With many of us wearing masks daily, it is no surprise that many people are seeing “maskne” – facemask-induced acne – appear on their faces. What causes this and how can it be treated? Here is what you need to know:
- Masks affect your body’s temperature regulation, which can cause acne.
Did you know that the skin surface on the face and scalp affects roughly 80% of all that is needed to regulate body temperature? As body temperature increases and creates sweat, the sweat evaporates into the air. When people wear a mask, the evaporative cooling effect decreases.
- There are a few ways to make masks more comfortable, while keeping your skin healthy.
While no mask will prevent a virus from entering the body, masks do help in preventing possible spread of virus from an asymptomatic carrier breathed out to another person. To make wearing masks more comfortable each day, remove your mask for a few minutes each hour to allow air-drying of face skin, which prevents long periods of wetness from warm, damp breath.
- Wearing a mask creates a damp, warm environment that fosters bacterial growth, resulting in acne.
Since masks prevent airflow to the face, bacterial growth from a warm environment creates acne. While bacteria are always on the skin’s surface and can easily become trapped in hair follicles, acne breakouts exacerbate when skin is not clean. Be sure to wear a clean mask every day because wearing the same mask each day that has not been cleaned or sterilized is a breeding ground for bacteria.
- You can clear your skin with an assortment of treatments from Visage Skin Care & Laser Center, a division of Robinson Facial Plastic Surgery.
HydraFacial: This clarifying treatment with extended extractions and blue LED light therapy removes pore congestion. We offer single treatments and package memberships of 4 (10% off), 6 (15% off), 12 (20% off) treatments. The result? The more you buy, the more you save. Learn More
Chemical Peels: Assorted medical-grade chemical peels can treat different skin problems and levels of skin damage. To begin the procedure, the skin is first cleansed and then the chemical peel is applied. While some peels may cause a slight stinging sensation, this feeling is brief. The peel typically takes no longer than 10 to 15 minutes. Some patients may experience some flaking, redness, or dryness after the chemical peel, but it will gradually fade as your skin becomes accustomed to the treatment. Learn More
BBL Laser Treatment: BBL gently heats the surface of the skin to reduce the appearance of vascular lesions, age spots and other types of pigmentation irregularities. BBL there is a filter that can be used (420) to help with acne and kill bacteria. This laser treatment can also provide long-lasting anti-aging benefits, due to its ability to stimulate the body’s own collagen production. Learn More
Medical-Grade Skin Products: We offer an assortment of skincare lines – from Colorescience, SkinCeuticals, Revisions, EltaMD, – that provide powerful, medical-grade solutions to help clear and prevent breakouts. Learn More
- There are other (easy!) ways to keep your skin clear.
A simple skincare regimen, using a gentle cleanser twice a day, combined with a few additional steps are key to keeping your skin clear:
- Drink 6-8 glasses of water each day
- Maintain good sleep patterns and a healthy diet
- Add more omega-3s to your diet which act as a natural anti-inflammatory
Ready to see how we can help you fight maskne? Contact us for a consultation today 770-667-3090.
