Pregnancy hormones have such a sense of humor. When the belly starts to take over all attention, hormones wreak havoc on skin seeming to say: “Look here, not down there!” 

Sun spots are characterized by dark spots that appear on the skin's surface. When sun spots occur in women who are not pregnant, they are called melasma. During pregnancy, the term used is Chloasma. Cholasma is the medical term for the Pregnancy Mask. The mask can appear as sun spots on the face, but spots can also appear on other parts of the body.

Sun spots are linked to hormonal changes and melanin, the skin pigment. Exposure to the sun can increase the darkness of sun spots so wearing sunscreen is the best choice while pregnant. As estrogen and other hormones dwindle back to pre-pregnancy levels, sun spots may fade away and disappear. However, there is no guarantee. When sun spots are exposed to the sun, they can darken enough to resist fading after pregnancy.