If you’ve been doing your part in fighting the current COVID-19 pandemic, then you’ve probably experienced the perils of those trusty cloth masks. Yes, masks combat the spread of the virus, but no doubt they’ve made the acne struggle all the more real. The negative effects of wearing masks over your face for an extended period of time can cause oil and sweat build up leading to inflammation and breakouts. And it doesn’t help that it is currently summer.

Fortunately, Dr. Pimple Popper (AKA Dr. Sandra Lee) has come up with some pretty practical tips for combatting acne and keeping your skin clear.

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Last week, the Los Angeles-based skin expert took to TikTok to share a simple tip for avoiding face mask acne.

One of the dermatologist’s most practical tips was to spray the inside of your mask with a salicylic acid-based product.

In the TikTok clip, Dr. Lee can be seen spraying the inside of a face mask with a product from her SLMD Skincare line. The Salicylic Acid Body Spray, which costs $37.99, is what she uses on her own masks to prevent mask related acne. 

“Spray it on the inside of mask, fan your mask to dry it a little,” she explains in the video. “Salicylic acid cleans out the oil and debris within your pores, preventing acne.’ The trick, although simple, sparked a slew of praise from her TikTok followers, with many thanking her for coming to the rescue of their struggling skin.”

As some users pointed out in most cases damp medical masks are useless even after they’ve dried.

Fortunately, if you’re using a reusable face mask made from cloth, the trick works without jeopardizing the effectiveness of the mask.

Other users in the comments section of Dr. Lee’s post have noted that spraying the product directly onto the skin before placing the mask on can also prevent acne from masks.  

Check out the clip here.