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Transcript
If you are serious about protecting yourself and others from the dangers of Covid 19, you’re probably wearing a mask every time you go out around others.
But for many people, constantly wearing a mask is leading to an embarrassing and unpleasant side effect: blemishes, pimples and zits.
In other words: acne.
Face breakouts have become so common that the term “maskne” — the words mask combined with acne — have been trending on social media.
The flareups tend to be located around the mouth and nose area.
Nurses and other healthcare professionals have been hit the hardest.
Health experts say the friction from constantly wearing masks combined with stress from the pandemic and moisture trapped underneath the fabric is creating the perfect environment for bacteria and organisms to grow on the face which leads to breakouts.
Here are some tips to help prevent maskne:
If you’ve been wearing makeup, moisturizer or sunscreen, the mask gets contaminated pretty quickly.
So masks should be washed and completely dried after every use.
Wearing a cotton mask will allow your skin to breathe.
If you exercise or sweat during the day with the mask on, you want to change that mask and put on a fresh one right away.
You don’t want to sit in a sweaty mask.
That will just breed more acne.
If you are tempted to reach for soothing heavy cream or petroleum jelly to smear on your face where the mask rubs, don’t!
That would be a mistake.
Creams and jellies can actually interfere with the effectiveness of the mask and the mask’s seal.
Posted – 6.26.20