By Julia Vearncombe, founder of www.skin-genius.co.uk
‘Maskne’ is a term derived from the words ‘mask’ and ‘acne’ to denote the development of acne after wearing a face mask. It’s now commonly used to explain spots, breakouts and irritations that occur around the mouth and chin area as a result of wearing a face mask.
The primary cause of this is that your breath and warm, moist air circulating behind the mask have nowhere to go. As skin oils, sebum and perspiration become trapped, this creates the perfect environment for bacteria sitting on your skin to thrive, leading to blocked pores and spots. In addition, rashes and irritations can occur where the face mask rubs against your skin, especially around your nose, chin and behind your ears (where the straps can rub).
If you’re already prone to spots, acne, eczema, psoriasis or rosacea, ‘maskne’ can exacerbate the problem. And, sorry to say, the warmer humid summer weather will add further to the problem.
So, what to do?
Prevention
Prevention is your best course of action and here are a few simple things you can do:
1) Cleanse, cleanse and cleanse! Cleanse when you wake, when you remove your mask and before you go to bed to clear your skin of unwanted bacteria. You don’t need to do a complete face wash each time but do concentrate on the affected areas as often as you can.
2) Apply a natural, anti-bacterial serum or gel to help protect your skin under your mask.
3) Avoid wearing makeup under your mask – that part of your face is covered anyway so no need to worry!
4) Remove your mask as often and as soon as you can to let the warm moisture evaporate from your skin – ideally do this outdoors to let the fresh air get to it.
5) Opt for a cotton or silk face mask and wash it after each use to prevent bacteria transferring back to your skin when you use it next time.
Treatment
1) Cleanse your skin as soon as you get home – ideally with an antibacterial face wash.
2) Hydrate your skin by applying a soothing moisturiser: look out for a 100% natural product to work with your skin gently and also make sure it’s ‘non-comedogenic’ as these products won’t block your pores!
3) Choose a calming and soothing moisturiser to reduce any redness and irritation. Natural products that are ‘anti-inflammatory’ and/or ‘anti-bacterial’ will really help.
Be patient: give products time to work. Finally, and importantly, don’t stop treating your skin as it starts to clear: keeping to a routine will help prevent further problems.
Top skincare ingredients that can help you manage maskne include:
• Witch Hazel which reduces inflammation and calms redness
• Oregan Grape which contains a compound called berbamine which kills on contact the bacteria that contribute to acne
• Nettle (yes, really!) as it’s high in antioxidants to help heal the skin and has anti-inflammatory and anti-bacterial qualities
• Marsh Mallow (but not the fluffy pink and white sweets variety 😊) to leave the skin feeling soft and smooth
• Calendula which is anti-microbial and can kill bacteria that typically cause acne.
• Macadamia which mimics skin sebum to slow your skin’s production rate of this – reducing blocked pores as a result