5 Skincare Tips for Dealing with Maskne

Wearing face coverings in public looks like it is here to stay, which means that dealing with maskne is another to skincare issue add to the list.

Help is at hand. Top Irish skin therapist Eavanna Breen is here to take you through some great tips for dealing with that pesky maskne.

What is maskne, you may wonder? Maskne (mask & acne) is the buzzword assigned to the increased spot breakouts people are experiencing in their skin, particularly on the lower half of the face, due to the constant close covering of a mask.

Maskne can also present itself in the form of extremely dry and itchy patches, raw and red skin and even rashes.

It happens because mask wearing promotes a warm, moist environment that is created by talking, breathing and sweating within the mask, creating an ideal environment for bacteria to grow.

This in turn then leads to the build-up and spread of often painful acne beneath the mask.

This bacteria promoting environment, combined with clogged pores from the occlusion of the mask, unavoidable friction caused by the mask and sometimes pre-existing acne are all elements contributing to maskne.

Masks are necessary for all of us when out and about while Covid 19 is around, but dealing with maskne is not.

Speaking about the increased worry regarding maskne, Eavanna said:

“Since it became mandatory to wear masks in public, I have seen a significant increase in the amount of clients who come to the clinic or contact me about their concerns with maskne.

There is some frustration about this condition, with some clients saying they are wearing the masks, not touching their faces and therefore should see a reduction in acne but instead unfortunately we are presented with this new phenomenon”.

“The important thing to remember is that there are lots of different steps we can take in order to help with this new condition."

Eavanna has kindly provided some top tips for dealing with maskne for beaut.ie readers in the video below:

If you would like to book a visit with a professional to have your skin assessed, Eavanna Breen is the founder and senior skin therapist of Akina Beauty and Laser Clinic in Dublin 2. Her clients include the likes of Holly Carpenter, Samantha Mumba and Thalia Heffernan.

Main photo by Flavio Gasperini