After the COVID-19 pandemic, the mask has become our regular amenity. Essential daily wear, Now we can not think of going out without wearing Mask. It is a healthy way to prevent infection, But we all know every positive thing come with small negativity. However, the negativity can be handled strategically.
For example, mask save us from covid-19 infection; however, prolonged use of a mask develops “maskne”, acne by wearing a mask. However, we can prevent maskne. Here we will mention few basic ideas to prevent maskne.
To learn more, read this article thoroughly.
Cleanse your fabric mask
World Health Organizations typically advise that people wash their mask after every usage to eliminate air-born pathogen that comes from breathing, skin cell debris, and extra sebum, which is responsible for mask.
The doctor asks to select hypoallergenic, fragrance-free laundry detergent to thoroughly wash your mask and let your mask completely dry before use. For extra protection, you may use antiseptic liquid to kill 99% of the germ. Do not excessively stretch your mask because it will get loose after repetitive washing.
If you don’t want to invest time in washing, then use a disposable single-use mask. But you should remember you should not reuse the disposable mask and dispose of it safely; if you dispose of it here and there, it may spread infections. Doctors also suggest following proper handwashing protocol while handling a mask.
Wear right the kind of mask
Wearing the right kind of mask is essential with respect to size and material. You should not select a synthetic mask that induces excessive sweating and sebum production. Remember, excess sweating along with sebum makes the breeding ground of acne forming bacteria. Instead of a synthetic mask, choose a breathable cotton mask that is comfortable and does not make you uncomfortable with sweat and sebum.
Also, your organic cotton mask should be well fitted because a too tight mask causes soreness behind the ears and covered area due to excessive pressure and friction, and a loose mask to likely to cover your face properly.
We would suggest you avoid mask made from a material that may cause allergies.
Remove mask every four hours
It is crucial to follow the rule to remove the mask for fifteen minutes after every four hours of intervals. This technique is highly applicable for doctors and other healthcare professionals. They are working day and night to save our life by wearing masks. Wearing mask in a hospital is very important to prevent infection. But when they wear it for 10-12 hours, they usually develop maskne along with itching and intense irritation.
One can remove their mask when he is in a safe place like alone inside a car, outdoors with less congest area where he can maintain 6 feet of distance from others, or at their personal cabin.
Do not use makeup
When someone uses makeup such as BB cream, foundation or concealer before wearing the mask, this product usually clog pores and develops acne. Thus we would suggest you not to apply makeup or choose “noncomedogenic” makeup that does not clog pores.
When you are wearing mask for a long time at your workplace, please do not experiment with new skincare products because wearing mask makes your skin way more sensitive than usual. To alleviate, the potential skin problems, do not use new products that contain a harsh chemical that irritates your skin. You should not apply harsh exfoliants. Use natural products like gel that moisturized and soothes your skin.
Follow these tips to cure maskne
If you develop maskne due to prolonged use of mask, then follow these tips to cure your existing skin problems.
- Take a break from your mask as much as possible ( without compromising the safety), follow 15 minutes in 4-hour rule. You can perform it at your personal cabin of your office, cabin, and car to let your skin breathe comfortably.
- Cleanse and wash your face with mild soap and an antibacterial cleanser. The cleanser should contain salicylic acid. Cleanse your face with an SA cleanser twice a day. SA has the deep cleansing property. It wipes out skin impurities, dirt, oils from the pores and makes them unclogged. In this way, cleanser and gentle facewash protect your skin from maskne.
- You can use 2.5% benzoyl peroxide solution at night. It is super effective on maskne. Cover the entire area with it. 2.5% benzoyl peroxide can be found in gel, solution or ointment form.
- Apply topical cream that contains the sulfur compound, use it as a form of spot treatment. It has acne-fighting properties, effectively reduce the appearance of maskne and related scars.
- Dermatologists do not suggest using retinoids, SLS, paraben products on your face because they promote further irritation on your face. Try to use natural ingredients like aloe vera gel, turmeric, neem for better results.
However, if you struggle with deep scars coming from maskne, you don’t need to worry about that. Semi-permanent makeup is famous for rectifying each kind of flaw on your skin.
Great post, Lots of helpful tips! Thanks so much for sharing and thank you so much for hosting as well.