Prolonged facemask use might be provoking cases of facial dermatosis, according to a recently published series of three cases in Clinical and Experimental Dermatology.
Researchers from Milan found that every day use of PPE is resulting in facial dermatoses in non-health workers. In one case, a 32-year-old woman who wore a N95 mask for six hours a day was diagnosed with rosacea.
A 24-year-old patient who worked as a bartender and wore a facemask and goggles during her eight hour shifts was diagnosed with occlusive acne. Clinical exams found multiple inflamed papules, pustules, and microcomedones around her chin and jaws. Before the pandemic, she had suffered from facial seborrhea, but this was her first experience with acne.
The third patient was a 29-year-old man who had developed greasy scales on his nose, cheeks, and beard. He was diagnosed with acute exacerbation of seborrheic dermatitis.
The case study authors recommend using a surgical mask instead of a N95 mask to reduce the risk of contracting facial dermatosis. Applying moisturizer before and after mask use can be an effective method in keeping the skin healthy and free from irritating conditions.