TESTING
Skin sensitisation in pandemic times
Christiane Uhl, Diana Khazaka - Courage & Khazaka, Germany
For almost a year and a half, an unprecedented pandemic has had us in its grip worldwide, forcing us to abandon many cherished activities and realign our entire daily lives. It is particularly important in these times to prevent the spread of the pandemic through protective measures, distance and significantly increased requirements for hygiene measures such as the wearing of protective mouth-nose masks and the frequent use of sanitisers on all kinds of surfaces and naturally also on the skin. Reduction of face-to-face contacts and
their replacement by “electronic meetings” in the home-office up to complete quarantine in closed rooms have become parts of our lives. As one leaves the house less often, the changed situation is also accompanied by more sloppy skin care habits and unhealthier diets. The double burden of work and home schooling, but also the lack of perspective on the overall situation, leads many people to insecurities and even existential fears.1 In the proverbial sense, the situation “goes
under our skin”. Thus, COVID-19 also has a firm grip not only on us but also on our skin with far-reaching consequences. More time in front of the screen in
professional as well private life exposes our skin to more and more blue light. Protection against blue light is an important task for a cosmetic product, today more than ever. Excessive exposure to blue light is known to accelerate photo-ageing, collagen degradation and the formation of hyperpigmentation.2 On top of this, increased time in front of the various screens leads to posture problems and eye complaints. Changed living environments - more or less
indoors - provide less exercise in the fresh air and decreased vitamin D production as well as increased cortisol and adrenaline. In addition, there is a changed circadian rhythm, which reflects strongly on the skin. Increased washing, especially of the
hands, leads to skin dehydration, eczema and product intolerance. The skin barrier is worn down more, so that infections have an easier route, and then aggressing the skin surface. Frequent contact with sanitisers, in addition to general health hazards, also disrupts the skin’s microbiological balance, which increases the weakening of the skin barrier even further.
Maskne A much-discussed topic is the so-called
www.personalcaremagazine.com
Figure 1: “Maskne“ - a trending word in current times.
“maskne”, the complex skin problem that results from prolonged wearing of the protective mouth-nose mask. Maskne is a catch-all term that can refer to several different skin issues, including acne, folliculitis, rosacea, or perioral dermatitis, which is any inflammatory rash involving the skin around the mouth that often manifests with red bumps and scaly skin.3,4,5
more intensively in people who are already prone to skin problems.6
to constant friction points where the skin becomes irritated. Increased temperature and
Of course, this occurs Wearing masks leads
humidity under the mask lead to a sauna-like environment which affects the skin barrier and favours skin problems such as flaky skin (even chapped lips), redness or blemishes. Also applied care products act differently under the mask than on the exposed skin, possibly causing problems with hypersensitivity, especially in connection with damaged barrier. The fact that the mask traps the bacteria
from the mouth on the skin aggravates the situation. However, in an unpublished mini- study with only 10 subjects wearing a mask, Amway researchers could not demonstrate a change in the microbiome of the periorbital region.7
Skin issues with cleansing Products that are developed for these special times – skin cleansers, skin care or protective full-face masks - need to overcome extraordinary challenges. Their efficacy can be controlled and supported by skin testing with classic bioengineering methods.8 The main problem for the skin caused by
the very different conditions is the weakening and damaging of the skin barrier, mainly located in the upper layers of the epidermis. Many different mechanisms work together to ensure that no dangerous substances will penetrate into the deeper skin layers and blood vessels. Physical and chemical barrier enforce each other. Microorganisms produce
June 2021 PERSONAL CARE
39
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