Skincare Tips during the Coronavirus (COVID19) Pandemic

Washing your hands and wearing face masks are the best ways to prevent spreading this virus but can also cause skincare issues. How can you prevent dry skin and various skin rashes while still being safe?

Pandemic Skincare: Mask Care

The CDC recommends wearing cloth masks in public during the pandemic to help reduce the spread of the coronavirus by people who have COVID-19 but don’t realize it. Many people who are working throughout the day, sometimes in excess of 7-8 hours are in a mask almost all of that time. Sweaty or damp conditions under the mask can lead to acne breakouts and other skin concerns. The rubbing of the cloth against the face can cause some issues that have fairly simple solutions:

Adopt a solid skincare routine: Use a cleanser every night before bed and every morning before putting on make-up. That will help your skin start and end the day on a good note, even if it dealt with some minor abuse throughout the workday.

Use barrier ointment or a bandage: The mask may chafe behind your ears, around your nose or mouth, and on top of your nose. To overcome this, use small bandages around the trouble spots. You can also use a thin layer of zinc oxide.

Pandemic Skincare: Hand Care

One of the most important things you can do to protect against COVID-19 is to keep your hands clean and free from germs. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends that you wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds, or use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer that contains at least 60% alcohol.

Lot’s of hand washing and the use of alcohol based sanitizers can also strip your hands of much needed natural oils and leave them dry and cracked. To combat this we recommend the following:

Don’t use hot water. Hot water can increase the dehydration process. Use cold/lukewarm water to keep your hands from over-drying.

Wear gloves when cleaning. We’re spending a lot of time sanitizing our work spaces and homes but many of those chemicals are harmful to the skin. Be sure to wear a good pair of gloves to protect your hands from harsh disinfectants.

Moisturize often. After each time you wash your hands, apply some moisturizer too! This is the simplest and easiest way to make sure your hands are not drying out too much.

Don’t give up on washing hands and wearing masks, as these are critical prevention measures against COVID-19. In the meantime, taking the steps described above can help protect your skin.

If you develop cracked skin that starts to bleed, blisters turn into ulcers or become infected, or if you have a serious skin reaction, you can come in to the Orlando Dermatology Center to get treatment.