The notorious Maskne

Although the COVID-19 pandemic has brought about more opportunities for rest and recuperation, many of us have been experiencing skin breakouts on the bottom half of our faces. Popularly termed Maskne, this refers to the acne we get from wearing masks for prolonged periods of time. Many individuals have noticed an increase in breakouts, blemishes, pimples and blackheads.

In more extreme cases, individuals who have no prior history of inflammatory skin conditions such as facial dermatitis and eczema have noticed a sudden influx in these types of skin breakouts. Other individuals with a history of other skin conditions have also been noticing relapses.

Maskne may not always be a direct result of Acne Vulgaris. Our skin is very sensitive by nature. When in contact with synthetic materials, such as masks, our skin barriers are further irritated and exposed to bacteria, debris and sweat. 

Additionally, masks create an artificial environment of increased humidity for our skin. [1] With regulations stating that masks may only be removed when eating or drinking, the moments where we are speaking through the mask also expose us to our saliva behind the mask. 

The creation of the humid environment also indulges the spread of certain microbes including bacteria and fungus. Some cases of skin diseases stemming from prolonged mask-wearing range from comedogenic acne to acute nodulocystic acne.

Adjusting your regular cleansing routine

Sticking to a fragrance-free cleanser that contains zero parabens and alcohol would be the most beneficial solution to ensuring that your skin is cleansed regularly without stripping away any of the essentials oils and skin layers.

Do not use aggressive products such as chemical peels or harsh exfoliants. Your skincare routine must be kept as regular as possible. Ultimately, this daily routine is supposed to cleanse off all the sweat, oil, dirt and dead skin cells from the pores without peeling, pulling or damaging your skin.

Don’t skip the sunscreen and moisturiser

Many of us may forget to let our sunscreen and moisturiser fully absorb into our skin before putting our masks on. When the weather is warmer outside, this makes us more likely to sweat. Many skincare experts and dermatologists recommend not skipping this step despite having to wear a mask regularly. 

By keeping our skin moisturised and deeply hydrated, our skin barriers are strengthened and the presence of bacteria is also reduced. A common misconception is that by wearing a mask, our faces would be less exposed to harmful UV rays. However, without sunscreen, our skin would be more prone to developing wrinkles and breakouts.

Avoid excessive makeup around the cheeks, chin and nose areas

Wearing a mask also prevents us from going about our regular makeup routines. This may include wearing lipstick and applying heavy coats of foundation and concealer around the chin, cheeks and nose areas. By applying less makeup, which will be eventually covered by the mask, saves us a lot of trouble with potential acne breakouts.

Especially when applied heavily, makeup such as foundation, concealer and other facial products can block the skin’s pores. With the added humidity created by the mask, it is inevitable to experience acne breakouts.

Opting for products with lightweight textures or deep hydration with non-comedogenic formulations may prevent further irritation and blockage of the pores.

At Cambridge Medical, we offer a wide variety of treatments to suit all of your skincare needs and concerns. Whether a pandemic or not, you most certainly would be able to find a treatment option that is just right for you. Regarding concerns with acne, our Gold PTT Acne Treatment and Neogen Plasma might just do the trick.

Neogen Plasma

Neogen Plasma is a highly advanced skin regeneration technology which applies heat to the targeted area of treatment without causing damage or harm to the surrounding tissue of the skin. This treatment is highly sought after in Japan, the USA and Europe. 

In Japan, it is mostly used to treat acne problems, fine lines and wrinkles. However, it improves skin tone and rejuvenates skin damaged by the sun and other weather conditions. Engaging in Neogen Plasma treatment refreshes your face and gives it a more youthful touch, which other treatments may be unable to.

Some benefits of Neogen Plasma include:

• Treating different skin conditions at the same time. Some of these skin conditions include wrinkles, acne and psoriasis etc.
• All areas are treated safely. This includes the upper and lower eyelids where the most improvement is seen in droopy eyelids
• Clinically proven to regenerate skin
• Does not react with melanin which widens its scope of potential patients
• Safe and effective with minimal downtime
• Pain-free and requires no anaesthetic

 Expected results:

• Dramatic improvement within the first few months
• Fresher, firmer and more youthful appearing skin
• Upper and lower eyelids are tightened
• Dark eye circles are lightened
• Pigmentation, brown spots and melasma are lightened
• Acne and acne scars are effectively treated

During treatment, plasma is generated through inert nitrogen gas being converted into activated ionised gas. At high energy levels, Nitrogen Plasma effectively tightens and contours skin. At low energy levels, Nitrogen Plasma treats premature signs of ageing such as fine lines, wrinkles and age spots. Regardless of the level of thermal energy used during treatment, Neogen Plasma successfully regenerates new skin and replaces old damaged collagen and elastin with controlled precision.

Treatments usually last for 10-20 minutes. However, this varies on the area of treatment and condition of your skin. Neogen Plasma mainly targets patients with active acne, enlarged pores, age posts and skin discolouration (hyperpigmentation), melasma, early sagging skin and wrinkles.

Gold PTT Acne Treatment

Our Gold PTT Acne Treatment makes use of Photothermal Therapy. Photothermal Therapy is the use of electromagnetic radiation which heats particle molecules to manage localised heat damage to the targeted treatment areas, without collateral damage to the surrounding tissues. This method helps to eliminate excess sebaceous glands of built-up dirt, oil and bacterial organisms.

The Gold Nanoparticles are used to infiltrate the pilosebaceous unit and stimulated by laser energy to control the activity of sebaceous glands. Gold is also known for its incredible ability to absorb the light energy emitted by lasers.

Treatment Process

1. Deep Cleanse with AquaJet Facial

Although the skin is thoroughly cleansed to remove dirt and oil during our daily skincare routines, there are still many layers of dirt, oil and dead skin accumulated beneath the surface of the skin. The AquaJet Facial cleanses deeper into the first layer of the skin through the use of a Vortex jet and suction method.

Lactic Acid is an active ingredient that removes dead skin cells and balances oil production. Later, it is moved around the face while the salicylic acid loosens dirt from the pores to effectively clear out blackheads.

The potent triple solution consisting of Portulaca Extract, hyaluronic acid and several nourishing agents are massaged into the skin for long term skin health.

2. Apply Gold Nanoparticles

A layer of Gold Nanoparticles in suspension will be applied topically onto the skin. The Gold Nanoparticles are silica and will later be absorbed into the skin through ultrasonic waves which are then followed up through the irradiation of the PICO laser. This would induce focal thermolysis of the sebaceous glands without any collateral damage to the skin.

3. Penetration of 24K Gold using LDM Tech

The local dynamic massage or LDM tech is then used to massage it into the pores. LDM tech makes use of rapid ultrasonic frequencies to penetrate these nanoparticles deep into the pores. LDM also provides benefits through controlling enzymes that lead to metabolic tissue conditions such as acne. This activates heat shock proteins which enable the skin to fight against stressful conditions such as exposure to extreme temperature and increases the moisture content in the skin to improve the overall skin tone.

4. Activation of Gold PTT using PICO laser

PICO lasers are the fastest lasers which can run for about 450 picoseconds. They ensure that heat damage is kept to a minimum around the surrounding tissues while still enabling the lasers to accurately target the gold particles. The lasers also absorb light energy and vibrate quickly to heat up and destroy the targeted sebaceous glands.

5. Omega Light LLLT Therapy

Finally, the Omega Light Light Low-Level Therapy (LLLT) stimulates the body’s natural healing response. Omega Light uses yellow and infrared wavelengths to stimulate healing and reduce inflammation.

Generally, the Gold PTT Acne Treatment produces minimal to no pain. However, patients may experience a pinprick sensation during the laser treatment. There are also minimal side effects but patients may experience some redness.

There is no downtime to the treatment and patients will be able to return to their regular daily activities. The entire treatment is about 45 minutes long and patients are advised to come in for treatment once every 2-3 weeks for 5 to 10 sessions.

1. https://health.clevelandclinic.org/the-struggle-with-maskne-is-very-real/