If you pay attention to Facebook “fact” checkers such as USA Today, you’ll be told that it’s not possible for face masks to cause a staph infection. It’s a false claim, USA Today says. The news agency adds similar statements from The Associated Press and Lead Stories to add credence to its so-called fact-checking.
But, apparently, neither the AP nor Lead Stories nor USA Today has read a May article in the medical journal Dermatologic Therapy, documenting that, indeed, a face mask did contribute to a case of impetigo — a staph disease. “Our patient wore goggles and a mask for lengthy periods daily, which led to a moist occlusive environment where S. aureus thrived and caused an infection,” the journal article says.
They also noted that her “tiresome and lengthy clinical work” that required wearing a mask without a break, “an irregular diet and lack of rest during the pandemic” helped to predispose her to the infection.
In an August article on its website, Johns Hopkins Medicine also noted that different types of facial outbreaks are entirely possible in people who wear masks for long periods of time, especially if you’re already dealing with rosacea, acne, eczema or allergies.
“Sometimes, for some people, wearing a mask can cause — or worsen — breakouts, rashes and other skin problems on the face,” says Dr. Anna Lien-Lun Chien. “The skin around the nose, mouth and chin — the places covered by a face mask — is very delicate. One thing we’re seeing more often these days is perioral dermatitis, a condition similar to rosacea,” Chien says.
SOURCES:
USA Today September 18, 2020
Dermatologic Therapy May 21, 2020
Johns Hopkins August 3, 2020