Sodding Mask Rash!

[Fontella]

Randomly after a year of wearing masks?

I wear the disposable ones. Change them regularly and as I work from home some days I don't wear a mask at all. I have a packet in the car, a packet in the house. All fine, no problem for months.

Had a couple of busy days mid-week where I had to go out and run a few errands, visited a couple of shops, met a friend for an outdoor coffee (all socially distanced) and at one point I did notice the mask felt a bit uncomfortable and sweaty, which was unusual as normally they don't bother me.

Woke up on Friday and immediately noticed my skin around my nose and mouth was rough to the touch. Looked in the mirror and it looks like I've got a red goatee! Only way I can describe it is like a sun rash. Inflamed rough skin, tight and sore.

It's literally in the pattern of where the mask covers. Lower part of nose, upper lip, those grooves that run from nose down to side of mouth are particularly bad and then front of chin.

I've bought a big tub of Sudocrem today as everything I've read online suggest you should treat it like nappy rash and use zinc oxide cream to soothe and hopefully heal.

I'm just so shocked that I've been wearing masks for the best part of a year with no problem and then suddenly, out of the blue, this happens.

Has anyone else experienced this and how did you get rid of it?

Apparently satin masks are supposed to help with rashes caused by other mask materials.

Was it a new pack? Possibly some manufacturing chemicals or residue your skin doesn't agree with? Could you wear reusables at least until your skin clears up?

Same here - now we're wearing them regularly in school, my face is breaking out.

Thanks tinytemper66

My daughter says the same. She wears the satin masks, and gave me the link to order some.

I'm just shocked that I've been wearing the disposables for months without any issue and then suddenly an itchy, nasty rash flares up for no apparent reason.

@Fontella

Thanks tinytemper66

My daughter says the same. She wears the satin masks, and gave me the link to order some.

I'm just shocked that I've been wearing the disposables for months without any issue and then suddenly an itchy, nasty rash flares up for no apparent reason.

I have a colleague who has had similar and she now uses satin ones. Hope it clears up soon.

Thanks for the replies everyone.

I bought a huge tub of Sudocrem earlier, and have slathered a layer on over the affected areas. Already I can feel it is 'calming down' and the raised spotty skin feels smoother.

As a mum of two I always used to have Sudocrem in the house and used it for anything skin related. My mum had dementia and would occasionally have break outs on her face, so I'd put a dab of sudocrem on and invariably the next day it would be gone.

She died five years ago .. and my kids are now adults and somehow I stopped buying the stuff.

I always remember how it seemed to calm the skin, and already tonight I am feeling the benefits so fingers crossed, this alone will do the trick.

I can't wear disposable masks for long periods for this very reason, my eczema also goes wild, so use cotton ones.

My dermatologist advised me to use a light moisturiser under, no make up or heavy pore blocking toiletries.

@EvilOnion

I can't wear disposable masks for long periods for this very reason, my eczema also goes wild, so use cotton ones.

My dermatologist advised me to use a light moisturiser under, no make up or heavy pore blocking toiletries.

Thanks EvilOnion (great name by the way!)

The thing is, I don't have any skin issues. This is completely out the blue after months of wearing masks.

Having said that, I put the Sudocrem on around teatime (roughly six hours ago) and it has calmed down hugely.

So obviously not a serious issue but weird how it just flared up out of nowhere.

I used to have clear skin, now I have been wearing a mask for work for the last 10 months, my skin is ruined. There is a sauna going on under there most days. Look up Maskene.

I've been suffering with awful breakouts for months due to wearing masks, so a week ago I decided to look into ways to help it, everything I read said to try Salicylic acid products, so I went and bought all the products plus silk masks.... yesterday I developed exactly as you describe OP, rough, scaly skin with the added decoration of tiny white spots all over the bottom of my face!! I'm hoping it will go away now that I've stopped using the products but will slather on some sudocrem to see if it helps!

Cloth masks all the way; save the disposable ones for emergencies or if you need to use them in a professional capacity (eg friend in healthcare has been told she has to wear a disposable mask when meeting with clients but wears cotton when just in the office or off-duty)