WTH is "Covid acne"...

November 29, 2020

"Covid acne"… the new acne?

After hours wearing a Covid cover all day, you get home, take off your mouth covering, and you happen to catch yourself in the mirror while heading to change into sweats… and you see it: the HEAD OF A PIMPLE. Where did this come from…it wasn’t there in the morning.

Welcome to the club, it’s called Covid acne. Something we’re all struggling with as a result of the sweat and bacteria caused by our face coverings, especially if you don’t wash them regularly. It’s so real that even The NY Times just wrote a whole piece on it.

What is Covid acne

The occurrence of inflamed or infected sebaceous glands in the skin caused by increased moisture buildup wearing a protective covering over your mouth, nose, and cheeks.

The Self Care LED Face Shield

First off, treating acne caused by your Covid covering is totally possible without an LED light therapy (see tips below), but LED light therapy is an amazing tool that actually helps prevent acne, while also speeding up the healing process for maskne (or just normal acne) that you already have.

Our LED shield features 3 different colors (red, blue, and orange), each one powerfully targeting your specific skin conditions. For acne, our shield gets to work quickly using Blue light therapy teamed up with Red.

Blue light frequency helps to kill acne-causing bacteria beneath the skin, which can help treat severe acne pimples, including cysts and nodules.
Red light frequency helps facilitates blood circulation and generates collagen to decrease scarring and promote anti-inflammatory effects.

Together these two light frequencies are powerful forces to keep acne away and bring self-confidence back.

self care led light therapy mask

Tips to treat Covid acne

Wash wash wash

Wash your coverings. Would you wear the same underwear twice? (Does anyone object? Speak now or forever hold your peace.) Okay, we’re just kidding, but seriously. If you’re out ALL day (not just to get your mail while working at home) wash your covering at least 2 times per week. Try to make this a habit and have some clean coverings in your rotation. We recommend this detergent that you can transfer into a small container and leave at your sink to wash and air dry your mask overnight. THANKS, FRONT LINERS.

Pick the right fabrics!

OK! ACNE MECHANICA...let’s talk about it…it sounds worse than what it is. Athletes wear equipment like chin straps, helmets, and jockstraps to protect themselves.

Since we have hair follicles all over our face, the fabric you choose matters. When any type of friction or pressure is present, this can cause acne to flare up. With excessive moisture trapped between your skin and covering, your skin cannot breathe, therefore...pick a breathable fabric.

Let's think COTTON babes.

Choose the right products

We all change our products from season to season. If you have oily skin, you choose a lighter moisturizer in the summer and the contrary in the winter. BUT pay attention to your skin’s needs closer than ever. Our PH level and skin needs change every few years so ATTENTION ladies and gentlemen.

Natural products are nice, BUT they're not always better. Some of these products have essential oils and herbal ingredients that can irritate your skin and cause breakouts. If you notice your skin starting to get more sensitive due to climate and constant mask-wearing try to lessen the probability and use an oil-free moisturizer and avoid fragrances! We suggest using the products below! And always an SPF.

Create a good skincare routine

Remember the good ol’ days when we could go out? But by the time you got home you were so tired, you fell asleep and didn't wash your face. Well, my loves, hate to break it to you, but cleansing your face is super essential in keeping your skin clear. Actually, double cleansing is the trick.

Try our suggested night time regimen below

💎 Makeup removal (oil cleanser)

💎 Cleanse with warm water and cleanser (twice if you skip step above)

💎 Tone with cotton pad and gently wipe face (both sides of cotton)

💎 Apply serums (press into skin)

💎 Hydrate (according to weather)

💎 Pat dry face (as slow and annoying as it is)

We recommend the below products:

Makeup Remover:

Cleaning oil

Cleansing:

Eve Lom cleanser
Elemis cleanser