With the coronavirus pandemic, masks have become a part of life for the last 1 year. The use of masks is of great importance to avoid getting infected with Covid-19. Sometimes masks that need to be worn during the day are made of synthetic materials and their wrong use can cause problems such as eczema or acne on the skin. From Memorial Şişli and Ataşehir Hospitals Department of Dermatology, Prof. Dr. Necmettin Akdeniz gave information about skin diseases triggered by the use of wrong masks.
Especially wearing and removing masks and not using appropriate masks can exacerbate skin diseases. Wearing a mask during the covid process is very important and necessary for health. Despite this requirement, wearing a face mask can be extremely uncomfortable for people with sensitive skin and those with facial skin conditions. Due to eczema and acne disorders on the face due to wearing a mask, many people have recently consulted a doctor.
Your mask should not be too loose or tight
Temperature and humidity changes often aggravate both eczema and acne. In this case, wearing a mask can exacerbate these diseases. If the mask is too loose or too tight, it may cause friction; friction and contact also increase eczema and acne. All these effects make the treatment of acne and eczema difficult and may require a different planning.
Eczema symptoms can get worse
Masks worn to protect against Covid-19 infection can cause itching, mild or severe irritation due to friction on the face. This can cause skin diseases such as eczema or exacerbation of existing ones. This can cause itching, redness, dryness, flaking and dandruff on the skin. In addition, if the person has eczema, the symptoms may become more severe, and a wider spread can be observed with watering and crusting blisters.
Masks can cause ‘MASKAKNE’
As you breathe, a moist environment is created under the mask. Irritation of the skin by the mask and the moist environment it causes cause bacteria to multiply here, causing acne. In fact, acne and pimple formation due to masks was called “MASKAKNE” and entered the medical literature together with the coronavirus disease. In the mask-acne table, acne consists of red and inflamed pimples and does not go away easily. Simple acne can turn into deeper and scarring acne.
Pay attention to these when using masks
It is necessary to pay attention to some important points when using a mask;
• A mask apparatus with an adjustable strap and a tight fit by bending the wire part of the mask on the bridge of the nose reduces friction.
• The material and quality of the mask is also important; Natural fabrics such as soft cotton, bamboo and silk should be preferred for sensitive skin. Synthetic and polyester masks should not be chosen.
• Worn and worn masks, whose structure is deteriorated due to the frequent wearing and removal of masks, may also cause damage to the skin. For this reason, masks with damaged texture should be changed frequently with new ones.
• Care should be taken that the rubbers used in the mask are not allergic. Rubbers containing latex can cause severe reactions in sensitive individuals and even anaphylaxis shock and death in those with latex allergy.
• Masks worn behind the ear should not be particularly tight. Tense mask rubbers and threads can cause irritant eczema, allergic eczema, wounds and severe pain in the ear.
• A mask worn by someone else should never be used.
• Masks can be removed in safe environments to relax the skin. If possible, the mask should be removed for at least 15 minutes at certain times, outdoors or in well-ventilated indoor environments where there is no one around.
• Skin health should be taken care of and care should be taken in order to eliminate the resulting irritation. The face should be washed twice a day with cleansers suitable for the skin and treated with restorative creams. Moisturizing with light moisturizers containing ceramide and hyaluronic acid and protection with appropriate barrier creams can be achieved.
• This application should be avoided as heavy make-up will increase both eczema and acne.
It is vital to comply with the mask, distance and hygiene rules in order to protect from the pandemic, and attention should be paid. The mask used must be made of material that will not harm the skin and must be worn correctly. In case of skin problems, help from a dermatologist should be sought.
Source: (BHA) – Beyaz News Agency
