Wearing a face mask for extended periods of time is causing some people to have severe outbreaks of skin conditions like eczema and acne, dermatologists warn.
Experts explored instances of the most common causes of facial conditions directly caused by wearing face masks and other PPE, a phenomenon known as ‘maskne’. The team from King’s College Hospital, London looked at all forms of facial PPE, including face shields, visors, safety glasses, surgical masks and respirators.
The article, published in the British Medical Journal, was written to help doctors and specialists diagnose ‘maskne’ and identify skin breakouts not related to PPE. It features a range of images showing different types of facial skin conditions caused as a direct result of mask wearing, that were used to create a flow chart specialists can follow to better diagnose and in turn treat a specific condition.
The coronavirus pandemic has led to a notable rise in people wearing personal protective equipment (PPE), especially masks due to government orders. The term ‘maskne’ has become increasingly popular during the pandemic, where it is used to describe several facial skin conditions caused by mask wearing.
