Once You Make Your Own Face Mask, How Do You Treat And Prevent Face Mask Acne?
We aren’t going to beat around the bush: Wearing face masks is one of your best defenses against COVID-19, but they’re not always great for your skin.
You’ve probably seen a lot of chatter concerning mask-induced breakouts ― aka “maskne” ― given that wearing face masks for longer durations of time can trigger breakouts, blemishes and whiteheads.
Maskne should never prevent you from wearing a face mask.
Take it from board-certified dermatologist Paru Chaudhari: During the coronavirus pandemic, masks are “one of the few measures we can take to protect ourselves and our neighbours. It is important to remember that even if you are getting maskne, you’ll want to keep wearing that mask in order to cover your mouth and nose.”
But the good news is that maskne isn’t hard to treat. At the same time, in order to tame breakouts effectively, it’s key to understand the truths and myths associated with this condition.
So we tapped Chaudhari and other board-certified dermatologists to shed light on the facts and falsehoods of maskne, including how to treat it and when to see a dermatologist.
Fact: Maskne is caused by friction.
What we’re seeing now is different from traditional acne, which is characterised as a skin disorder that causes pimples to form on the face, neck, back and chest areas.
Maskne, Chaudhari explained, develops in areas of friction and before our heavy use of face masks, was typically seen underneath bras, heavy clothing and protective gear.
“Acne mechanica is a form of acne that occurs from pressure, friction or rubbing of the skin,” Chaudhari said. “We often see it underneath athletic equipment like pads and helmets, or straps from backpacks and bags, but anything that can trap and hold heat and sweat against the skin (like face masks) can lead to occlusion of hair follicles and acne mechanica as well.”
