How To Prevent Mask Acne | Donaldson Plastic Surgery

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By Tatjana Dzamov |

How to Keep Your Skin Beautiful Under Your Mask

4 tips from a medical aesthetician to keep your skin healthy & avoid “Maskne”

Tatjana Dzamov, Lead Medical Aesthetician

Tatjana Medspa Process

Wearing face masks have become part of our daily lives. And they should – medical professionals agree that wearing face coverings play a critical role in preventing the spread of COVID-19.

But just because we are wearing cloth coverings over our faces doesn’t mean we can neglect our skin care routines. In fact, it means we need to pay extra attention to our skin, as masks can make our faces more susceptible to breakouts, rashes and other irritation. You may have heard of this referred to as “maskne.”

Covering the bottom half of our faces also means it’s even more important to ensure the skin that is showing is as glowing and beautiful as possible. After all, if you are going to put your best face forward, you need to take extra care of the skin that is showing.

Here are 4 ways to keep your skin beautiful as you wear your mask.


1. Wash your face and your mask every day.

Make sure to wash your face two times a day, and after sweating and taking your mask off.  Keep your skincare simple and make sure you are using the right products for your skin type (not how your skin feels). In order to achieve this, you should have a proper skin consultation with a medical aesthetician like myself. If you are wearing a cloth mask, you absolutely need to wash it daily in order to keep it free from bacteria and products that may be irritating your skin, leading to breakouts. If you touch the outside of your mask, always remember to wash your hands before touching your face.

2. Skip makeup under your mask.

It may be the right time to break up with makeup (at least temporarily). Acne and irritation can be made worse when makeup is combined with the heat and humidity of summer, along with using too many products or the wrong products. If you don’t have to have makeup on, try skipping it, or perhaps just focus on your beautiful eyes.  

3. Get regular deep cleansing facials.

Getting regular deep cleaning facials are extremely helpful in not only keeping your pores free from impurities and oil, but also in keeping your skin healthy and your stress levels down. My facials are incredibly relaxing experiences, and I recommend patients come see me regularly for their own well being.

4. Add soothing products.

Something that I personally like to do is put 1-2 drops ofa  Doterra Essential Oil (Peppermint or Breathe) on the inside of my mask. Peppermint has antiseptic and antibacterial properties, which is excellent if you sweat underneath your mask. It’s very cooling and soothing, and it will keep your nasal passages open. 


There are many reasons why acne can occur

If your acne predates wearing a mask, it may have another root cause. Acne comes in many different forms, and not all of them can be attributed to wearing masks. Some of them are acne vulgaris, papules, pustules, nodules, cystic acne, and so on. They are caused by many different reasons like diet, stress, lack of sleep, not drinking plenty of water, using the wrong products, or using products that have toxic ingredients that irritate, cause rashes, allergies, disrupt hormones, or even contain carcinogens. If you have experienced acne before or are experiencing acne for the first time, I recommend you set up an appointment with me for a skin care consultation.

When to seek a skin care expert

I hope that you find this information helpful! For some extra TLC, the Medspa at Donaldson Plastic Surgery has excellent facial treatments to pamper your skin. If you are interested in learning more about the health and wellness of your skin, please call to set up a one-on-one consultation with me to address your unique skin needs. I’d love to help you find the perfect regimen for your skin! Stay safe, be well, and I hope to see you soon. 


Contact us at (614) 442-7610 and ask to schedule a Skincare Consultation with Lead Medical Aesthetician Tatjana.

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