How to Prevent Skin Conditions Caused by Wearing Masks, as Explained by Imiseok Theme Dermatology

How to Prevent Acne and Skin Conditions Caused by COVID-19 and Mask Wearing

Hello. This is Imiseok Theme Dermatology. Today, amid growing shortages of masks in the market due to concerns about the novel coronavirus infection (COVID-19), wearing masks has become part of everyday life. However, more and more people are complaining of acne and skin conditions around the mouth and near the chin, areas covered by masks.

Why Acne Develops When Wearing a Mask

The reason acne or skin conditions often occur when wearing a mask is that the temperature and humidity inside the mask create an environment in which pores can close easily. When pores close, sebum cannot be discharged from inside the pores and remains there, where it combines with dead skin cells on the skin’s surface to form acne comedones. In addition, the friction from the mask touching the skin can irritate it, causing acne that was latent beneath the skin to surface. Depending on the mask’s materials, contact dermatitis may also occur.

Also, in the case of women, if they wear heavy makeup and use a mask, pimples are more likely to appear around the mouth area covered by the mask. This is because cosmetic ingredients clog pores, making itching, rashes, folliculitis, and inflammation more likely to occur.

However, since mask use is unavoidable, it is advisable to wear a mask while keeping in mind how to prevent acne and skin conditions.

How to Prevent Acne and Skin Conditions

It is best to choose a mask that allows ventilation and has a soft surface to prevent contact dermatitis, and to remove the mask in safe indoor spaces to prevent excessive pore irritation, which can cause acne formation. Also, reducing the time spent wearing a mask by refraining from going out is a good method.

For women who must wear makeup, it is best to keep makeup light around the mouth and nose areas covered by the mask. If the skin becomes red or itchy, they should stop wearing the mask and receive an accurate diagnosis and treatment from a dermatologist.

If acne develops and you find it unsightly, forcibly squeezing or picking at it with your hands can cause the sebum that had become pus-filled inside the follicle to burst due to bacterial infection, and skin tissue may be torn away, leaving a pitted acne scar. If acne scars are not treated in time, the skin can become uneven, requiring more time and money for treatment, so professional treatment should be received as soon as possible.

In preparation for the spread of the novel coronavirus, you should be even more thorough about personal hygiene, such as proper handwashing, and it is also good to make efforts to improve your fundamental lifestyle habits.

How to Wear a Mask Correctly

It is effective to cover both the mouth and nose and fit the mask closely so there are no gaps between the face and the mask. Also, the side with the ear loops should face outward.

The correct method is to use a disposable mask once and then discard it, but due to recent government policy, the number of people using masks for 2 to 3 days has increased significantly. Therefore, when putting on and taking off a mask, contaminants attached to the outer surface of the mask may get on your hands, so you should remove it only by the ear loops without touching it with your hands.

Today, we talked about how to prevent acne and skin conditions caused by wearing masks. If you have no choice but to wear a mask and your skin condition worsens significantly because of it, it is best to visit a dermatologist for treatment. Imiseok Theme Dermatology provides treatments tailored to each patient’s skin with about 60 types of lasers and premium medical skin care. Please contact us anytime.