Maskne – Acne underneath the face mask – Prevent & Treat

Maskne is a recent term that became notorious at the beginning of the coronavirus spread, which led many people, feeling frustrated as acne was also developing under the mask, in many people around the country.

Face mask became an essential item, and regardless of your opinion, they’ve proven to protect others from containing the virus, to spread.

Looks like we still have a long way to go, so the best way to deal with Maskne is to understand how it happens and then with proper actions, prevent and treat it.

Maskne is more common than you can imagine

It’s not something that started in 2020. Maskne is a term very common for healthcare professionals, who always used face mask in their practices.

So you’re not alone in this journey and thanks to these heroes, we have the chance to learn from them.

Why are you breaking out more after you started using a face mask?

Studies from Loma Linda University Health revealed that maskne is a skin condition that happens due to prolonged use of face masks.

Evidences show that under the mask, the friction combined with moist from breathing, sweating, and talking are the ideal environment for breakouts.

It’s an ideal environment for acne, once pores get clogged, blocking the natural flow of sebum (skin’s natural barrier) to the surface, affecting the pH of the skin, leading to breakout.

People with more sensitive skin, also reported allergic contact dermatitis. Others who are already dealing with Rosacea had an increase of redness and flares.

How to prevent Maskne?

There’s no big secret to prevent Maskne. You just need some basic knowledge about a good skincare routine.

1. Cleanse – As any other skicare routine first things first. Wash your face with a good cleanser. It’s not soap! A good cleanser has specific properties, to remove gunk and excessive sebum, without drying out the skin.
2. Treatment Serum – As seen in many other posts here, the serum is the magic secret in any skincare routine. For acne prefer the ones loaded with antioxidants derived from natural ingredients, and avoid fragrances.
3. Moisturize – For dry skin one of the best things to do is to use a lightweight moisturizer, for oily skin the serum will solve the issue.
4. No makeup please – Makeup is many times responsible for clogging pores, leading to breakouts. The situation may be aggravated when makeup is not removed before going to bed.
5. Avoid some leave-on harsh products such as salicylic acid, retinol, especially if you’re a first-timer. They could be too strong for your skin.
6. Take a break from your mask every 4 hours – A 15 min walk on nature, far from people, might be a great idea. If you feel like washing your face, this is a good time as well.
7. Use a clean mask every day – A good thing to do is to have several face masks, ready to use. If you’d rather use cloth masks. So you can wash them frequently.

There are people more sensitive to contact dermatitis or eczema, and if that’s the case, an alternative is to use cone-shaped masks. They avoid friction of the mask to cause breakout.

The secret to avoiding breakouts

One of the greatest secrets to avoiding breakouts is to explore the use of 2 ingredients, which are considered holy grails in skincare.

Glycolic Acid – Helps to remove dead skin cells from the surface, freeing up pores from impurities that may clog pores.

Salicylic Acid – Remove dead skin cells but in this case, from the inside pores. It works more as an ungluing ingredient.

Many people believe it’s too harsh to use both, and most of the times it is. The difference though if to pay attention to the pH levels.

Acids with low pH have more efficiency and we at UFlawless use low pH in our formulas so you can have peace of mind. That means no irritation and redness.

Is that OK to use Salicylic Acid and Glycolic Acid at the same time?

Yes, it’s ok to use both, however, better if you can use Salicylic Acid in the morning and Glycolic Acid at night.

Please bear in mind that the skin needs to be more resilient in the sense of being introduced to acids before. If you’re a first-timer, introduce them slowly, starting at once a week.

You’ll see tremendous results!

It’s all about a healthier skin barrier

When people use face mask, some may not realize that the vapor, humidity that stays under the mask, could be “washing” the natural skin’s barrier we all have.

That’s why it’s very important to pay attention on keeping skin’s natural barrier healthy.

To do that, the skin needs replenishment. Especially Vitamins E and F.

• Vitamin E – when applied topically protects the skin from free-radical damage, caused by Nitrogen. In other words, environmental pollutants (CO2). And guess what’s underneath the mask when you’re breathing? CO2. Carbon Dioxide. 
• Vitamin F – One of the recent discoveries in dermatology was to find out that acneic skin has a lack of Vitamin-F. It’s a form of Omega-6 fatty acids, responsible for keeping the skin soft, moisturized, and more importantly an overall healthy look.

What’s the best way to deal with acne dark spots?

Glycolic Acid, Vitamin-C, Kojic Acid are the most common treatments for acne dark spots.

It requires patience to get rid of hyperpigmentation caused by acne, so do not expect to be free of them in a week or so.

However, at the end of this article, you can access the best products to deal with acne dark spots.

The importance of knowing when to visit a dermatologist

Nothing will replace the need of visiting a dermatologist. They are the experts in understanding your skin’s needs.

That’s is one of the reasons some may complain about spending money on expensive products.

Even though at first it may seem obvious that the dermatologist will tell you to use sunscreen, to have a proper skincare routine, this is the person that can make get a lot of value and get the most out of your skin!

More details or if you want to make sure we’re getting accurate information, please check the site for the American Academy of Dermatology Association

All the products featured in this article you can find out here below: Enjoy and looking forward to seeing UFlawless soon!