recommended you put sunscreen on if you don’t want the line to get darker and leave it be.
- For those who want to know about preventing the line from getting especially dark during pregnancy, taking prenatal vitamins and consuming a diet rich in folic acid, according to research, can help decrease the likelihood of that.
Cardi’s linea nigra could go away soon enough, or maybe it won’t, but it’s there for good reason and is a natural part of pregnancy.
Did your linea nigra stay around long after you gave birth or did it fade quickly? If it required some extra maintenance before or after delivery, be sure to share your tips for new moms like Cardi, below.
