Advice & Tips for Work
Self-Care
Workplace Safety
Today’s Read: 2.5 minutes
Facemasks are our future. Here are ways to stay safe and take care of yourself in the process.
Treat your face right
Maskne is real. Luckily, there are steps that you can take to prevent it. Use these tips from the American Academy of Dermatology Association:
- Cleanse and moisturize daily. Make sure that you cleanse your skin with an antibacterial, mild, fragrance-free cleanser, and pat to dry well.
- Moisturize your skin before and after wearing your mask as it adds a thin protective layer and decreases dryness. Apply where the PPE is likely to make contact: nose bridge, cheeks, top of ears, and forehead. Look for moisturizers that include ceramides, hyaluronic acid, or dimethicone.
- Apply petroleum jelly to your lips after washing your face, before you put on your mask and before bedtime.
- Avoid wearing makeup under your mask. If you must wear makeup, use products that are non-comedogenic and that won’t clog pores.
- Avoid skin products that can irritate your skin. These can include aftershave, chemical peels, exfoliants, retinoids, or leave-on salicylic acid.
- Take a 15-minute break from your mask every 4 hours, if possible.
For when your mask doesn’t fit
The elastic from masks can put pressure on the back of the ear and can lead to skin issues. Ear-savers can help. These plastic strips give facemask loops a home on the back of your head. They can also make a too-big facemask fit better. Glowforge, a 3D laser printer company, is sending ear-savers to healthcare workers. Sign-up for yours here.
And if you can’t wait, try this bestseller from Amazon, or browse these ear-saver solutions on Etsy.
Is your N95 mask a counterfeit?
Since the beginning of the pandemic, counterfeit N95 respirators have been circulating among healthcare settings and the public. Even more troubling is that some remain in use by unsuspecting providers. That is why it is essential to know how to distinguish the real from the fake.
According to the latest guidance from The National Personal Protective Technology Laboratory (NPPTL) counterfeit N95s tend to have:
- Ear loops instead of headbands
- No markings at all on the filtering facepiece respirator
- No approval (TC) number on filtering facepiece respirator or headband
- No NIOSH markings
- NIOSH spelled incorrectly
- Presence of decorative fabric or other decorative add-ons (e.g., sequins)
- Claims for the of approval for children (NIOSH does not approve any type of respiratory protection for children)
Healthcare professionals and administrators are strongly encouraged to check equipment, using visuals contained in the NPPTL guidance, as well as other examples and tips.
The sales of the women’s PPE market for 2020. Protective clothing, head protection PPE, foot protection PPE, and hand protection PPE for women are expected to have the highest compound annual growth rates (CAGRs) of 4.2%, 4.1%, 3.8%, and 3.7%, respectively, from 2020 to 2026. This higher growth rate is a recognition of the need for women-specific PPE.
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