Surgical masks and skincare: amid summer heat, how to avoid pimples, dry skin and other problems

A mask will trap oil and sebum from your pores, and could make the skin on your face dry. You need to exfoliate, moisturise, and use a hyaluronic acid serum

Favour products with antibacterial and antioxidant ingredients, avoid harsh chemicals, and if all else fails, give up applying make-up, a skin doctor advises

Reading Time:3 minutes

A woman wears a surgical mask amid the coronavirus pandemic. Wearing a mask can make facial blemishes and breakouts worse. Photo: AFP

Published: 3:05pm, 20 Apr 2020Updated: 4:42pm, 21 Apr 2020

Changes in the weather can affect our skin, especially when the temperature and humidity rise. These problems can be made worse when you wear a surgical mask all day long because of the coronavirus pandemic.

According to experts, the skin on your face can become even more reactive when you wear a mask for long periods of time.

“Wearing a mask, especially in a humid climate, can have an adverse effect on the skin. The oil in your cosmetics or skincare and any excess sebum produced by your pores sit inside the lining of the mask. This is then in contact with your skin – sometimes for hours – [making it] a breeding ground for blemishes, clogged pores and breakouts,” says doctor and founder of her own skincare line Barbara Sturm.

As these breakouts are not necessarily hormone-related, a different approach to your regular routine may be required.

Barbara Sturm says enzyme-based cleansers such as the one from her eponymous skincare line can be gentler on the skin.

Sturm advises exfoliating the skin more regularly to remove dead skin cells, which can accumulate under the mask, leading to excess bacteria and blocked pores. Enzyme-based cleansers can be gentler on the skin, while clay-based masks can help the detoxification process.

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