Maskne
“Maskne”
/noun/
An area of redness and breakouts caused by wearing a face covering.
While in lockdown we all took advantage of looking after our skin and wearing no make up but as the government has increased requirements to wear a face covering more recently, your skin might not be feeling quite as good as it did and you might be noticing redness and breakouts, especially in the area where your face covering sits. This has been as dubbed as having ‘Maskne’.
Why does this happen?
‘Maskne’ is a mild acne due to friction, pressure and touch of a specific area. While wearing your face covering, especially for long periods of time, it creates a humid environment which is a breeding ground for acne. This, combined with the frequent applying and removal of a face covering, plus talking and turning your head, creates friction on the jaw and cheeks.
How can I prevent this?
I’d recommend wearing a cotton face covering if possible and washing it daily. If you’re wearing your face covering for long periods of time, I would recommend changing it every few hours so keep a few in your handbag and store them in a clean cosmetic bag.
A cotton face covering will create less fiction on your skin so if you already have any breakouts it won’t irritate them and will be more gentle than a disposable face covering, which may aggravate the cheeks where the elastic is attached.
How do I treat Maskne?
Be gentle. If you’re still going to have to wear a face covering, you don’t want to irritate it further. Picking and squeezing, then having to wear a face covering can lead to infection and will only make your skin worse.
I’d also recommend double cleansing; this is simply washing your face twice. The first wash will remove impurities, pollution, oil, dirt from the skin then the second wash will thoroughly cleanse your skin.
If you’ve been out in your face covering, I’d suggest washing your face as soon as you get back home so that the bacteria created while wearing the face covering is removed from the skin before it can make the irritation worse.
EXFOLIATE; your skin will already be sensitive from the friction of the covering so avoid exfoliators that have harsh grains in them. You might feel like this will ‘scrub’ the break outs away but this will only upset and spread and bacteria on the skin. Instead opt for a chemical exfoliator; this is a product you leave on and can tingle slightly. It digests any dead, dull skin and also helps lift red marks left behind from previous breakouts.
Nourish the skin. ‘Maskne’ can not only cause break outs but also a rash from the friction so its important to help support the barrier function of the skin. Using oils / masks and serums containing Hyaluronic acid will help boost the skins hydration and heal quicker.
Don’t forget your SPF. The skin is still susceptible to UV rays through a face covering so don’t forget to use SPF, even when it’s not a sunny day, the UV rays can still damage your skin.
Protect from the inside out – Omega 3/6/9 supplements contains essential fatty acids which help reduce inflammation, seal in moisture and improve the skins barrier function.
Skin, Hair & Nails is another supplement I love, formulated with unique extracts and key nutrients, Skin, Hair & Nails improves skin appearance, firmness and elasticity whilst reducing wrinkles and fine lines.
It soon won’t be long until we can offer you professional skin treatments and get your glow back!
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