Masks have been mandated in several different nations for a while now due to Covid-19. Though masks have been effective in controlling the source of the virus, they have also been proven to be quite exasperating when it comes to our skin. With masks, I’m sure you have experienced “maskne” or acne mechanica (acne bred from the use and wear of masks). Maskne is essentially standard acne but the source of which it comes from is the environment that is being created by the masks.
Occlusion and friction on the skin are a few things that occur when we wear masks for long periods of time. On top of the occlusion and friction, the breath and the sweat we produce provides our skin with a moist environment within the walls of our masks. This makes the perfect petri dish for bacteria, thus increasing the chances of breaking out. The moist environment is suitable for our excess skin oils to proliferate and for bacteria to become trapped in between our mask and our skin, thus clogging pores and breeding acne.
If you’ve recently been breaking out or acne is an issue that is relatively new to you or, perhaps, your skin has gotten worse in recent weeks, you’re most likely experiencing maskne. If the treatment you’ve been using at home – such as your cleansers or moisturizers – hasn’t been working, you may want to seek clinical treatment. Your skin is your largest organ, so it’s best you take good care of it. At CuraMed Aesthetic Clinic in Kovan Singapore, we focus on promoting the health of and improving people’s skin. CuraMed Aesthetic Clinic pride ourselves on ensuring our patients are provided with skincare treatment that is safe, efficient, and effective. You have access to a wide range of treatments, skincare and medical solutions at CuraMed Aesthetic Clinic that can assist you on your journey towards healthy skin. Here are a few treatments we would recommend depending on the nature of your skin’s health:
Carbon Laser Peel for Sebum Control and Purification of Clogged Pores
What is Sebum?
Sebum is actually vital for our skin. Sebum is an oily substance that secretes out of our sebaceous glands. These glands are on every surface of our skin. The value of sebum is that it locks in moisture, keeping our skin from getting overly dry and scaly. When skin is dry due to the disruptions in our skin or the evaporation of moisture, our body begins to produce more oil. If our bodies produce an excess amount of oil, that oil will clog pores leading to more breakouts.
Why is Sebum an Issue?
Excess sebum – along with dead skin cells, sweat, and pollutants (eg; dirt) – can lead to an increase of acne and overly oily skin by restraining the shedding of skin-cells which leads to the blockage of hair follicles and pores, thus leading to the growth of bacteria. The bacteria and sebum get trapped in your skin’s pores and begin to build up under the skin, leaving your skin’s glands to swell and form white bumps protruding from the skin. This typically occurs on a person’s forehead or chin. CuraMed Aesthetic Clinic’s “Carbon Laser Peel” controls sebum production and kills bacteria within the pores. The debris and bacteria extracted from your pores will leave your skin looking refreshed, clearer, and smoother. The side benefits of the Carbon Laser Peel is that it can also improve mild acne scars from any picking or popping you may have done, which is a tendency for people to do as acne can be irritating and unpleasant to look at. The Carbon Laser Peel can also minimise enlarged pores and improve hyperpigmentation.
This treatment is recommended for anyone who is dealing with excessive production of sebum due to the increased production of oils as a result of the moist environment from the occlusion of wearing masks.
Aquapure Deep Cleansing Treatment for Exfoliation and Softening of Clogged Pores (Blackheads and Whiteheads
With the “Aquapure Deep Cleansing” treatment, your skin gets infused with AHA and BHA to target underlying clogged pores from BHA and AHA’s exfoliant properties. The exfoliation will soften whiteheads and blackheads as well as extract excess sebum in pores.
What is BHA?
BHA is salicylic acid which is a great ingredient in skin care. BHA is an exfoliant that targets clogged pores (blackheads and whiteheads). The salicylic acid penetrates the pore and breaks down dead cells, bacteria, and pollutants; all of which lead to clogged pore issues such as acne, blackheads, and/or whiteheads. BHA also has effects on the skin at its surface. Some properties it includes are breaking down uneven skin tone, sun damage or discoloration, reduces the appearance of redness and marks that are left from previous breakouts, and soothes inflammation and redness. BHA is best used for clogged pores and sun damage
What is AHA?
AHA is gentler and a great option for surface-level treatment on your skin. AHA does wonders for issues that affect the surface of your skin. This includes breaking down dead skin cells, dryness and flakiness, uneven skin tones, sun damage discoloration, and wrinkles and fine-lines. However, it doesn’t penetrate into the skin as well as BHA, therefore making the combination of both BHA and AHA great for focusing on the surface and depths of the skin.
Again, since wearing masks do cause your skin to be trapped in a moist environment, perfect for bacteria to thrive in, you want to keep your pores clean. This treatment will be able to extract the dirt and bacteria that gets trapped inside your pores from the sweat and breath you produce to leave your skin clearer and cleaner, smoother, and softer to-the-touch.
Chemical Peel to Exfoliate the Debris in the Deeper Layer of the skin
CuraMed Aesthetic Clinic has a specially formulated chemical peel solution that acts as an exfoliant. The chemical peel can reach deeper into the skin than your average exfoliator. The chemical peel includes ingredients that penetrate deep into the epidermal layer of the skin to exfoliate any build up of excess oils and debris trapped inside your pores.
This treatment does result in a downtime of 3-5 days. During these 3-5 days, your skin may be peeling, dry and red. However, the benefits include brightening uneven skin tone, finer pores, as well as smoother skin texture which make those 3-5 days worth it.
Because of occlusion from masks, our skin isn’t able to breathe and debris gets trapped in our pores. Prolonged wear may cause our pores to be clogged quite deep. The chemical peel would be a great solution for those with enlarged pores and prevalence of clogged pores.
If you’re interested in receiving clinical treatment for any issues of maskne or any skin-related issues, CuraMed Aesthetic Clinic will provide you with the tools and treatments you need to feel confident in your skin again. Our treatments will leave your skin looking refreshed and feeling healthy.This treatment does result in a downtime of 3-5 days. During these 3-5 days, your skin may be peeling, dry and red. However, the benefits include brightening uneven skin tone, finer pores, as well as smoother skin texture which make those 3-5 days worth it.
Because of occlusion from masks, our skin isn’t able to breathe and debris gets trapped in our pores. Prolonged wear may cause our pores to be clogged quite deep. The chemical peel would be a great solution for those with enlarged pores and prevalence of clogged pores.
