How to care for your skin while wearing a face mask

Irritation or small lesions behind the ears or cheeks, and worsening of problems such as acne or rosacea are some of the consequences of continued use of facial masks. Therefore, proper steps to be taken to ensure the best usage of masks.

Masks are already mandatory in public spaces if the safety distance of 2 meters cannot be maintained, but most of us have long been familiar with them. The following discussion explains the most common conditions that may occur due to misuse of masks and how to avoid them.

More irritations

One of the most observed skin reactions is related to direct irritation of the mask on the skin.

• Paper surgical masks give problems mainly in the area of ​​the rubber, either in the ear or in the neck.
• FFP2 masks are more occlusive, so they fit more closely and, in addition to the anterior areas, they also cause irritation to the back of the nose and cheeks.

Skin diseases get worse

But the masks not only irritate the skin by rubbing:

• They also cause occlusion, increased sweating, and increased moisture retention.
• This causes skin conditions such as acne, rosacea, or seborrheic dermatitis to worsen.

The more the mask is occlusive, the more it will isolate us from possible viruses, but the lack of ventilation will be greater and will be worse for people who suffer from skin conditions.

It would be necessary to take breaks

Misuse of the mask further increases potential problems:

• It is key to place it well. Otherwise, the rubbers will rub more behind the ears and the back of the nose or the cheekbones will receive more friction.
• Every 2 or 3 hours it would be necessary to rest and remove it for a time. Because If you wear it for a long time, for example at work, we would advise providing spaces so that you can take it out for a while and that the face gets some air.

How to prevent discomfort

• Use a moisturizer with a barrier effect (such as those used for babies' bottoms) in the areas of greatest friction (behind the ears, back of the nose or cheeks) half an hour before putting on the masks.
• If more occlusive masks such as FFP2 are used, petroleum jelly may be applied in these contact areas or even a hydrocolloid dressing such as those used to protect wounds.

Choose the one that works best for you

Not all masks are the same, it is important to find the model that best suits you and your needs. : It is not true that a mask is very effective as it is more uncomfortable and because it touches more. Most importantly, if you do not need very high protection, there is no sense to use a very insulating mask as if you were going to enter an ICU.


Photo by Pille-Riin Priske on Unsplash