Maskne

If you had told me a year ago this pandemic would last this long, I would have cried. Right now we are coping with our “new normal”, face masks being one of our new norms. In Face Masks I listed the pros to face masks but there are a few cons as well.

Maskne…a new term that spellcheck is still unfamiliar with. Mainly because we just made it up! You know I don’t get technical but Maskne is the result of the friction of the mask against your skin. This can lead to irritation and result in acne. The good news is that there are a few easy fixes for this.

First one seems to be logical; the fabric of the mask. Stick with cotton or silk masks. Both fabrics cause less friction. I haven’t tried silk yet, but it sounds divine. Although more likely to slide off your face when you have to do a lot of talking. I love my silk pillow covers, so why not try the same for a mask right? For the severe acne sufferers there are copper-infused washable masks. They will set you back about 25 bucks but supposedly you can wash them over 50 times.

Surprisingly reusable masks may be the best way to go since they are thin enough to keep you from sweating when wearing them in warm weather. Plus you will most likely wear a new fresh clean one every time…at least most of us will!

If you do stick to the cotton or silk ones then make sure you keep your mask clean. As mentioned before: like your underwear…wash them daily. Try to stick with detergents that are clear of perfumes and dyes since thy may cause irritation as well.

Speaking of washing…you may be tempted to wash your face every time you take your mask off. This may dry your skin out even more which, you guessed it, will irritate it even more. Experts advise to use a gently facial wipe if you would just like to remove the drops of sweat gathered on your face once you remove your mask.

Avoid oil based moisturizers, instead use lightweight moisturizer for sensitive skin. Once again to avoid irritation. All seems so simple right….Go light on makeup as well (more about this in a future blog) a tinted moisturizer is the best way to go.

What if the damage is already done? At the risk of sounding like a broken record; gentle cleansers. Like CeraVe renewing SA cleanser. Any other cleanser without the harsh ingredient SLS will do too. Sodium Laurel Sulfate. Nothing friendly about that! Effaclar by La Roche-Posay has proven to be effective for some as well as some good old cheap stuff from The Ordinary; their Glycolic Acid 7% cleaning solution is mentioned amongst bloggers too, even though that sounds unfriendly too. As well as my The Ordinary Regimen The Ordinary Regimen for Aging Skin. I have also seen Maskne treatments in local spa’s and salons that may be of help.

Overall conclusion; treat your cheekies like a baby’s bottom…mmm I wonder if baby powder would do the trick too…..