quarantine, maskne, anxiety: a triple threat to your skin

ever since the onset of covid-19 and the height of the first quarantine, many of my patients have had questions about the changes they have been seeing in the health of their skin.with an increase in anxiety, new routines and habits, and the fact that we will be wearing masks everywhere we go for the foreseeable future, many of us have noticed a disruption to many parts of our wellbeing, including mental health, energy, motivation, and fitness — all culprits that can affect overall skin health. and, with most of us spending more time indoors again as restrictions increase, the changes we are seeing in our skin are likely to persist.although some of us may have noticed improvements to our skin since working from home — less makeup and more sleep — for many others, the challenges of lifestyle changes, mask wearing and anxiety have translated to our skin in the form of inflammation, causing uncomfortable dermatitis (skin irritation, such as dryness, itchiness, redness, etc.) and acne.managing maskneskin inflammation can be caused and aggravated by mask wearing and has led to one of the pandemic’s most used buzzwords: “maskne.” maskne is mask-wearing induced acne, due to the irritation caused by fabric rubbing against the skin. masks also promote oil, sweat and bacteria to be trapped, which leads to blocked sebaceous ducts, a.k.a acne bumps. and while mask wearing is unavoidable if you plan on visiting any public places, there are a few things you can do to reduce the irritation-derived acne:try masks made of different fabrics. not all masks are made equally, and neither is our skin. there isn’t one perfect fabric that won’t cause irritation, so test masks made of different fabrics to see which is the least irritating for your skin.invest in medical-grade skin care and a solid skin care routine. the foundation of any effective skincare routine includes several essential steps. it should start with cleansing — cleansers should be chosen for skin type: dry, oily, or combination. after cleansing, it is important to incorporate a slightly acidic toner to reset the normal ph balance of the skin. simple routines could end with the addition of a hydrating or moisturizing product.to improve the skin’s quality after cleansing, we can add in retinol products that contain the scientifically supported ingredients of vitamin c and vitamin a. vitamin c is a potent antioxidant that will aid in reducing sun damage, as well as decreasing the appearance of brown spots. retinol has numerous benefits, like stimulating collagen production to soften and reduce the appearance of fine lines; decreasing oil production to tighten pores and reduce acne; and lowering melanin production, which reduces the appearance of brown spots. of course, daily sunscreen is also a must.when skin is healthy to start, it’s also more resilient and less prone to the effects of irritation. a physician who specializes in skin health, can help get your skin to this ideal state by assessing your skin and recommending medical-grade skin care products specifically for you and your particular skin care goals. why choose medical-grade skin care? drugstore products may have varying levels of active ingredients between each batch, they aren’t as strong and are less likely to produce consistent results, whereas medical-grade skin care products contain a higher and guaranteed concentration of active ingredients, which we know have proven results.skin feels anxiety tooanother factor causing inflammation during quarantine is anxiety and stress. our routines have been turned upside down. we’re now working from home or have been sent back to the office and are around others again. some of us have children back in school, and almost all of us are concerned about our health — perhaps more than ever. stress and anxiety raise stress hormone levels leading to skin inflammation, therefore aggravating acne and dermatitis. so how can we reduce the effects of anxiety on our skin? by reducing stress and anxiety of course. here are some tips:focus on the four pillars of overall health. eating well, getting the right amount of sleep, exercising and mental well-being are all connected. when we are taking care of our overall health, stress and anxiety will also improve.physical distance, not social distance. ensure you are making time to be social, whether virtually or safely following the guidelines put in place in your area — we are social beings at our core and need socialization to be healthy and happy.try meditation. there is science behind the benefits of meditation and deep breathing that shows it helps us to decompress, lowers blood pressure, and decreases our heart rate — all of which, in turn, reduce inflammation and promote skin health. there are a variety of apps out there worth exploring that can teach and guide you through meditation.the full effects of quarantine, masks and anxiety may not go away anytime soon, but these tips, in combination with a healthy lifestyle, can reduce the impact of this triple threat.dr. rohan bissoondath, md, is the medical director and founder of preventous collaborative health and preventous cosmetic medicine. he is an executive board member of the canadian association of aesthetic medicine and is certified by the college of family physicians of canada and licensed through the college of physicians and surgeons of alberta.don’t miss the latest on covid-19, reopening and life. subscribe to healthing’s daily newsletter covid life.