What is Mascne & How To Treat It

The Best Ways To Deal With Mascne

Whether you wear a mask on public transport or whilst at work when dealing with patients or clients, mascne is an unwanted issue that is a common occurrence for those who wear masks on a daily basis. But what steps can you take to improve your skin, even when wearing a mask?

What Is Mascne?

No one thought living through a global pandemic was going to be easy but many thought at least their skin would give them a break. There’s a good chance you’re wearing less makeup, trying less irritating new products and getting a little extra rest. So, why wouldn’t your skin flourish? Well, for a few reasons.

If you’re seeing increased breakouts around the bottom half of your face, it could be mascne, or maskne as some people call it. Yup, that’s acne caused by your mask. It’s important to continue to wear some kind of cloth face covering for the time being so mascne might be here to stay. But you don’t have to live with it.

How Can Face Masks Cause Breakouts?

First, we should take a look at what stress can do to your skin. Stress releases cortisol, which can throw off the other hormones in your body and cause breakouts. Plus, stress can wreak havoc on the bacteria in your gut, disrupting the balance between good and bad. This can show up on your skin (and body!) in the form of acne. Now, add a mask to all of this and your skin is likely to look less than great. 

No matter what type of mask you’re wearing, it could be irritating your skin even if you don’t directly feel it. This can lead to clogged pores, letting sebum and bacteria get under the skin. Notice your pimples are tiny little whiteheads? Yup, that’s from all the skin irritation leading to acne. (If your pimples are hard and deep under the skin, it’s likely hormones are to blame.)

How to Treat & Cure Maskne

Luckily, there are steps you can take to both treat and help prevent breakouts. Make sure you wash your cloth face covering in hot water after every single use, which the CDC recommends anyway. To help keep bacteria at bay, you’ll want to wash your face when you take off your mask, when possible.

An exfoliating cleanser like Peace Out Blemish Balm can help. The deep cleansing formula features both chemical exfoliation (salicylic acid) and physical exfoliation (biodegradable cellulose) to gently slough off dead skin cells and help free clogged pores without stripping away the skin’s natural moisture barrier. The result? Clean, balanced skin that’s prepped and ready to absorb the rest of your acne-fighting skincare routine

Step 1: Peace Out Acne Serum
Start off by applying our daily serum that features some ingredient heavy-hitters like 2% Salicylic Acid, Niacinamide, Vitamin C, and Zinc. They all work together to not only clear blemishes but prevent them from returning.

ICYMI: when we put the serum to the test, it was proven to be non-irritating on skin - masks are already irritating enough!

Step 2: Peace Out Acne Dots
After the serum is applied and dried down on skin, stick an acne-healing dot anywhere on your face that needs some extra attention. The hydrocolloid polymer technology is soaked with salicylic acid to minimize breakouts overnight.

Step 3: Peace Out Wrinkles
Last but not least, apply one of our microneedling anti-wrinkling retinol patches to any smile lines you may have. Hey, just because you’re wearing a mask doesn’t mean that those fine lines and wrinkles don’t need some TLC, too!

While maskne may be mighty annoying and it’s tempting to ditch your mask, remember that when it comes to stopping the spread of diseases and viruses - wearing a mask and washing your hands is the best thing you can do!