We’re adaptable beings — you and I, and one of the things we’ve adopted as part of our new norm in order to curb the spread of COVID-19 is wearing masks. It’s the sensible thing to do! The considerate thing to do! But alas, it has also introduced a new word into our lexicon: maskne.
Maskne is also known as mask-related acne, and it refers to your face breaking out after wearing masks for a long while. It’s the bumps and pimples on your mouth, chin and cheeks areas.
Living in hot and humid Singapore, wearing masks for hours makes the face area a petri dish for bacteria to grow. You can very well feel it when you talk during meetings or breathe heavily while out and about. The hot air, moisture, dirt and sweat combined triggers acne. Wearing masks is inevitable these days but here are some steps you can take to avoid the dreaded maskne:
1. Practice good hygiene
An obvious one, but just so we’re clear, this means to only touch your face after washing your hands and to change masks regularly. Tempting as it might be, never reuse a disposable mask. If it feels damp from the sweat or rain? Definitely change it!
If you sweat a lot, you might want to consider changing masks mid-day. We don’t mean to forget about being environmentally-friendly — there’s still a place for reusable face masks. Just wash it before use.
2. Go easy on the makeup
Skip the makeup! Half your face is covered anyway. Okay for real, we advise it because most products contain oils that can clog pores when trapped underneath face masks! Why not try tinted sunscreen for that glow? Or if you really must, avoid wearing heavy makeup and try to choose products labelled “non-comedogenic”. Non-comedogenic means it’s less likely to be pore-clogging.
3. Use acne-targeting skincare
Less is more! Level up your beauty and wellness game by using gentle cleansers that are suited for sensitive skin. Signs to look out for are that they’re cleansers with salicylic acid, oil-free, sulfate-free, and that it isn’t chemical-packed to produce that sensorial fragrance. Dial back on the facial scrubs as overuse could aggravate skin, making it more prone to irritation and dryness.
Now’s not the time to be slathering on thick coats of moisturiser either because such products may clog your pores or aggravate the acne. Instead, try to use lightweight, non-comedogenic moisturisers.
Seek IPL Skin Solution treatment at Japan IPL Express
Allow us to help you live your best life. We might not be able to get rid of COVID-19 (we wish) but we can help you treat acne-prone skin through IPL Skin Solution*! What this does is it helps reduce inflammation and redness caused by acne, and lightens acne and pimple scars. The pandemic might have brought about 99 problems, but maskne doesn’t have to be 1 of them.
If you’d like more information about what we can do to resolve or reduce maskne, come on into any one of our Japan IPL Express outlets, WhatsApp us at +65 9005 0550 or reach us at @japaniplexpress on Instagram or Facebook
*For best results, we recommend you walk in to visit us for treatment once every 2 weeks.
