* Maskne Go Away *

Look, even healthcare workers hate maskne. But, we still wear a mask. Because maskne can be defeated. Plus, if you contracted Covid-19, it is far worse than just a skin bump.

After about two years battling maskne, I found some out-of-label products are quite useful to get rid of those pesky annoying bumps:

1. Mouthwash gargle

This is my personal favourite. I discovered this by accident while trying to treat an exploded maskne on the bridge of my nose. I opened the cupboard in the toilet and the only antiseptic I found was a mouthwash gargle 😌. Pour out a few drops into the cover, dab it on the maskne using a cotton pad while squeezing out the pus / discharge until the bleeding stop and leave it for about 1-2 minutes before I put on my skincare. The scar will be minimal and most importantly, it will not get reinfected. I repeat this once a day for the next 2 - 3 days.

2. Over-the-counter antiseptic cream

I use this when the maskne are caused by me sneezing into my mask and too lazy to change the mask after that. As a person living with allergic rhinitis and atopy, this is very hard to avoid. The N95 will cause a reaction due to its stuffiness, a 3-ply may cause a reaction due to the fiber irritating my nose and some random trigger will cause non-stop sneezing. The moisture will introduce bacterial infection and maskne will appear. I apply the cream LIGHTLY onto the irritated skin overnight, or twice daily if it is really bad. 

All in all, the most important thing is to know the cause of the breakout: is it irritation due to contact or is it infection or is it hypersensitivity? So, it is recommended you visit a doctor or a certified beautician to get more information.

Okay enough medicine.