Marilyn Harder Wearing a mask all day at work can wreak havoc with the skin around your nose and mouth. Many women are dealing with the dreaded “mask-ne” during this pandemic. Pimples, rashes, acne, redness, dry skin…you name it. If you notice mask-ne and skin irritations, just know that is simply your skin calling for help!
Mask choice and hygiene DOES matter!
Material
If you have acne-prone skin, you may need a special mask to help prevent breakouts. According to scientists, silk or silk-lined masks have antimicrobial properties and are incredibly gentle on contact points on your skin. If you cant find silk, cotton is a more breathable fabric for your skin which will let air circulate easier in your mask and help reduce sweat and oil production. However, if you have a compromised immune system – you will always want to ensure you are using a surgical grade protection product.
Hygiene
When choosing a reusable mask, you will need to ensure cleanliness by laundering regularly with a gentle fragrance free, hypoallergenic “clean” cleanser. (Check out my article last month on the dirty ingredients to avoid in all personal care products!) Masks collect dead skin cells and debris during every wear thus regular use without washing increases the likelihood that regular contact will clog pores causing acne.
Fit
Rashes can occur from pressure or irritation from direct contact with your face mask or from skin irritation to products that have touched or have been used to clean your masks. A properly fitting mask is comfortable and fit to the face with minimal contact points and rough edges that cause irritation during repetitive use. If it’s too loose, the mask is more likely to move around and cause chafing, which can lead to both rashes and acne.
So what are the best practices with mask wearing?
- Launder your mask after every day of use
- Have a week’s worth of clean masks stored in a zipper pouch in your purse or car so they are fresh and ready for use (rather than gathering bacteria and irritants from their contact areas).
- If you intend to re-use your mask – store it in a separate pouch that is laundered with the dirty masks at the end of the week.
- Use a good hydrating moisturizer prior to putting on the mask to reduce contact friction.
- Avoid wearing make-up under the mask which can cause an increase in clogged pores.
- Wash your face right after any extended period of time wearing your mask
Changes in your skin.
When you wear a mask all day, you are depriving the skin around your nose and mouth of fresh air. This can lead to dryness. As you breathe in and out, your mask may become damp and that can lead to chapped skin as well. You may notice more oil production in areas that come in contact with your mask as your skin attempts to hydrate itself to reduce friction. Typically, acne occurs when pores become clogged by sweat, oil, moisture, or dirt. These elements trap bacteria beneath the skin’s barrier, creating a pimple. When we add the humidity under the mask environment, we are creating a breeding ground for acne and skin irritations.
Next, let’s talk cleansers & preventative skincare.
It is tempting to bump up your cleanser to one with benzoyl peroxide or salicylic acid to target the new mask acne. However, these formulas are incredibly drying and can compound the irritation to your vulnerable skin making the acne WORSE! What we need instead is a GENTLE daily cleanser (both morning and night) that restores moisture and balance to the skin – keeping the skin barrier intact to continue to keep mask-ne at bay. Double your skincare as your daily meditation (linked here) and you can cleanse away the worries of the day at the same time!
Have you been reading about serums? They are one of the newest inventions in skincare. Serums condition and hydrate your skin, leaving it healthy and glowing. Follow your gentle cleanser with a toner that contains hyaluronic acid (which holds 10000x its weight in moisture retention in your skin) and a targeted serum to increase the strength and resilience of your skin. The combination can restore hydration to the dry areas, reduce oil production in the oily areas and rebalance the skin. Following with daytime and nighttime moisturizers are incredibly important to seal the moisture retention and reinforce the skin barrier to all the bacteria gathering behind your mask.
Uh-oh, you have a breakout – how to safely address it without compounding the issue!
There are multiple mask-ne treatments out there, but dermatologists tend to agree on two:
Exfoliate and moisturize
Using a gentle exfoliant cleanser or mask once a week will help clear away the smaller particles that hang out on your face even after cleansing and clog your pores. However, you can easily over do it! Following up once a week with a counter hydration treatment (like a hydrating mask) is all you need to help your mask acne.
Spot treatments
Focused spot treatments can help zap acne but can be really drying. Use them sparingly and gradually (once a day) to help treat the pimples you have without opening the skin barrier causing future issues. Look for small applicator tips to help better target placement. A potent spot treatment includes one or more of the following salicylic acid, zinc, sulfur, 2.5% benzoyl peroxide.
Go Make-up-less! Or wear less makeup!
If you wear make-up because it makes you feel fully embodied and glorious in the skin you are in – do it! Don’t let practicality or a pandemic stop you! Your eyes will be what people see and focus on during this mask-wearing pandemic, you want them to look fabulous! Consider going make-up free under the mask for your best skin and highlighting your eyes with some new shadows and an amazing mascara!
If you are mask on/mask off and prefer your usual make-up routine consider a lighter foundation such as a tinted moisturizer, BB cream, or lightweight foundation. And maybe…just maybe try exploring a week of a sans-makeup look. Take notice of any changes in how you feel, how others react to you, and how your skin changes. You are NOT your body – you just HAVE a body. If you love the way you feel both ways – glorious and shining in a face full of make-up expression as well as make-up free in your glorious and shining essence – you know this!
If you don’t it’s time to explore true embodiment! Re-read and practice skincare as a meditation (Here) and hang tight for next month’s article on practicing/exploring embodiment through make-up!
By taking time to care for your skin now, you’ll be prepared for the end of this pandemic with gorgeous, glowing skin! You’ll be ready to ditch the mask and show the world your beautiful smile! Practice self-care today – you are worth it!
Sources:
Mayo Clinic. Acne. www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/acne/symptoms-causes/syc-20368047
Shape. Dermatologist Explain Everything You Need to Know About ‘Maskne’. https://www.shape.com/lifestyle/beauty-style/maskne-face-mask-acne-mechanica
The Washington Post. Wearing a mask can irritate your face or make it break out. Here’s what to do about ‘maskne.’ https://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/wellness/face-mask-acne-breakout-coronavirus/2020/06/03/57ed3d84-a4ea-11ea-b619-3f9133bbb482_story.html
ACS Publications. Aerosol Filtration Efficiency of Common Fabrics Used in Respiratory Cloth Masks. https://pubs.acs.org/doi/abs/10.1021/acsnano.0c03252
