How to get Rid of Maskne
Until a year ago Maskne was an inexistent word for us all. But now a household fame ! The dangers of Covid-19 is real, its life or death and it is alarming. As for Maskne, it isn’t a detrimental finish but nevertheless an annoying problem that is affecting almost all, especially the strictly SOP-following law abiding citizens.
As the name so readily suggest, it is a condition that arises from prolonged usage of mask for protection against harmful bacteria and viruses. It is commonly seen around the perioral areas (areas around the lips) , chin, around the nose and also the cheeks . Not only it is embarrassing and unpleasant a side effect; blemishes, pimples, spots but it is painful too. And sometimes even leaves marks that are super difficult to treat.
Before we move on to the treatments available for Maskne, it is crucial to understand the mechanism of ‘birth’ of these painful bumps. The term Maskne is a glamourous version to Acne Mechanical, acne resulting from the mechanical friction of a fabric or protective gears against the skin. And surprise, it is not something new. It predates even some of us. It was initially seen amongst sport figures who wear helmets and chin guards for long hours causing them to have breakouts in those concealed areas.
When the area is kept covered for a long time, there are poor ventilation to that area. Sweats droplets and dead cells are sedimented making it a niche for bacteria to grow and taddaaa! Maskne appears.
1. First Things First: Mask
In order to successfully treat Maskne, the first step is to get rid of the triggering factor. In this case, it’s the mask which can not be thrown away. So we now move to treating the other factors and also optimizing your skin health.
First step in preventing or at least controlling Maskne would be to use clean masks every time. For reusable masks, it is advisable to wash the masks regularly along with regular change of the filter in the masks.
2. Exfoliate
The next step would be to exfoliate your skin regularly. This can remove impurities and dead skin cells from clogging your pores and causing maskne. Although home-care exfoliants are effective, they are limited to surface level cleansing. For deeper exfoliation, opt for chemical exfoliants such as salicylic acids or glycolic acid peels to clear out the gunk from your pores. Find out more on Chemical Peels here!
3. Moist them to perfection
Hydration is the key to ensure skin health. It may seem far etched but there is a lot of truth in this. When the skin is kept well hydrated and moist, the self-exfoliation which is a part of the normal skin physiology happens very smoothly. Drinking adequate water alone is not going to cut it. Specialized formula such as PROFILO and skin booster that has high concentration of hyaluronic acid helps the skin stay supple along improving the scars from the maskne.
4. Defense from within
Hydration is the key to ensure skin health. It may seem far etched but there is a lot of truth in this. When the skin is kept well hydrated and moist, the self-exfoliation which is a part of the normal skin physiology happens very smoothly. Drinking adequate water alone is not going to cut it. Specialized formula such as PROFILO and skin booster that has high concentration of hyaluronic acid helps the skin stay supple along improving the scars from the maskne.
5. Rid of Maskne: Final Battle
Last but not least, the final combat is usually with the scars from the maskne. These little ‘reminders’ are not welcomed and with the right treatment we can bid farewell to them for once and for all. Scar management is both tricky and time consuming but never impossible. Scars that are dented or excavated can be easily removed with fractional CO2 laser treatment with or without supplemental treatment. However consultation with an aesthetic physician is needed to make an informed decision on the suitability of these treatments
Pigmented scars are also a common sight with maskne-after effects. And these can lasered off in a jiffy with depigmentation lasers such as Medlite C6 lasers that breaks down the melanin aggregate beneath skin surface.
Written by :
Dr Vaishnevi Thanaseharan & Datuk Dr Inder
Klinik Dr Inder
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