The NYC dermatologist’s guide to avoiding maskne…

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By contributor Arden Fanning Andrews.

I have been wearing masks for slightly longer than the length of this pandemic, very much by choice.

At first, it was thanks to an enthusiasm for one of Japan’s most popular reality shows, Terrace House, a simply delightful subtitled Netflix stream. Sharing a luxurious home, the six cast members were often conscientious enough of each other, air quality, and travel hygiene to wear masks frequently – and confidently.

Before embarking on the first leg of fashion month in February, I’d already stocked a few masks to wear on my not-at-all-first-class flights. These were straightforward navy neoprene, long before high-design options in floral prints with matching bows and bandana designs with coordinating scrunchies had surfaced as softer alternatives. By the final stop in Paris, the skin around my mouth was becoming inexplicably irritated. Not quite a breakout, still not its usual self.

This was weeks before lockdown, and months before the term “maskne” started circulating.

Respectfully self-isolating for almost half of a year since my return to America has given me plenty of time to consult actual experts on what makes sense for keeping skin happy and healthy in a future where masks are the norm. “Mask-induced acne is affecting almost everyone, even those with previously pristine skin,” says board-certified celebrity dermatologist, Dr. Elyse Love of NYC’s Spring Street Dermatology.

Why is it happening? “The mask traps pore-clogging sweat into place, leading to increased irritation and acne,” Dr. Love explains, pointing out that the two most important elements to combating mask-induced breakouts are to wash your face daily and to add a gentle exfoliator to your skincare routine. “Make a habit of doing your evening skincare routine when you come into the house for the day,” she notes. “Don't wait until bedtime.”

At the top of your updated routine, chill, soft-as-a-bunny-tail cleansing is crucial. “Stick with a gentle but effective cleanser to avoid over-drying the skin, since the mask can worsen mild irritation,” Dr. Love tells me. The shape-shifting formula in Ren Perfect Canvas Clean Jelly Oil Cleanser is slick enough to remove waterproof makeup and sticky sunscreens without stripping your complexion of precious moisture. Applied to dry skin (and totally appropriate for all complexions, from sensitive to super dry) the jelly texture becomes an impurity-dissolving oil, then transforms into a soothing milky splash with a little water.

And for that second step of exfoliation, look for an option that doesn’t require scrubbing your face. Swept over skin with a reusable cotton round, Youth to the People Kombucha 11% AHA Toner leans on black tea ferment to enhance the skin’s natural microbiome. “This product contains both glycolic and lactic acid, two alpha-hydroxy acids (AHAs) that provide gentle exfoliation to unclog pores before a breakout can form,” Dr. Love says.

As someone who suffered from cystic acne for years (until giving up dairy) I can speak to an instinct to pick my face at the first sight of imperfection. I used to place tiny pieces of Band Aid-like stickers over breakouts, wishing for a better solution. Now, it exists in the form of Mighty Patch Micropoint for Blemishes. “Mighty Patches help breakouts resolve quicker, and can be worn underneath the mask,” Dr. Love cleverly points out. Each patch is armed with 173 teeny tiny hyaluronic acid micropoints (too small to hurt) that deliver a “super dose” of acne-soothing ingredients to the deeper layers of skin. Aside from reducing inflammation and halting the spread of bacteria, they also offer a physical barrier from your fingers and your beautiful face.

Of course, even with proper care, your complexion may need some time to adjust to the new normal. Try not to overstress about breakouts when there are so many bigger things happening in your life right now. All skin is good skin. And yours is simply the best.