Mask acne, or maskne as it has been dubbed, is something that many of us might be dealing with as public spaces reopen. It’s meaning we’re out in public more, and in many cases wearing a mask is still required, meaning that we’re wearing out masks more frequently or at least for longer periods of time. This is generally speaking of course. I’m sure there are many who’ve been dealing with this all along.
As a skin picker who also has a history of face picking, maskne has been a recipe for reviving this part of my disorder. Don’t get me wrong, I still get acne from time to time that I pick at, but having this much acne to pick at is not something that I’ve dealt with since my teens into my early twenties before that part of growing up decided to finally taper off. As always, dermatillomania and life are back and tag-teaming with another learning curve for me.
Maybe you’re better prepared than I was and you’ve avoided maskne, or maybe you’re like me with several picking spots on your face thinking, “now what?” Although I’ve seen a number of posts over the months about how wearing masks has been nice for not having to feel too self-conscious about face picking because it hides the damage, I imagine the general consensus is we’re rather not be picking at our faces at all.
Despite how comfortable I am in my skin and with my picking, picking at my face is still something I’d rather avoid and that leaves me feeling a certain way. As I said in another blog recently, it takes me right back to those high school years when I truly struggled and felt the worst about my picking and the comments I’d receive about my face.
So that brings me here, to now trying to deal with the maskne and the picking that I’ve already engaged in. Taking care of the existing wounds is same old, same old for me—make sure the wounds are cleaned, use healing ointment/creams, and try to avoid picking. What I’d like to focus on with this blog is avoiding the maskne to begin with. Sometimes it’s easier to prevent the things that I pick at than to try to avoid the picking.
To be clear, there are many skin conditions that may cause different reactions when wearing a mask, so it’s best to speak with a doctor or dermatologist if you’re really looking for an understanding of what’s happening with your skin and how to prevent or better manage your skin. This is true even of acne, since there are many kinds of acne with varying severity.
What I’m talking about in this blog is just the run of the mill, pores-are-clogged acne that can come from buildup of dirt and oil on your skin and be exacerbated by things like humidity. If you think about how wearing a mask is, you know that it catches your hot breath and creates its own humid environment. Pile the humidity of summer on top of that? I’m going to go out on a limb and say it’s not helping.
So what are some of the easiest steps we can take to prevent acne caused by wearing our masks?
Wash your face. At the risk of sounding like your parent, face-washing is an important part of ensuring our skin stays as healthy as possible. Don’t get me wrong, I’m also guilty of not washing my face regularly apart from splashing water on it in the shower. With this appearance of maskne though? Yeah, I’m going to be adding that to my regimen.
Use a gentle cleanser. Cleansers with harsh perfumes or even alcohol can further serve to irritate your skin, so it’s good to be mindful of whether the products we’re using are actually benefiting our skin. I know for me, I’m allergic to perfumes, so I’ll be looking for something nice and easy on my skin, but I’ll still be keeping an eye out to avoid breaking the bank.
Use facial moisturizer. For this one, I’m not even talking only about after washing your face, although that’s a good time to use it as well. Another way moisturizer can help, however, is if you apply it before putting on your mask. It can help prevent friction and other ways your mask could irritate your skin.
Consider the role your mask plays. If you have a reusable mask, washing it on a regular basis is recommended to ensure that dirt, bacteria, and other pore-cloggers aren’t what your face is met with each time you put it on. That’s probably been a part of my problem, because although I have several masks, I mostly stick with the one. Guess who’s going to be throwing their mask in the wash ASAP. (Hint: it’s me.) If you have a single-use mask, it’s recommended to not use them repeatedly.
In addition to these, removing your mask every few hours is helpful. A few articles I saw specifically recommended taking a 15-minute mask break every 4 hours if possible. Remember to do this as respectfully as you can and with keeping mask protocols in mind.
How much makeup you wear and facial hair in conjunction with masks can also impact acne buildup and are other areas you can explore for reducing the risk of maskne.
Again, having a chat with your doctor or dermatologist can be beneficial, but these are some changed you can act on right away to make a difference in how your skin is reacting to wearing masks for long periods of time. Masks may be mandatory, but we can take steps to ensure maskne is not.
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