What is maskne and how to prevent it?
What is maskne?
Maskne is a rare skin problem famed in COVID times. It is a word built on the submission of 'mask' and 'acne' spellings together. Maskne has become one of the major side effects of the precautions implemented to prevent coronavirus from attacking the body.
The normal face skin does possess oil, bacteria, and dead cells. When a mask is put on the face-covering nose, mouth, chin, and jaw, these substances get engaged even more onto pores blocking them from external respiration.
Maskne Symptoms
Its symptoms are acne, acne scars, skin sensitivity, hyperpigmentation, large pores, sore skin, ruptured skin pigment, skin laxity, stretch marks, and even small lesions due to irritation caused by friction, heat, pressure, stretching, and squeezing of the skin.
It is likely to have severe repulsions for the people who are already impacted with perioral dermatitis, rosacea, seborrheic dermatitis, folliculitis, irritant contact dermatitis, or allergic contact dermatitis, and acne mechanica.
Various conditions and causes with Maskne
A fungal-infected person would be definitely embarrassed wearing a mask. Fungus is naturally intended to spread throughout the possible area, the mask helps it to bypass throughout the covered skin. The surface tension of the fungus impacted skin is loose and lucrative which on mask attachment rumbles.
1) The acne is caused due to continuous attachment of the mask to the face, leaving no space for the skin under the mask to get exposure to air.
2) The blocked skin pores under the mask generate heat leading to various skin pigmentations like pimples, uneven skin tone, wrinkles, skin aging, bumps, rashes, redness, swelling, skin peeling, and itching. The developed skin abnormalities under mask pressure damage are even worse.
3) The carbon dioxide breathing out regularly under the influence of a mask would not allow the nose to directly gasp into the air but induce through the space covered under the mask. The pores would have only an option to intake CO2 making various skin disease possibilities. This gas is the solid reason behind hyperpigmentation which encourages darker patches.
4) The moisture generated when you breathe can become trapped on your skin when you wear a mask. The contaminated moisture imposes particles to pores leading to clogging or blockage.
5) The friction developed upon the interference of hot breath and warm weather breaks out the skin pigmentation. The textile is generally rough and tough compared to the skin's properties. The difference builds an unbalanced reaction between the skin cell molecules and textile molecules.
6) The mixture of solid and liquid substances that the dirt and the sweat formed over the skin space covered with face masks are pasted onto both skin and mask making unhygienic intimidation.
7) A face wearing a mask would cover a mustache and beard, in men. The beard and mustache are usually skin-tight lacking skin normalities. The mask would not allow the hair follicles to proper inflammation causing excessive sweat and dandruff coagulate. The coagulation builds up bumps, acne, fungus, and bacteria. The reaction would be irritation giving an urge to scratch the itch.
8) The friction between the skin, the hair, the nails, and the mask while scratching is solid skin peeling. The peeling could harshly remove the protective layer of the skin, that the sensitive skin beneath the protective layer would feel a needle-piercing pain. The mask sometimes gets attached to the moisturization possessed by the beneath skin leading to bleeding moments.
9) The thread or rope treating mask to hold the face tight, sometimes, cuts the skin tenure.
Prevention and Treatment of Maskne
It is mandatory to ensure that you wash the face with a gentle cleanser before and after wearing a mask. A gentle cleanser will eliminate impurities, unclog the pores and reduce the chances of getting infected to various bacterial, viral, and fungal figurative.
It is mandatory to wash the mask regularly if it is non-disposable. Better to use disposable masks to feel fresh.
Maintaining mental discipline to not get irritated with the mask put on the face. Build up a resistance to scratching.
To ensure a skincare routine that contains anti-inflammatory, anti-bacterial, and exfoliating ingredients.
Applying gentle ointment that contains Benzoyl Peroxide within the cream will fight acne and remove the spots. Do not put a mask over the ointment rubbed acne.
Take Away
Mask wasn't a mandate once upon a time. It was considered a robber's safety and fashion beauty. Now though, the coronavirus brought a put-or-die revolution. As it is safe to sit silently in an individual room during the covid times, it is suggested to stay home safe, first. If at all a necessary or emergency force to come out, put the mask properly with hygienic parameters. As it is mandated to put masks in public places, it is suggested not to stay for a long time outside.
