Are Your Mask Loops Irritating Your Ears? The One Tip You're Probably Overlooking

Quick review: The ever-bemoaned maskne has two, equally frustrating components. First, there's the influx of breakouts and pimples (sometimes cropping up in the strangest of places) from sweat and breath droplets pooling in your mask. Then there's the inflammation you may experience from friction: When you secure a fabric covering to your face, any rubbing or chafing can irritate the skin. 

You know this, you've learned this, and perhaps you've got a patchwork of blemishes to prove it. But what about the soft skin behind your ears? It's an oft-forgotten area within the maskne debacle, but the skin around your ears is your skin all the same.

The skin behind your ears is quite sensitive—that's why many experts suggest patch-testing new products in that area, as any irritation will likely show up in that delicate spot (it's also discreet enough to hide, just in case you do face a reaction to a certain ingredient. But anyway!). 

In terms of what to do, let's revert to the maskne conversation, shall we? Just as you'd tend to the skin around your mouth and nose, the same counsel goes for the skin behind your ears: According to board-certified dermatologist Purshiva Patel, M.D., founder of Visha Skincare, applying an occlusive behind the ears (like a cream or oil) can keep the loops from rubbing that sensitive skin raw. So while you're smearing on a hydrating moisturizer before securing your mask, massage a little product behind the ears as well, for good measure.