Is Face Masks Causing Acne?
It is a weird time in the world right now. After finally able to go back to work, I had to wear a mask all day. At first, I didn’t think wearing a mask would affect my skin that much. BUT nope. My skin went a little crazy and started to get super irritated. In the area where I was wearing a mask, a mixture of fungal acne and bacteria growth started to happen. In this post, I will answer the question if masks are causing acne, my experiences, and what helped.
My Experience
After going back to work, I noticed the area around my mouth started to get red and irritated. The corner of my mouth started to turn red and cracked. Probably not one the prettiest sight.
Me, being fungal acne-prone. I’m pretty sure bacteria like calling my face their home. If you didn’t know, we typically have tons of healthy bacteria on our face, and it’s pretty normal. However, sometimes why you apply thick creams and use certain ingredients you can speed up their growth which causes an overgrowth. When this happens the fungal acne infects the hair follicle, creating these bumps that look like acne.
How Does Wearing Masks Affect Your Skin?
Whenever I wear a mask, I feel like the mask acts as a mini sauna. My face gets humid and sweaty. The perfect environment for bacteria growth.
AND bacteria did grow. As mentioned earlier my skin started to get super irritated and the corner of my lips started to crack, just all-around bad.
I have read many articles saying you should try anti-fungal cream (cream with clotrimazole as the active ingredient) and if that doesn’t help go see your dermatologist. Be warned though, anti-fungal cream is super drying. After using an anti-fungal cream for one day, my skin cracked and dried up.
I suggest that you try to change up your skincare first, then try out an anti-fungal cream when things are getting worse.
What Helped My Skin
I basically used my fungal acne safe routine, and it helped a lot.
I used my Hatomugi Skin Conditioner Toner and an aloe gel moisturizer and noticed a big improvement. If you have any fungal acne safe product you can probably use those as well.
You can read some of my other blog posts for fungal acne-safe products here and here.
Here are just some other tips I found online:
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- Try to take breaks from your face mask
- Don’t wear thick makeup or none at all
- Don’t use super thick creams
- Wash your face mask often
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Conclusion: Are Masks Are Causing Acne
If you are developing weird skin conditions from wearing a face mask, there is probably an increased bacteria growth. I highly suggest trying a fungal acne-safe routine. Try lighter moisturizing products like my holy grail Hatomugi Skin Conditioner and an aloe gel. Try not to layer thick heavy creams, which could make your skin worst. If that doesn’t help you can try an anti-fungal cream and if all fails go see your dermatologist. Hope this helps on your mask-wearing days.
Don’t know if your products are fungal acne safe? You can check here
Here is some product recommendation that is fungal acne-safe:
My favorite fungal acne resource
Some fungal acne safe exfoliators I tried out
My fungal Acne safe routine under $20
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A beauty lover that loves everything about beauty and skincare. She is always on the lookout to find the new “it” product. Whether it is budget friendly or high end, she plans to share with others her beauty adventures and beauty experiences on this blog.