How To Care For Skin Covered With Mask For Hours
Letting our delicate skin have a breath of freshness and take a break from having long and stressful hours of wearing face masks is a must! It doesn’t only bring us peace of mind but also allows our skin to take a rest and regenerate naturally. Furthermore, it can absolutely keep us away from possible future stressors that might have a bad impact on our skin!
As Dr. Michelle Green, a certified cosmetic dermatologist, agrees with the idea of letting our skin breathe. She said, “More oxygen will be delivered to your face, and your skin will have more time to repair itself and regenerate its elastin and collagen.”
Alas! How ironic it is that in this time of catastrophe, we actually need to wear face masks for longer hours!
Face Masks Effect on Skin
We can only depend on wearing face masks to avoid any harm everytime we go out. It is great to know that we can do the things each of us normally does. However, let’s get to know how it also affects our skin.
Based on a scientific study in 2020, researchers elaborated the adverse effects of wearing face masks for 6 hours consecutively. They evaluated that the longer the time face masks are being worn, the more it badly affects several skin characteristics including, skin temperature, redness, hydration, elasticity, and sebum production. Thus, resulting in possible bad skin conditions.
Dr. Zeichner, NYC-based dermatologist, also expounded, "Protecting your face with a mask creates a moist, hot environment for your skin, as your breathing is being trapped,” He also added, “This can lead to a build up of sweat and oil on the skin under the mask, which can lead to inflammation, rashes, and even acne breakouts."
Though face masks are really helpful for our health, it has the exact opposite effect on our skin. Without the proper guidance and care, this can potentially damage the skin and do even more harm with its adverse effects.
Taking Care Of The Skin
At this time, it’s still mostly impossible for us to eventually get out of our comfort zone and brightly embrace the freedom from getting rid of wearing face masks. Even so, we all need to deal with this situation as we keep adjusting to the new normal.
Therefore, let us remind ourselves of the following tips that may help us overcome our anxiety from getting breakouts because of wearing face masks for hours.
Choosing The Proper Mask
First and foremost, we should be aware of what kind of mask we are using. There are many types of masks that we need to be familiar with before choosing the right one for us.
Based on another study about the effects of the face mask on skin, it is said that wearing surgical masks revealed a higher probability of adverse skin effects compared to a cloth mask. In addition, wearing and reusing a face mask for more than 4 hours a day also increased the risk more than changing it regularly.
Cotton masks are also recommended for most people as they’re softer on the skin. Just take note that when wearing a mask, it should feel comfortable and not too tight in order to avoid any adverse skin irritations. For cloth masks, never forget to put on a filter so as not to get infected by harmful microbes and viruses.
Daily Hygiene
We should be more meticulous of ourselves when wearing masks. Our skin becomes more sensitive and prone to irritations or inflammations that’s why we should pay more attention to treat our skin properly.
Before wearing a mask,
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Make sure to fully cleanse the face. We should be aware of what skin type we have in order to choose the appropriate skin product for us. Remember that it is very important to always moisturize and hydrate the skin. Choose non-comedogenic products in order to avoid clogging the pores.
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Have the eyes and lips moisturized as well. We can put some mild eye cream and petroleum jelly or any medication lip balm to moisturize the lips.
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Give the skin some time to dry and breathe. Let the moisturizers penetrate deep into the skin before finally wearing the mask.
- Take a break from using makeup. Since it won’t be visible in any way, we should also be mindful that these chemicals might clog up the pores and cause possible breakouts as it is in close contact with the mask that we will wear for longer hours.
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Avoid touching the mask as well as the face. Each of us must strictly keep this in mind. Avoiding our dirty hands will absolutely keep us from harming our face and health.
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Let the skin breathe for some time before changing the mask. Make sure to be in a secure place and to also wash the hands accordingly.
- If possible, change the mask every 4 hours. As based on the study, adverse skin conditions occur when masks are worn for more than 4 hours most especially if the temperature is too high.
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Again, avoid unnecessary contact between the hands and the face. Let the skin rest and relax for a while before starting our skincare routine.
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Still, cleanse the face and apply moisturizer. This will help the skin be at ease and regenerate from a stressful day being covered with a mask.
- For cloth masks, always remember to wash them regularly and change filters to fully remove unwanted microbes and viruses.Lastly, remember to exfoliate! Because of wearing too many masks within longer hours, the skin cannot properly breathe and tend to produce more sebum resulting in more dead skin cells. It is recommended to exfoliate the skin 2-3 times a week.
This will help the skin get rid of its unwanted cells and fully breathe in relief. Making our own facial scrub is also beneficial and more natural.
How to make hydrating at home face scrub:
To make a simple facial scrub, we will only need these things:
(1) Pure Essential oils - 2 drops
(2) Sugar - 1 and 1/2 teaspoon
(3) Raw honey - 1 teaspoon
(4) Carrier oils (Baobab, Almond, Rosehip or Argan) - 1 teaspoon
Thoroughly mix all the listed ingredients we desire then, we’re good to go!
Remember to also use a carrier oil in order to dilute the essential oil we have chosen before directly applying to our skin. Here is the list of the possible oils that may come to your liking.
