Abstract
COVID-19 pandemic raised many problems for patients with acne-prone skin: a limited access to health care services, the necessity of developing telemedical consultations also in dermatology, and the usage of face masks. The aim of the study was to investigate the influence of respiratory protective measures (type of masks, wearing time during the day) on declared skin condition in patients already diagnosed with acne or reporting acne for the first time. The study was conducted in Poland among 1420 responders using the original authors' questionnaire, of which 1274 responders were included in the final sample. Acne exacerbations were reported as being more frequent and more severe in women than in men. Changing cosmetic products, facial skin decontamination before or after applying masks, the number of days per week that a mask was worn were related to acne exacerbation. The type of mask had no significant impact on the occurrence of acne lesions. Respondents noted that masks contribute significantly to skin condition worsening by exacerbating existing and causing new acne lesions. This phenomenon was particularly observable in women, in whom, according to the research results, new lesions appeared much more frequently. Therefore, there is a need to develop new ways of limiting acne exacerbation during COVID-19 pandemic.