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7. Why You Should Avoid Wearing Masks All the Time

While wearing masks is the basic safety step against the virus, there’s a reason why you shouldn’t be putting it on all the time. Here’s how to take care of your skin and prevent adverse effects of wearing a mask.

No matter wherever you go, the government has now mandated customers and visitors to cover their mouth and nose with a mask or any piece of clothing considering the COVID-19 situation. Health care professionals and those who work in any kind of healthcare facilities have to wear full personal protective equipment, including a mask, for prolonged hours. However, wearing the mask for prolonged periods can cause a lot of skin problems for many people.

WHY NOT TO WEAR MASKS ALL THE TIME

Wearing face masks for a long duration can cause flare up of acne problems. Sweat and things like oil and makeup are present on the skin and then when we cover them with a mask, it becomes occluded. And when we breathe into the mask, the humidity develops in the mask, increasing the chances of acne.

AN INCREASE IN CASES OF PERIORAL DERMATITIS

Moisture and vapor as well as any secretions such as saliva or mucus are trapped inside the mask. It acts as an irritant dermatitis to the skin and upsets the natural balance of the skin layer around the mouth. This results in rashes, redness, irritation and scaling around the nose and mouth. Sometimes tiny pimples or pustules appear in clusters around the skin of the lips.

Humidity due to wearing masks for longer duration makes the skin layer too moist, trapping all this moisture inside the mask. When the skin is in that moist environment and then we take the mask off and let the air out, it can become too dry also and cause dryness of the skin with itching and redness.

There are many simple things we can do to protect our face from the side effects of wearing masks. Sometimes, it also depends on the type of mask we are wearing. If it's a cloth mask, you need to wash it on a regular interval.

• If you are not outside and safe at home, where not many people are present, then avoid wearing masks for extended periods of time.
• If your skin seems too much on the dry side, use a gentle, hypoallergenic moisturizer. Don’t use something such as witch hazel or rubbing alcohol that will be even more irritating to the skin layer.
• Use a neutral cleanser, a milk soap or good face wash to clean your skin.
• If you're using disposable masks then after using it, hang it up in a sunny place to dry for a day or two before using it again.
• Consult a dermatologist if you do not know how to manage your condition without waiting for it to aggravate.

Disclaimer: This article is authored by Dr. Ajay Rana - a world renowned Dermatologist and Aesthetic Physician and Founder and Director of ILAMED. The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author’s and do not represent those of GlobalSpa. Image credits: unsplash.com