Got a case of face mask acne? These tips can help keep your skin clear, experts say

If you’ve been wearing a face mask during the coronavirus pandemic, you may have started developing acne around your mouth.

Covering your mouth and nose with a mask traps your breath and creates a warm, moist environment for your skin, dermatologist Joshua Zeichner told Refinery29. Sweat and oil can build up under the mask which can in turn cause acne.

Masks, themselves, can also cause problems.

The rough textures of surgical masks and respirators can cause physical irritation when they rub skin while cloth masks can absorb our natural oils causing skin dryness, aesthetician Rachael Pontillo told Today. Residue leftover from laundry detergents and fabric softeners can also clog pores.

So what’s a mask-wearer to do?

Thankfully, experts say there are steps you can take to help prevent pimples.

Here’s what you can do to help keep your skin clear when wearing a mask.

Wear a clean mask

The shortage of personal protective equipment for health care workers has been well-documented, but if possible, be sure to wear a clean mask, Pontillo told Today.

If that’s not an option, spray the inside of the mask with rubbing alcohol after each use, according to the outlet. Let it dry before wearing it again.

If your mask is cloth, launder it after use.

Wash your face

Before you put on your mask, remember to wash your face, physicians assistant Alexis Johnson told WHBQ.

She recommends doing so with a gentle cleanser.

“Make sure you use a really gentle cleanser because any cleanser that’s more irritating it’s going to cause your skin to be dryer and that’s going to cause the mask to be more irritating,” Johnson said, according to the outlet.

Be sure to wash your face after you remove your mask, as well, Refinery29 reported.

Apply a moisturizer

After washing your face, apply a moisturizer before putting on your mask, dermatologist Adelaide Hebert told KTRK.

She recommends a “ceramide containing cream moisturizer” which will help reduce friction and keep irritation from the mask at bay, according to the outlet.

Don’t wear makeup

If you’re going to wear makeup, don’t apply it under the mask, dermatologist Hadley King told Refinery29.

Foundations, concealers and other heavy makeups should especially be avoided as humidity under the mask can affect your skin’s production of sebum — an oily substance secreted by the body to protect the skin — leading to clogged pores and ultimately causing break outs, King said, according to the outlet.

You should also avoid wearing sunscreen under your mask, according to Hebert, along with fragrance-heavy products, KTRK reported.

Change how you apply medications

If you’ve been prescribed medications for acne, eczema or rosacea, Hebert says not to apply your medication under your mask, but only to areas the mask doesn’t cover, KTRK reported.

If you’ve applied your medication like normal, she recommends wiping the medication off the area around your mouth before donning your mask, according to the outlet.

How to treat breakouts and irritation

If you do end up with irritation or break outs, you can still get some relief.

You can “treat any irritation from rubbing with some hydrocortisone cream over the counter 1% hydrocortisone cream. It’s safe to use for a couple of weeks at a time,” Johnson told WHBQ. “Twice a day.”

She also recommends putting zinc oxide on areas where the mask touches the skin, according to the outlet.

If your skin is swollen due to the tightness of your mask, try wetting a washcloth with icy water, wringing it out then laying it over clean skin, Today reported. For bruising, try arnica cream or arnica gel, according to the outlet.

For acne, Dr. Orit Markowitz suggests salicylic acid or benzoyl peroxide spot treatments, Refinery29 reported, adding that if the break out looks odd or is happening for the first time to contact your doctor.