6 Tips to Prevent Maskne in 2020
Welcome to 2020. Where I give you advice on the proper skincare for under your mask and my tips on how to prevent mask acne. It’s a thing. We’re calling it “Maskne” and it’s the worst. Just having your hot, steamy circulating breath under your mask for hours at a time cannot be sanitary.
My face would know, she’s breaking out like crazy lately, but only in the mask area. Specifically where it hits my nose, my chin, and by my mouth. Occasionally I’ll get one where the string hits the side.
I asked my go-to Clinical Aesthetician Alethea who owns Bella Med Spa in Atlanta to send me her best tips to prevent maskne.
Alethea is super qualified. She’s my go-to in Atlanta and the only person I trust with my skin. She graduated from the Atlanta Institute of Aesthetics in 2005, continued her education acquiring Laser Certification by Candela, Cynosure, Aesthera, and apprenticed under two medical doctors for three years before starting her own practice. Her knowledge and passion for skincare are unparalleled in Atlanta.
So let’s get to it so your skin doesn’t end up like mine. I’m doing overtime to try to balance my face again, keep it clean and sanitary, and get rid of these maskne breakouts with minimal damage.
So, how is maskne caused?
Maskne is caused by sweating and breath humidity inside of the trapped air in a face mask for an extended period of time. Plus, the constant rubbing of the mask against your skin creates small tears that help bacteria and dirt clog up our pores. Sexy, huh? To top things off, some people also experience rashes and dehydration along with peeling skin…eek! Dehydration is a major factor as well because people don’t drink as much masked up. I recommend stocking these best-sellers in your car, bag, pantry to have on hand for immediate hydration!
Top Tips To Prevent Maskne
1.Pick the right mask
You should try to use a cloth facemask whenever possible. Dermatologists suggest 100% cotton as a good compromise because it allows your skin to breathe but it’s also effective when protecting you against the virus. Avoid synthetic and medical facemasks are shown to cause more skin irritation due to bleach and synthetic irritants!
2.Wash your mask frequently
Your mask is like your underwear these days. You need to wash them frequently! Oil, dirt, and sweat get caught up on the cloth. You definitely don’t want that sitting there when you re-apply your face mask.
3. Lavender essential oil is your new BFF
Apply one very small drop of high-quality lavender essential oil inside of the facemask to be worn daily. Lavender essential oil has been clinically proven to kill bacteria and even some viruses. Plus, it has an antiseptic quality.
Want to go a little harder? You can spray a Salicylic Acid (2.0%) spray that treats and prevents breakouts right into your mask. Let it dry before putting it on and voila. Breakout protection!
4. Avoid wearing makeup or lotions under the mask
A positive side to wearing face masks is that we get to give our skin a break from makeup because, well, no one can see half of our face, right?!
Stay natural under that mask for the time being and have fun focusing your makeup efforts on your eyes instead – don’t be afraid to get extra and make the most out of that 2020 aesthetic!
A little sneaky tip I do is to wear a pimple patch over my sensitive areas to keep them clean and bacteria-free. So if you see me out and about with my mask on, just know I probably have a pimple patch underneath. I swear by these.
5. Drink lots of water!
Staying hydrated our #1 skincare tip ever since before face masks were even a thing, and it still very much applies today.
Buy a water bottle that really speaks to you – something brightly colored and sparkly that you’ll be happy to carry around everywhere you go. That way, you’ll drink more water throughout the day as you’ll always have a reminder.
Bonus tip: Add a little bit of lemon as it revs up your digestion and metabolism – two birds with one stone!
I’d also recommend adding a collagen supplement to your routine if you haven’t already. Especially if you’re over 28. I’m obsessed with this collagen creamer and have at least 3 jars in my pantry.
6. Perform a weekly at-home calming facial treatment
Set a day every week to indulge in some self-care and create a relaxing skincare routine. First, wash your face with cool water and apply a gentle creamy cleanser. Then, use a toner and apply some lavender essential oils.
You can also cold roll your skin to soothe it if your skin has been irritated. To finish, apply a jelly sheet mask to soothe your skin and hydrate it.
And voila! Not only is this routine super relaxing, but it will also help prevent possible maskne outbreaks.
Use Bella’s Be Glowy
Our Be Glowy serum is a wonderful way to nourish and hydrate your skin and impart a smooth complexion and instant correction. With just a few drops, your skin will stay moisturized for the entire day and its blend of antioxidants and humectants will help your skin stay young, hydrated, and super glowy!
How to handle a maskne outbreak
Unfortunately, maskne outbreaks are bound to happen, but as always, I’ve got your back! If you’re currently experiencing one, follow the trick of three: take a Benadryl pill at night, apply Cortizone cream 1%, and apply an ice pack to the affected area for five minutes. Typically, the inflammation will resolve within twenty-four hours with this simple trick!
Head to Bella Med Spa in Atlanta
I frequent Bella Med Spa and have for years. I’ve tried other places in Atlanta, as a blogger, it’s kind of my job, but I always head back to Bella Med Spa when I need to really take care of my skin.
Anyone can do a facial but for the deep down and dirty, skin cell turnover, extreme change, clean out those clogged pores, fix those pick marks laser work… I only trust Alethea. She is the ONLY person I’ve found that does a layered laser approach. One that’s so good she actually teaches it to others. She takes care of my skin when other spas and cosmetic dermatology practices have literally sent me home with skincare products and said to come back in 6 weeks.
Alethea is not afraid to work on my melasma or open wounds on my face. For real. Plus I love that Bella Med Spa is privately owned, by Alethea, so I know she stands behind what she does.
Here’s what Alethea has to say.
In-Office Treatments to beat Maske like a total pro
If at-home solutions aren’t doing the trick for you, remember that Bella is always here for you! We’ve had lots of success treating stubborn maskne on our patients using some of our existing treatments.
A few examples of treatments that are doing the trick are our Hydrafacial and Laser Genesis. Our Hydro Jelly Mask has done wonders, too! Combined, they’re the perfect trifecta to soothe your maskne woes. They rebalance and stimulate collagen production, kill bacteria, as well as soothe and heal your skin.
When to get facials?
We recommend getting them done once a month or as needed. Moreover, our Ouchless Acne Laser is an amazing way to prevent acne and help you get rid of existing acne scars that may have resulted from past outbreaks.
If you’re not sure what’s the best treatment for your skin, or you’re also interested in battling other skin concerns during your visit, remember that our consultations are always free, so don’t hesitate to get in touch with us at [email protected] or call us at 678-908-3491 to schedule a quick visit so we can assess and recommend the best treatment for you.
See you soon!
*sponsored by Bella Med Spa in Atlanta but all opinions are my own*
