What to Do When You Have Maskne? Here’s 4 Tips to Improve It

Acne, blackheads, and pimples are every woman's enemy. With the ongoing pandemic, wearing a mask daily has become the norm. While masks block viruses and bacteria, wearing them for extended periods can also trigger a series of skin issues, such as skin sensitivity and maskne. Wearing a mask causes the skin to remain in a confined, warm environment, which can increase the likelihood of clogged pores, leading to acne, blackheads, and other skin problems—resulting in maskne.

1

What Is Maskne?

Acne, blackheads, and pimples are every woman's enemy. With the ongoing pandemic, wearing a mask daily has become the norm. While masks block viruses and bacteria, wearing them for extended periods can also trigger a series of skin issues, such as skin sensitivity and maskne. Wearing a mask causes the skin to remain in a confined, warm environment, which can increase the likelihood of clogged pores, leading to acne, blackheads, and other skin problems—resulting in maskne.

Mask acne usually appears in areas covered by the mask, such as the nose, chin, and corners of the mouth. When the mask covers the face, it creates a sealed environment. The moisture, carbon dioxide, skin flakes, and bacteria produced by the body while breathing are trapped inside the mask, providing a breeding ground for bacteria. It also increases oil secretion on the face, which can eventually lead to maskne.

2

Why Does Maskne Appear?

Wearing a mask for long periods creates a sealed space on the skin. The heat, carbon dioxide, oil secretion, and sweat produced while breathing inside the mask make the space an ideal breeding ground for bacteria. Excessive oil production can clog pores, leading to maskne.

Additionally, the friction between the mask and the skin raises the skin temperature, causing blood vessels to dilate. This makes the skin dry, itchy, and red, and in severe cases, it can lead to rosacea, which is harder to treat.

The following skin types are more likely to develop maskne:

1. Oily Skin

Some women naturally have an overactive sebaceous gland, resulting in oily skin, especially on the T-zone. Wearing a mask for long periods exacerbates oil production. The buildup of dead skin cells, oil, and dust in the pores creates a moist environment inside the mask, promoting bacterial growth. Women with this skin type are more likely to experience severe breakouts, leading to maskne.

2. Sensitive Skin or Eczema

Women with sensitive skin or eczema have more delicate skin that reacts to various materials, such as synthetic substances in many masks, including adhesives, artificial fibers, and the mask's stitching. Prolonged mask wear can cause skin allergies, potentially leading to maskne.

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What Other Skin Problems May Occur Aside from Maskne?

The skin under the mask is in a semi-sealed environment, warm and humid, increasing the chances of bacterial growth in the pores. When oil secretion is blocked, it can cause inflammation in the pores, resulting in acne and pimples—forming maskne. Besides acne, long-term mask wearing can cause the following skin issues:

1. Skin Sensitivity

Most medical masks are made from synthetic materials such as polyethylene, adhesives, and artificial fibers. Women's skin may have allergic reactions to these materials, causing itching, redness, and swelling. Additionally, masks with higher defense capabilities tend to be less breathable, which can cause a stuffy feeling. The constant friction between the mask and the skin can cause moisture loss, leading to dryness and triggering skin allergies.

2. Increased Oil Production

The warm and humid air inside the mask raises skin temperature, stimulating oil production, which can result in oily skin. After removing the mask, the skin around the nose, nose wings, and mouth feels greasy and dirty.

3. Bad Breath

Wearing a mask creates a semi-sealed space around the mouth. If strong-smelling or spicy food is consumed while wearing the mask, bad breath may develop. Sometimes, the person may even smell their own breath when talking, which is uncomfortable.

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6 Tips to Improve Maskne

Many women are troubled by maskne, but it's impossible to avoid wearing masks during the pandemic. If your face is covered in pimples, here are 4 ways to help improve maskne:

1. Use a Hydrating Face Mask Once a Week

Maintaining a balance between skin hydration and oil production is crucial. Don’t skip moisturizing just because you have maskne. Over-cleaning can worsen the situation. A weekly hydrating face mask can effectively reduce oil secretion and improve maskne.

2. Change Your Mask Regularly

To improve maskne, it is essential to keep the mask fresh. This helps prevent bacteria and oil from accumulating. It’s recommended to change your mask every four hours. If your mask gets wet, change it immediately. Additionally, placing a tissue or medical gauze inside the mask and changing it every hour is also a good practice.

3. Choose the Right Mask for Your Face

Since masks are in direct contact with your skin every day, pay attention to the material and fit. Make sure the mask isn’t too tight and doesn’t cause excessive friction. With so many masks available on the market, choosing one with a 3D cut can reduce the likelihood of maskne by not letting the mask touch the skin too closely.

4. Maintain Proper Facial Cleanliness

To improve maskne, it’s crucial to clean your face properly. As soon as you return home, remove your mask and wash off excess oil with water. Choose mild, natural face wash products for gentle cleansing.

5. Minimize Makeup

During the pandemic, everyone wears masks, leaving only the forehead and eyes exposed. However, many women still wear makeup for work. Heavy makeup can significantly increase the chances of clogged pores, leading to maskne. Therefore, it is recommended to reduce the frequency of makeup application. If you must wear makeup, opt for a lighter look, focusing on eye makeup.

6. Exfoliate Regularly

The skin’s outer layer, while protecting the skin and maintaining moisture, can lead to clogged pores if it becomes too thick. To improve maskne, strengthen your morning and night skincare routine. Use cleansing products containing fruit acids to reduce oil secretion, keep pores clear, and effectively improve maskne.

5

TCM Recommendations: Foods to Help Improve Maskne

Many women also seek Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) to address internal factors contributing to maskne. According to TCM, maskne is caused by the friction from the mask raising the skin’s temperature and stimulating excessive oil production. This is linked to internal damp heat. Consuming the following foods can help clear internal dampness and heat, improving maskne:

1. Lily

Lily is sweet and cool in nature. It has a calming effect and is especially beneficial for maskne caused by lung heat. It can be used in sweet soups or combined with fresh lotus seeds and longan.

2. Mung Beans

Mung beans are known for their cooling and detoxifying properties. If you feel heat or swelling in your gums, it suggests internal heat. Mung bean soup can help cool and detoxify the body.

3. Chinese Yam

Chinese yam is sweet and neutral. It helps improve spleen and stomach functions, boosts immunity, and is effective in addressing maskne caused by lung heat and digestive imbalances.

4. Winter Melon

Winter melon is commonly used in cooking for its cooling, detoxifying, and diuretic properties. It is helpful for improving maskne.

5. Job’s Tears

Job’s tears are mildly cool and can help expel excess water from the body. They also tonify the spleen, clear heat, and detoxify, reducing the chances of maskne formation.

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Food Therapy for Maskne

Here are two simple TCM recipes that can help prevent and improve maskne. These are ideal for daily health care. However, if maskne is severe, it is important to consult a doctor for treatment.

1. Loquat Chrysanthemum Porridge

Ingredients: Loquat leaves, chrysanthemum, gypsum, rice

Preparation: Wrap all the herbs in a bag and cook with rice for about 40 minutes. Remove the herbal bag and consume the soup.

2. Winter Melon Drink

Ingredients: Raw job’s tears, winter melon, fresh purslane

Preparation: Cook all the ingredients in water for 30 minutes, then drink.

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What Are the Treatment Options for Maskne?

Many women find their skin condition worsening under the mask, and resort to various acne treatments, such as acne creams, acne lotions, oral retinoids (A-acid), and acne patches.

1. Acne Creams and Acne Lotions

Most acne creams and lotions contain antibacterial properties, help reduce redness and inflammation, and suppress oil production, which can accelerate the healing of maskne. Common ingredients include sulfur, azelaic acid, salicylic acid, and benzoyl peroxide. However, not all acne creams and lotions are suitable for everyone. For women with sensitive skin, the ingredients might cause allergic reactions.

2. A-Acid

A-Acid is a common medication for treating acne and blackheads. It inhibits the growth of acne-causing bacteria, speeds up skin cell turnover, and reduces oil production. While effective, A-Acid has side effects, such as an initial breakout phase, dry skin, liver abnormalities, and even hepatitis, so regular blood tests are necessary during treatment.

3. Acne Patches

Acne patches work by creating a sealed environment around the acne, absorbing pus and secretion. They protect the acne wound and speed up the healing process while reducing the chances of infection from external sources.

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The Ultimate Solution to Maskne! Perfect Treatment Plan

As mentioned earlier, reducing maskne relies on avoiding common triggers and adjusting lifestyle habits. In addition to TCM food therapy and skincare, maintaining good facial hygiene, keeping your mask clean, and reducing stress are essential to improve maskne.

Perfect Medical's Acne Treatment can fundamentally improve your skin quality by injecting serums deep into the skin, balancing oil secretion, and quickly activating collagen self-repair and regeneration. Combined with their exclusive infusion formula, it clears pores, dissolves blackheads, and eliminates maskne in one go, preventing future outbreaks. This treatment can effectively address most types of acne, including cystic acne, stress-related acne, hormonal acne, blind pimples, enlarged pores, and milia.

Perfect Medical Acne Treatment uses its unique vacuum microdermabrasion technology, which gently and painlessly removes dead skin cells while infusing a purification formula deep into the skin. This treatment balances oil secretion, clears pores, and effectively dissolves blackheads. Most importantly, it quickly stimulates collagen regeneration, allowing for the repair and reconstruction of damaged skin tissues. The collagen-producing cells generate more healthy collagen, which repairs the skin damaged by maskne, restoring smooth, flawless, and soft skin.

Currently, Perfect Medical is offering a rare opportunity for a free trial. Simply click the link below to register and get one free trial session. Don’t miss out!