masking the problem
If you are asking yourself “why is my face breaking out all of a sudden??” well then keep reading because I have a fairly good idea as to why…
Recently a friend of mine posted a picture before she was about to go on her shift at work and the caption was something along the lines of “ good thing I have to wear this mask to work because it will cover these giant breakouts on my chin.”
Although the mask is doing a great job at covering the breakouts it’s actually what’s causing them!!
Yes that’s right, no matter what type of mask you are wearing it will cause you to break out, but there are a few things you can do to prevent it!
1. WEAR A CLEAN MASK.
If you are using a disposable mask only wear it one to two times and then dispose of it properly – which means throwing it away in a trash. If you are wearing a reusable mask, make sure to constantly wash it. If it is cloth then you can run it through the washing machine, all other masks can be wiped down with a sanitary wipe or scrubbed with some dish soap and water, pat with a paper towel and then let it air dry.
2. KEEP YOUR FACE CLEAN.
The best way to do this is by having a skincare regimen which can be as simple as cleansing and moisturizing your face - in the morning when you wake up, at night right before going to bed, and any other time whenever your skin feels dry, oily, or if you’ve been sweating profusely. Now with the summer heat and humidity, it’s likely that you are sweating more, and the mask is causing you to sweat more around your mouth. Wearing the mask and not being able to remove it is causing the sweat to sit their and clog your pores. If you can, carry some baby wipes or a facial cleansing cloth to wipe your mouth clean when you feel the sweat building up. Be cautious, DO NOT remove your mask while in public, or be considerate by standing beyond six feet away before moving your mask to wipe your face.
3. AVOID WEARING MAKEUP.
DO NOT wear makeup if you do not have to. Wearing a mask over a full face of makeup is doing horrible damage to your pores, they are unable to breathe and its trapping the residue of the makeup into your pores mixed in with oils and sweat, causing your pores to clog which then leads to the break outs.
Areas around the nose, mouth and chin are prone to breakouts for many reasons, some include; change in hormone levels, stress, or unclean skin. If you are someone who is very in tune with their skin then you might understand better why you breakout in certain areas of your face but if you’re someone who hardly ever has breakouts and you are concerned as to why this is happening all of a sudden follow the 3 suggested tips listed above and see if there is a visible difference / improvement in the clarity of your skin. If you do not see a change or notice your skin is getting worse consult a doctor or visit your dermatologist.
PLEASE be respectful and WEAR A MASK at all times while in a public setting, PRACTICE SOCIAL DISTANCING, and most of all BE PATIENT + BE KIND.