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Acne as many of us know is one of the most common skin issues that millions of people face daily. And it isn’t just young teenagers who get acne. Children also get acne as well as adults, and it can be very frustrating to deal with as there is the common misconception that when you get to a certain age your acne stops, but this isn’t exactly true.
Adult face masks cause acne is a real thing and there are many outside factors that contribute to acne in general and one of these factors is masks. In late 2019 and early 2020, the Coronavirus came into this world and has changed the way we live our lives. One of the ways it has is that we have to wear a mask to work, school, restaurants, etc. While wearing a mask protects us many people have mentioned that it contributes to acne. If you are wondering if it does the easy answer to your question is yes it does!
Maskne
Yes, there is a term for the issue that people are dealing with when wearing a face mask that causes acne, and it is called “maskne.” Maskne is a word that turned into a skincare trend and became very well-known during the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic. Maskne is in fact a kind of acne that people are unaware of, and it normally forms from heat and friction.
When your face and mask are in close contact with each other and rubbing against one another this is how maskne is formed. At the end of the day, the fact of the matter is that there is an outside irritant that is causing rubbing. And if you are prone to acne your skin cells will penetrate under the skin and this will produce acne.
In addition, if you are the type of person that doesn’t wash their face on a regular basis (mornings and before bed), bacteria will without a doubt remain trapped in your skin while wearing a mask, creating more acne breakouts.
Unquestionably, wearing a mask is even harder for healthcare workers, as it is already a part of their job to wear a mask, face shield, and even PPE kits for long periods of time. So, it is no surprise that maskne is a prevalent skincare issue with frontline healthcare workers. It is suggested for healthcare workers to wear a cotton mask as a primary layer and an N95 mask over it as it helps. In addition, wash your face with a cleanser before and after wearing a mask. And make sure to clean and throw out masks on a consistent basis.
Can you prevent maskne?
When it comes to maskne it can be difficult to steer clear of for some individuals. We all need to pitch in and do our part by wearing a mask during this pandemic as it is so important for protection against the virus. But, the downside is that wearing a mask can make it hard to breathe for long periods of time, and as well it is difficult to prevent the mask from rubbing on your skin so that your skin can also breathe.But the good thing is that there are some ways that you can prevent yourself from getting maskne:
- Use a cleanser with benzoyl peroxide: This trick is quite handy for anyone who deals with oily skin. Keep in mind though that you don’t want to use too much because it will extract all the natural oils from your skin. Evidently, there should be some oil on your skin as this is normal. If you eliminate too much oil on your skin will try to produce more oil and this is not what you want.
- Wash your cloth masks repeatedly: When washing your cloth face masks you will want to use a fragrance-free laundry detergent and make a habit of rinsing your masks an extra time to make sure that any skin irritants have been removed.
- Visit a skin expert (esthetician): If your maskne is bothering you a lot and these tricks aren’t working for you, you may want to pay a visit to a skincare specialist. You can visit us at Mederm Esthetics & Laser Clinic in Concord for all your skincare needs.