Face masks and gloves are non-negotiable for medical professionals, especially in the current pandemic, but their protective benefits extend well beyond hospital walls. Wearing a mask creates an extra layer of defense to keep you from getting sick or, if you’re already sick, it helps keep you from accidentally infecting someone else.
The trouble with personal protective gear is that it must be worn rather tight on the skin in order to be effective, sometimes for many hours at a time. Doctors and nurses around the country are wearing face masks for the entirety of their twelve-hour shifts and washing their hands dozens of times on top of wearing gloves. Many have experienced skin issues ranging from dryness or redness to increased breakouts, even skin infections.
As coronavirus continues to spread, CDC guidelines recommend everyone wear face coverings when leaving the house. If you’re concerned about skin irritation resulting from long-term mask use, here are some simple tips that might help.
Aside from washing your hands and avoiding unnecessary social contact, masks and gloves are the best way to protect yourself and others from the spread of coronavirus. Unfortunately, frequent hand washing can dry out your skin and keeping your face or hands covered with non-porous materials like latex may lead to irritation.
These are some of the ways wearing protective gear can affect your skin:
If your skin doesn’t have time to heal before you put your safety gear on again, your skin problems could get exponentially worse. Many advise keeping the skin well moisturized and applying barrier cream before wearing a face mask.
When you’re not wearing protective gear, following an enhanced skincare regimen can help your skin repair and recover. Managing your stress may also help keep your skin healthy. Let’s go over how to do both as effectively as possible…
The key to any skincare routine is consistency. It’s important to wash your face at least twice a daily, ideally in the morning when you wake up and in the evening. Choose a cleanser appropriate for your skin type and wash with lukewarm water. Apply toner after cleansing when your skin is still a little damp, then follow it with any treatment-focused products you prefer like serum or acne treatment.
After cleansing, moisturizing is the second most important step in any skincare regimen – it’s also the key to restoring your irritated skin and protecting it from further damage. After your morning cleanse, apply a lightweight daytime moisturizer. At night, you can use a thicker moisturizer as long as it’s appropriate for your skin type. Your skin is most absorbent at night, so a little extra hydration while you sleep can go a long way toward healing your dry skin.
Here are some Yon-Ka Paris products to consider for your daily routine:
Daily cleansing and moisturizing are essential, whether you’re experiencing skin issues or not. Use the Yon-Ka Paris Skin Advisor to find the right products for your skin type and shop online to receive free shipping on orders over $50. If you need more help choosing the best products, use the Spa Finder to locate a Yon-Ka Paris spa near you – many are currently offering virtual consultations.
Chronic stress can make your skin go crazy. The trouble is that the current global situation is a stressful one – there’s no way around it. If you’re already dealing with dry, irritated skin or breakouts from constantly wearing protective gear, the last thing you need is stress making your skin problems worse. Stress increases the production of cortisol, a hormone that can increase sebum production, leading to blocked pores and acne breakouts. Cortisol is also responsible for aging skin, leading to premature wrinkles and fine lines.
Here are some simple tips to protect your skin from the effects of stress:
Keeping your body healthy keeps your skin healthy. You may not be able to avoid stress in your life, but you can take simple steps like these to improve your body’s ability to fight that stress.
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