By now, we all know masks are being used to help control the spread of COVID-19.
What you may not know is they are causing the spread of something else...acne.
Bad acne, dry skin, dry lips are all common problems popping up from wearing masks, and that is just a few.
Russell Akin, a dermatologist at Midland Dermatology says the rubbing of the mask against the skin is one of the biggest offenders, but there are others.
“You also get an increase of humidity and heat associated with it, which then increases oil production which then can increase the likelihood of acne and seborrheic dermatitis," Akin said.
Luckily, there are a few things you can do to control breakouts.
“Clean your skin with a gentle cleanser twice a day," Akin said. "We recommend a mild facial moisturizer something like Cetaphil that helps to repair the skin barrier and decrease the friction associated with wearing a mask”
If the West Texas heat is making wearing masks hard for you, Dr. Akin recommends wearing a cotton mask. Cotton masks are lighter and easier to breathe through than N95 or surgical masks.
"If you don’t need to wear a mask like if you’re in your car, or at home, take it off and let your skin breathe," Akin said.
Dr. Akin recommends changing your disposable mask every day.
If you have a cloth mask, it should be washed daily with soap and warm water in order to get rid of bacteria and yeast that cause faces to breakout.