Yes, acne-prone skin can use a sheet mask. But, you have first to establish that the type of sheet mask you are using is suitable for acne-prone skin.
Let us look at the effective use of sheet masks for acne prone skin through the points below
- Why Should You Wear a Sheet Mask Specific to Acne-prone Skin?
- What Type of Sheet Mask should be used on Acne-Prone Skin?
- Skin Problems that Sheet Masks can Cause
- How to Avoid Problems with Sheet Masks
1. Why Should You Wear a Sheet Mask Specific to Acne-prone Skin?
If you are prone to breakouts, you can experience an increase while wearing a sheet mask. The reason is that sheet masks trap sebum and the bacteria that cause acne on the skin.
This may lead to blackheads, whiteheads, and inflammatory acne. You can experience frictional acne from contact from humidity or excessively using sheet masks.
It would be helpful to change the mask type to reduce humidity or move the contact point. It would be great if you choose a mask that is suitable for your skin and a dermatologist to help you in choosing the best mask for your skin.
2. What Type of Sheet Mask should be used on Acne-Prone Skin?
People with oily skin deal with excess sebum or oil production and are susceptible to acne. Oily skin has large pores that easily trap sweat, impurities, and dirt, which cause breakouts.
Therefore, you should wear an oil control sheet mask if you’re prone to acne. This sheet mask helps control excess oil production and reduce the subsequent acne.
An efficient oily skin sheet mask removes excess oil without drying out your skin. It leaves your skin well hydrated at the same time and prevents your skin from experiencing breakouts.
3. Skin Problems that Sheet Masks can Cause
Apart from acne, sheet mask can cause other skin problems, including:
- Dry Skin: Some sheet masks absorb your skin’s natural moisture, resulting in your face drying out.
- Rosacea: The sheet mask traps heat underneath, resulting in dilation of skin capillaries. Swearing and heat are triggers for rosacea, characterized by enlarged blood vessels, redness, and fluid-filled bumps on the chin and cheeks.
- Wearing a sheet mask raises the skin temperature and increases sweating, which brings about a flare-up in rosacea-prone skin.
- You can change your mask to one with a cooler feeling and also minimize other heating exposures on your skin, such as spicy foods, alcohol, and hot liquids.
- Dermatitis: If you apply a sheet mask daily, your skin will experience a condition known as contact dermatitis. This is an allergic or irritant reaction to the mask.
- You will experience symptoms such as a scaly or dry scalp, itchy rash, blisters and bumps, burning, and swelling on the skin.
4. How to Avoid Problems with Sheet Masks
- Avoid applying sheet masks regularly as they dry out the skin and make itchy. It would be best if you used a sheet mask once a week.
- To prevent acne flare-ups, add peroxide or benzoyl acne washes, or salicylic acid acne washes to your beauty regimen.
- You can also use other topicals with active ingredients like adapalene or niacinamide to prevent and treat acne outbreaks.
- Also, ensure that all your facial products are ‘non-comedogenic’ to avoid clogging your pores.
- Apply over-the-counter barrier creams like petroleum jelly or zinc oxide to ease pain in tender spots.
- If you experience problems after using a sheet mask, try and change the type of mask you’re using. You can also use topical cortisone and a heavy-duty moisturizer to alleviate the rash.
- Rehydrate your skin with a heavy-duty moisturizing cream containing ceramides, which restore the skin barrier disturbed in dry skin. Moisturizers with high ethanol levels worsen dry skin; hence you should avoid them.
- Always wash your face when you remove a sheet mask with a non-comedogenic moisturizer. If the sheet mask causes or worsens your acne, consult a dermatologist for a way forward.
- Just the way you wouldn’t choose a moisturizer that is intended for dry skin when you have oily skin, is also the same for the sheet mask. Always ensure that you choose the one that is best suited and the one that nurtures your skin.
As we have seen, you can use a sheet mask even with acne-prone skin. The points below have demonstrated how you can do this effectively and ensure that your skin does not break out after using a sheet mask.
- Why Should You Wear a Sheet Mask Specific to Acne-prone Skin?
- What Type of Sheet Mask should be used on Acne-Prone Skin?
- Skin Problems that Sheet Masks can Cause
- How to Avoid Problems with Sheet Masks
