While masks have been proven to be crucial in the fight against the spread of COVID-19, th can lead to various skin problems such as acne and rosacea.
The COVID-19 pandemic has been extremely harsh on people around the world. The pandemic not only forced us into quarantines in our houses but also made us adapt several new habits or rather necessities such as washing our hands frequently, use of sanitiser and wearing masks.
While masks have been proven to be crucial in the fight against the spread of coronavirus, they can lead to several skin problems such as acne, rosacea and pimples. You can not ditch the life-saving mask, however, following certain routines can help you go a long way. Let’s know a bit more about various skin problems caused by masks and how you can deal with them.
1. What is Maskne?
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Maskne is a common occurrence with COVID-19 and it is difficult to get rid of it. Acne caused or multiplied by wearing masks is called Maskne. There are various types of Maskne, the most common ones that appear are ‘acne mechanica', caused by the friction and precipitation trapped underneath the mask, leading to pore clogging and bacterial growth resulting in pimples. Regular acne treatments help in this, however, acne creams dry out the skin and one must use a moisturiser to keep the skin barrier intact.
Photo: Instagram/thainavieramakeup)
2. What is Rosacea?
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Rosacea is a skin issue that could flare-up with masks usage. Wearing a cotton mask underneath the regular mask is always advised to avoid unnecessary friction. For people with sensitive skin, the material of the mask is important, allergy towards the material can lead to dermatitis. While dermatologists prescribe a steroid cream to calm the inflammation, the cotton mask underneath the regular mask could be useful. In the case of Folliculitis where the mask disturbs facial hair follicles, antibiotic creams work well.
(Photo: Instagram)
3. Use moisturiser suitable to your skin
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When taking care of these issues, the face should be washed thrice a day with lukewarm water after which the skin must be dried by patting the face. A non-comedogenic moisturizer should be selected to avoid pore-clogging. An oil-free and water-based, gel moisturizer should be used by individuals with oily to combination skin. Those with dry skin should use a cream moisturizer with ingredients such as ceramides.
(Photo: Pexels)
4. Material of the mask is important
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Masks made of synthetic fabrics, such as nylon or rayon should be avoided as these materials can irritate the skin. For those with sensitive skin, masks made of natural, soft fabric (like cotton) should be worn under a regular mask.
(Photo: Pexels)
5. Always apply sunscreen
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People with normal skin can use a lotion-based moisturiser. Wearing sunscreen is the final step to complete morning skincare. It’s necessary to choose sunscreens carefully as masks provide only SPF 7 while Indian skin needs at least an SPF 30 in the daytime. Those with oily to combination skin could use a matte finish sunscreen that includes gel or silicone-based. A lotion-based sunscreen for normal skin works well, and for those with dry skin, moisturising sunscreens that are again lotion or cream-based are advised.
(Photo: Pexels)
6. Use non-comedogenic, hypoallergenic makeup
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Makeup products that are non-comedogenic and hypoallergenic must be preferred if avoiding makeup is not probable. It is significant to wash the mask with a gentle detergent or toss it after each use if it is disposable. Wearing a face mask that fits comfortably, but isn’t too tight and has three layers of fabric is necessary; if the mask is not correct, touching the face more often to fix the mask leads to increased chances of contamination.
(Photo: Pexels)
7. Take 15-minute breaks
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The American Academy of Dermatology Association reports that after every four hours of non-stop wearing a mask, a 15-minute break for the skin while maintaining social distancing helps. Although it’s imperative to wash hands before taking a mask break.
(Photo: Pexels)
(All inputs: IANS)
