What Led To Your ‘Quarantine Skin’?

Skin complaints have seemingly surged during this prolonged quarantine period, even though many of us have hardly left our houses.

One common thing is that more people are definitely having issues with acne, including those who don’t normally break out.

Call it Quarantine Skin. Life-saving social distancing measures have had unintended effects on the way we work, rest, and navigate day-to-day life.

Experts say our new reality — and the disruption of old routines — may be to blame for the re-emergence of rosacea, eczema, acne, atopic dermatitis, and other skin conditions.

Here are the reasons why you are experiencing ‘Quarantine Skin’:

Stress out, break out

One of the primary culprits of Quarantine Skin is stress. There’s just so much uncertainty related to the virus itself, as well as jobs, education, travel, leisure, and even haircuts. Dealing with multitudes of unknowns compounds the stress of whatever was already keeping us up at night.

The well-established link between stress and crappy skin has tons of scientific and anecdotal support. Stress hormones have been shown to stimulate oil glands, pushing them into overdrive and leading to acne breakouts.

Bodies run better on routines

For many people, stay-at-home orders have completely overturned everyday life: no morning commute, gym sessions, or dinners with friends. When we lose our usual routines or let healthy habits fall by the wayside (a completely normal thing to do), our bodies respond.

For many people, sleeping patterns have also changed during the quarantine. When we sleep, cortisol levels decrease. We also know that in the evening, skin cell turnover increases, and skin better repairs itself from damage during the day.

Hygiene might be another factor in Quarantine Skin. If you’re skipping your morning shower once in a while because, hey, your cleanliness standards are lower for virtual interactions, you may not be washing your face as frequently as you used to. And if you’re wearing makeup less often than you did pre-coronavirus and your skin has somehow gotten worse, take stock of your night-time skincare regimen.

The face mask factor

Before the coronavirus, the majority of us went about our days with uncovered faces (or had the option to). Now we’re all supposed to wear face masks when we go out in public.

But wrapping half your face in layers of fabric isn’t especially comfortable or good for your skin. Friction from rubbing the mask against the face disrupts the outer skin layer, leading to inflammation.

The masks also trap humidity, creating an environment that causes a buildup of oil and dirt on the skin and allows microorganisms like fungi and bacteria to grow.

The ill-effects of masks are pronounced for frontline workers, especially those in healthcare, who don masks for more than just errands and dog walks.

While our world has fundamentally changed, we should remain committed to the routines we can control, skincare being one.

Shinagawa Aesthetics offers a variety of effective and proven skin rejuvenation treatments that fit your ‘quarantine skin’ needs.

Schedule your treatments now! For inquiries and appointments, call our Patient Care Lines (+632) 7-368 5238 | (+63) 917 862 7454 | (+63) 921 217 0517. A FREE derma consultation awaits as well!