The rise of the super masks that prevent maskne and soothe the skin

From disposable blue paper masks to fancy skin-kind  silk face masks  and face masks as fashion accessories, face coverings have come on in leaps and bounds in the short time since they became an everyday essential back in July. As a result of this, maskne  has become the word on everyone's lips and the next wave of mask advancements is here to address this pesky skin condition. Aesthetic doctor Dr Barbara Sturm is leading up what we predict to be a new wave of super maks that aim to head maskne off at the pass.

The Sturm Nano-Silver Mask , £30, available in black and white, may not look as stylish as some but it has skin benefits aplenty (we'll take that over a jazzy pattern right now). It's soft, washable and reusable and made with anti-microbial, anti-friction nano-silver infused polyester fabric. Silver is prized for antibacterial and antifungal properties, you'll often find silver in wound dressings as it supports skin healing and in skincare  too.

It's claimed that the Nano-Silver Mask's breathable fabric will stop glasses from fogging, as well as eliminating chafing against the skin, the prime cause of acne mechanica aka or 'maksne'. It has three layers as advised by the World Health Organisation in order to curb the spread of coronavirus and ten per cent of the retail price goes to their Covid-19 Solidarity Fund which was helped to support key-workers during the pandemic.

It's available solo or as part of a Dr Barbara Sturm Maskne Set, £120 , to help prevent and treat acne caused by face coverings. The set includes the Nano-Silver mask, Anti-Pollution Drops which have hyaluronic acid in and help to support the skin barrier, Calming Serum to reduce redness and irritation, topical spot treatment the Clarifying Spot Treatment Untinted and a sachet of the popular Clarifying Mask which soothes, calms and reduced excess sebum protection.

If you find your skin gets dry under your face-covering (one of the many mask-mares, including messed up lipstick and a perpetually runny nose) Dr Sturm recommends spraying a facial mist  under the mask.

Dr Sturm's weekly 'Skin School' videos on Tiktok (which are also shared on Instagram for us older people) with model Hailey Bieber  have become a must-watch for people seeking skincare advice; the pair chat through viewer questions and their experiences with skin issues. Some of the most-asked questions include, "How do I deal with acne?", "what are your tips for oily skin?", "How can I avoid irritation when wearing a mask?" and "What are the diet dos and don’ts to achieve clearer skin?".

Hot on the heels of Barbara Sturm's super-mask comes the Aerosilver mask , from £50, from Hong Kong-based brand AvantGuard.

It's made using 50 per cent pure elemental silver and the antimicrobial fibre it's made from has permanent anti-viral and anti-bacterial powers that survive repeated washing. If you're worried about maskne this addresses that too; the fabric moves sweat away from the skin to the outer layer of fabric to limit moisture.

Stand by for more super-masks in the coming weeks...

Buy the Barbara Sturm  Maskne Set, £120