With the announcement of relaxing the use of sanitary masks outdoors and, hopefully, to keep them if the social distance is less than two meters, we must face the damages and problems caused on facial skin, due to their daily use and for long months.

Although the objective of using these protective elements was, is and will be to prevent or reduce Covid 19 infections, the consequences they have left on the face are also undeniable. "Its occlusive effect, greenhouse effect and lack of oxygenation is a fact, to a greater or lesser degree depending on each skin type. Certainly, the hydrolipidic film has been compromised, either with dryness, sweat, humidity, excess oil or other conditions," explains Catalina Aguirre, esthetician and CEO of KUMIKO Skincare.

Given this scenario, she recommends focusing on treatments that restore and restore dermal health, with a dedicated care routine. Cleansing and moisturizing are essential actions to restore radiance, vitality and even tone, as well as to counteract the appearance of dullness, dullness and signs of fatigue. For those with drier skin, in addition to an effective and non-irritating cleansing, extra hydration should be applied.

According to Catalina Aguirre, the opposite case has also been very common. "Mouth covers have increased oiliness in the protected area; they have also increased acne, rosacea, dermatitis, dilated pores and the presence of pimples, among other situations. Daily cleansing, in the morning and at night, is both recommended and mandatory; ideally with gentle, non-irritating formulas, hopefully with micellar water or gel products".

She advises daily moisturizing with antioxidant, soothing and regenerating active ingredients that stimulate skin repair during the day and regeneration at night. "Exfoliation, on the other hand, is a good rescue measure, respecting the time periods adjusted to each skin type," she specifies. She also suggests increasing the use of formulations containing hyaluronic acid and vitamin C, for their antioxidant power and action against free radicals, as well as retinol and peptides with botulinum effect. The latter two are ideal at night with the use of sunscreen the following morning.

In addition to effective moisturizing, high sun protection should not be forgotten, regardless of the season. It has been proven that in winter UV rays continue to act, producing cumulative damage and premature aging. And to the above, we must add the deterioration caused by the action of artificial lights, especially those of the screens (computers, tablets and cell phones), which cause cellular oxidation.

More than two years after the health emergency, there is even talk of a new term, 'pandemic maskné' (from 'mask' and 'acne'), which refers to the outbreak of blackheads and pimples in the covered area (nose, cheeks, mouth contour and chin). And many refer to other effects caused by masks, such as the tightness exerted on the ears, and the overall pressure on the face, which causes the cheeks to spill over and the skin around the eyes to be unduly compressed. To this must be added excessive frowning and eyebrows drawn in more than normal to accentuate gestures.