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A brave Malaysian woman has gone viral for sharing her honest and emotional journey with severe pregnancy-induced hormonal acne — a condition few expect during what is often portrayed as a glowing chapter in a woman's life
In May, while eight months pregnant, Farah took to X to open up about the drastic changes her skin had undergone since conceiving.
"If you don't have anything kind to say, please don't reply. Please have some empathy," wrote the 28-year-old marketing manager.
She shared unfiltered photos of her face, explaining that the changes began as early as her second month of pregnancy — before she even realised she was expecting.
"I noticed that no matter what skincare I used, nothing worked.
"I kept getting daily breakouts, the pustule type, and my face looked sunburnt. My nose also became noticeably wider," she shared.
As the pregnancy progressed, Farah began to see even deeper smile lines and increasingly defined creases on her forehead, which made her look much older.
I nak share my pregnancy journey, bersyukur tak ada morning sickness dari start pregnant sampai now dah 8 bulan. Tapi muka i berubah 100%. From this to this.
— FLS (@ayyitslala) May 17, 2025
p/s : kalau tak ada benda baik nak cakap pls jangan reply. Please ada rasa empathy . I cuma nak luah perasaan je pic.twitter.com/dF1hmkPqdq
However, instead of falling into despair, she felt reassured after learning from her doctor that the changes were due to pregnancy hormones
"I understood that a woman's body undergoes many hormonal changes during pregnancy. So, it was actually a relief to know the condition wasn't permanent," she explained to SAYS.
Farah added that she chose not to pursue any treatment during her pregnancy, worried it might harm her baby.
"My mindset was always, 'This too shall pass'. As long as my baby was healthy, I knew I could handle anything. I believe God gave me this challenge because He knew I was strong enough to face it," she said.
Still, Farah admitted the emotional toll was heavy. Throughout the nine months, she often found herself crying.
"I didn't exactly feel sad, but I did feel insecure," she wrote.
Thankfully, she had a strong support system. She expressed gratitude for having a supportive husband who never failed to see her beauty.
"He always told me it's okay, it's temporary. He constantly encouraged me and said I was still beautiful in his eyes. Without his support, I think I would've really lost it," she said.
Speaking to SAYS, Farah shared that her skin has been slowly healing since giving birth in July
"I'm slowly regaining my features. It has been a month since I gave birth, and I'm in recovery mode. I've also started monthly laser treatments to help my skin heal and improve," she said.
By sharing her story, Farah hopes to raise awareness about the physical and emotional toils and changes women often go through during pregnancy — even the ones not talked about, and wanted other mums-to-be to know that they are not alone.
"Don't assume pregnancy is easy; everyone has a different experience. Please appreciate your wife because she's sacrificing her body to bring your child into this world," she added.
