Dermatologist Jessica Wu has noticed that her patients have increasingly fixated on their skin in quarantine. | Getty Images

Practice good hygiene and consider using an oil-free primer, says one dermatologist.

A surprising number of Jessica Wu’s patients have approached her in recent months with questions about random bouts of mask-related irritation. While they’ve been in quarantine, the Los Angeles-based dermatologist told me, her clients have become more fixated on their skin than ever before; most rarely wore masks for an extended period of time prior to the coronavirus pandemic. As a result, those with more sensitive or oily skin have been seeing minor complications: acne breakouts, flare-ups of eczema or rosacea, or general skin irritation.

Dermatologists have reported seeing more acne breakouts over the past few months, although masks are not the only reason. People’s bodies (and skin) are adjusting to quarantine,