Maskne

We all heard by now the word MASKNE... It is mask induced acne. Quiet simple, yet can be a very tricky one to get rid of. I am sure by now you have tried pretty much everything but those pimples are keep on coming.

"So why do I get maskne?"

It is a combination of few things, but it is the friction and irritation that starts the whole story. I'll explain how...

The skin is a functioning organ that has a barrier- protector- layer. Without this layer things can get pretty messy and uncomfortable.

Imagine a brick wall, you have the bricks and cement so that the wall can be robust and strong. Just like your skin`s barrier, the main job of a brick wall is to divide and to protect. So things cannot enter or leave.

Now imagine a very rough brush, rubbing against that brick wall every day. Eventually, the cement will start to wear off and crumble, the bricks will become loose and before you know it, the wall might even collapse.

"That's a bit dramatic and how is this even related to my maskne?"

Well, if your skin is rubbing against a fabric every day, it will become irritated and overtime can develop dermatitis and other long term problems. Impaired barrier will not be able to function 100%. It will not be able to retain moisture levels and of course it won`t be able to prevent bacteria or pathogens entering the skin.

"So friction is one of the causes of maskne. Are there any other contributing factors?"

Of course you have to take in to consideration the bacteria, the sweating and perhaps the limitation in water intake if you are having to wear your mask all day long.

"Okay, so what can I do about it?"

As you probably know by now, it is not a 1 fix does it all kind of thing. We must do several things well in order to help the skin repair.

1) Having a simple but solid skin care routine - cleanse, condition, exfoliate, use the right moisturisers.

2) Change your mask often - wash them with fragrance free solutions and use anti- bac or dispose them frequently if non reusable. Have regular mask breaks if you are having to wear it all day.

3) Pillow talk - how often do you change your pillow case? Change them daily and wash them with anti-bac solution.

4) Avoid wearing make- up if you can. Let's be honest no one sees half of your face anyways. Don`t waste that expensive stuff!

5) Look for ingredients like tea tree oil, willow bark extract (salicylic acid) and AHAs. Use an enzyme based exfoliator rather than one with bits in it - remember the friction causes irritation so avoid harsh granules/grains.

6) Make sure you use a light weight moisturiser that is non comedogenic

7) Lastly... diet. Yes I know! That old chestnut...

But hear me out. It is really super important and no I am not going to tell you not to eat a cake. After all I think we have learned that life is too short... All I am saying is to have a balanced diet. Drink plenty of water. Why? Because your organs need it to function. Remember, skin is an organ. If it doesn't get enough water, guess what it will make to compensate? OIL! And that my dear will definitely feed the breakouts. So that is why everyone will tell you to drink more water and eat healthy.

TOP TIP

Apply an anti-inflammatory, clearing face mask as a spot treatment on your breakouts under your mask. Just make sure you remember to take it off before you do a FB live!

Do you want to find out more about YOUR skin...? Get in touch with me here at eNVy Beauty