‘Maskne’? Why your face is breaking out from wearing a mask & healing tips
I feel for you. This is just another thing you to worry about during these distressing times.
If you are an essential service worker or healthcare provider and need to wear a mask for an extended period of time, then these tips are for you. You might already have noticed an increase in irritation from wearing a mask all day, or perhaps your skin is very resilient, and so far, so good. Either way these tips are great to consider for prevention and healing.
The pandemic has been stressful, which is enough on its own to cause an acne flare. Combine that with wearing a mask for long periods of time, is the perfect environment for a disrupted skin barrier, leading to irritation and acne breakouts.
Wearing a mask is creating an increased moisture-rich environment for bacteria and organisms to multiple on the skin. Add some friction and irritation from the mask and we’ve got a disrupted skin barrier.
What’s the skin barrier and why does it matter?
It’s the outermost layer of the skin and protects us from environmental toxins, UV, etc. But it’s more than just a protective lining: it’s part of a complex system that interacts with our cells to help keep our skin constantly balanced and in homeostasis. It helps to prevent water loss, fights infections, and creates an ideal acidic environment for our skin’s microbiome. When this barrier gets disrupted, the skin is more susceptible to inflammation and acne breakouts.
10 ways to prevent and heal mask-related acne breakouts
Stop using harsh products. I realize this may be the first thing you reach for when you have a breakout. But this will only further disrupt your skin barrier and cause more irritation.
Wash your face before and after wearing the mask for an extended period of time
Get a reusable cotton mask (if possible). Cotton will allow your skin to breath and cause less irritation, that the itchy disposable ones.
Wash your mask daily, if its reusable.
Go fragrance-free. When the skin barrier is compromised the simpler the better. Skip the essential oils and anything heavily scented.
Prioritize sleep. Sleep is when the body heals and is also critical for skin renewal and hydration.
Love your gut. Eat the rainbow and add in some fermented foods to support gut health. The gut-skin connection is key in glowing skin. The gut has a direct connection with the hydration of the skin and hydration retention is key when healing a disrupted skin barrier.
Skip the heavy moisturizers and makeup. You might feel compelled to reach for the heavy moisturizers or even petroleum jelly (huge NO!), but this may cause further irritation (more skincare tips below).
Apply daily SPF to protect the skin barrier.
Skip the lip gloss. Try to avoid skincare products that are going to attach onto the mask.
Overall, keep it simple. A gentle skincare routine that promotes barrier health is one of the best things you can do, right now. If you need help with this, I offer personal skincare routine reviews, more details here. This is not the time to try a bunch of harsh skincare products in hopes of drying out the acne and irritation. Focus on hydrating products, but don’t overdo it with heavy creams. When you are at home and aren't wearing a mask be sure to be gentle with your skin.
Some of my favourite hydrating products:
Facial mists
Light serums (i.e. hyaluronic acid)
Hydrating gel/water-based moisturizers
Hope you find this helpful. Thanks so much for reading. If you are interested in more skin health tips and acne healing techniques, then sign up for my Skin Intuition Email list here.
With happiness and clear skin,
Caralyn