Breakout during the outbreak: Maskne, Its Causes,

Preventions and Treatments

Living in a tropical country like the Philippines, you have to deal with the often humid weather.
Dealing with humidity means you have to deal with moisture. And what makes it moist? Heat.
The hotter the place, the faster water evaporates, and tadah! Moisture.

And this humid weather makes the current pandemic a lot harder for Filipinos to bear. Now that
the country, together with the whole world, experiences the pandemic, everyone is required to
wear face masks as protective equipment from the virus. Having no other choice but to wear it,
people seem to have no other choice but to endure having maskne as well! And Rara, 22, an
administrative worker in Manila, struggles with it ever since she’s forced to wear it so she could
continue working.

What is maskne?

Maskne refers to the breakouts that are often triggered and caused by wearing face masks.
These often appear on the areas the mask covers — the jaw, cheeks, nose, chin and around
the mouth.

According to Dra. Hazel Hao-Dy, MD, DPDS, a board-certified dermatologist, it can be

technically referred to as acne mechanica, which prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, was
frequently seen in athletes who wore helmets and straps for long periods of time.
Occlusion and friction against the skin causes this type of acne. The continued friction over time
leads to inflammation that blocks pores and causes breakouts. Extended wear of masks
contributes to these breakouts with the moisture and sweat getting trapped in the skin.

Having this said, Rara’s nine to twelve-hour wear of face mask daily triggered her skin to have
maskne breakouts. With her oily and sensitive skin having to endure the sweat and moist mask
creates, from her flawless skin in the pre-pandemic months, she’s now suffering from a
moderate to severe degree of breakout, as told by her own dermatologist.

“It was disheartening. I felt like I am so ugly,” told Rara, when she started having breakouts
mid-May when she started working again, thus being forced to wear a mask. She then narrated
how it was depressing to see her face got worse as months passed by with her breakout flaring
up more and more.

With the need to work to earn a living, resigning so she won’t be forced to wear a mask didn’t
cross her mind. She said that she understands the need to wear one.

How to prevent having maskne?

Given that wearing mask is now mandatory, everyone is prone to developing maskne. But one
can prevent it just by ensuring to observe these practices Dra. Hao-Dy advised:

1. Wash your face regularly in the morning and at night before going to bed, or after
sweating or wearing a mask. Avoid rubbing your skin as this may cause more irritation.
 2. Use a gentle cleanser. Avoid one with alcohol or fragrance, as this may cause further
irritation. If your maskne is more severe, medicated cleansers with benzoyl peroxide or
salicylic acid may help. You can ask your doctor or board-certified dermatologist about
the best type of medicated cleanser for your skin.
3. Avoid wearing heavy makeup that can further clog your pores especially under the face
mask. If you really need to wear makeup, opt for mineral-based makeup.
4. Discard disposable masks frequently or after every use.
5. If wearing washable or cloth masks, wash masks properly with fragrance free or
hypoallergenic laundry detergents. Choose masks with tightly woven soft cotton fabric
and avoid masks made of synthetic fabrics like nylon, rayon.

How to treat maskne?

But Rara’s case is far from the preventive measures for her breakouts are considered moderate
to severe by her dermatologist as of December 2020. She is now under a six-month course of
isotretinoin medication.

Isotretinoin is a kind of retinoid drug, used to treat severe cystic acne that has not responded to
other treatments. It works by decreasing facial oil/ sebum production.

According to Dra. Hao-Dy, if your maskne is past the point of prevention, your dermatologist
may prescribe you medicated cleansers and treatments such as topical or oral retinoids and
antibiotics, which in the case of Rara happened, when her own dermatologist prescribed her
isotretinoin.
Aside from this, Dra. Hao-Dy listed active ingredients one must take into c
onsideration when buying a product when you have maskne:

1. Retinoids to reduce sebum and dead skin cells from clumping together.
2. Topical antibacterials like benzoyl peroxide or clindamycin to address bacteria and
inflammation in moderate to severe cases.
3. Azelaic acid which is a naturally occurring acid produced by a yeast which has
antibacterial properties. This is an option during pregnancy and while breast-feeding. It
can also be used to manage discoloration that occurs with some types of acne.
4. Salicylic acid may help prevent clogged hair follicles and is available as both wash-off
and leave-on products

Along with this list, she reminded that when using retinoids and salicylic acid, it is important to
use oil-free moisturizer, because these ingredients can be drying to the skin.

She also mentioned that there are in-office procedures that can reduce inflammation and
breakouts such as comedone extraction, superficial chemical peels, and LED light therapy.

“But work with your board-certified dermatologist, whether in person or via teleconsult, to quickly
address your skin issues and create a proper skin care plan,” Dra. Hao-Dy strongly advised, as
this can save you from trying different things that may or may not work, and might even worsen
your condition.

Currently, Rara, in her journey of treating her maskne, is diligently working with her own
dermatologist . Aside from her medication, she also uses topical medication, azelaic acid cream,
and gentle cleanser and moisturizer — all prescribed by her doctor.

“It’s costly. I still have breakouts. But I’m trusting the process,” said Rara, hoping that she will
have her pre-pandemic skin back, now that she is on her second month of her six-month course
of journey.
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ts-causes-preventions-and-treatments/