Background: Previous studies have demonstrated the possibility of adverse effects of prolonged wearing of personal protective equipment in healthcare workers. However, there are a few studies about the effects on skin characteristics after wearing a mask for non-healthcare workers. In this study, we evaluated the dermatologic effects of wearing a mask on the skin over time.
Materials and method: Twenty-one healthy men and women participated in the study. All participants wore masks for 6 hours consecutively. Three measurements were taken (a) before wearing the mask, (b) after wearing the mask for 1 hour, and (c) after wearing the mask for 6 hours. Skin temperature, skin redness, sebum secretion, skin hydration, trans-epidermal water loss, and skin elasticity were measured.
Results: The skin temperature, redness, hydration, and sebum secretion were changed significantly after 1 and 6 hours of wearing a mask. Skin temperature, redness, and hydration showed significant differences between the mask-wearing area and the non-mask-wearing area.
Conclusion: Mask-wearing conditions and time can change several skin characteristics. In particular, it is revealed that the perioral area could be most affected.
Keywords: COVID-19; face mask; perioral area; skin characteristics; skin hydration; skin redness; skin temperature.
© 2020 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.