Is Wearing Face Masks / PPE Irritating Your Skin? Here’s What You Can Do
Wearing a face mask has become a necessary part of daily life when you plan on leaving the house. But what can you do when your skin is getting irritated? Here are a few helpful tips to soothe your irritated skin.
Moisturize Your Skin Thoroughly
When you’re wearing a mask daily and it rubs up against your skin, it’s bound to get irritated eventually. The friction from your face mask can cause skin irritation, dryness, and even acne breakouts. While ordinarily the summer months would call for a lighter moisturizer, it might not be time to ditch your heavier winter lotion just yet. If you have particularly sensitive skin and you’re noticing some irritation at the top of your cheeks and around your nose, make a point to apply some moisturizer both before and after you wear your face mask. Of course, if your skin is already oily, a lighter moisturizer might still be a better option for you. Take stock of your skin’s condition and adjust your moisturizing routine accordingly.
Take a Break from Makeup
Makeup can help you feel more confident in your skin, but underneath a mask it might be doing more harm than good. Not only is it not visible when the bottom half of your face is covered with a mask, but it could actually be contributing to your acne and skin irritation if you’re not careful. When you wear makeup underneath your mask, you could be trapping oil and bacteria in your skin along with the moisture from your breath. Combined with skin irritation from your mask rubbing up against your face, you’ve got the perfect recipe for a nasty breakout. If you absolutely have to wear makeup, consider only putting it on the top half of your face that isn’t covered by your mask.
Keep Your Mask Clean
A sanitized mask is a good mask, and for several reasons. First, a clean mask is going to function more effectively against bacteria and viral droplets. In addition, a clean mask is going to be less irritating on your skin. Not only will it be softer if you’ve machine-washed it, but it will also carry less bacteria on it. And when there’s no bacteria on your mask, you have less of a risk of experiencing an acne breakout or a skin rash. Combined with the right acne treatment, your clean face mask is going to help your skin stay nice and happy for the duration of the time you’ll be wearing it. Wearing a disposable face mask? Make sure you dispose of it properly after you’ve worn it once. Unless you have a means of effectively sanitizing your disposable face mask, it needs to go in the garbage. Acne causes enough stress as it is — don’t let a dirty face mask keep you from clear skin!
Wearing a face mask isn’t much of an inconvenience, but skin irritation can be…well, irritating. If you’re struggling with face mask skincare and want some help, set up a consultation with our dermatology services team today.