Skin-care Routine During The COVID-19 Pandemic: An Online Survey

Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic, by causing millions of people to stay locked indoors in quarantine, with more time to focus on lifestyle, has shifted people's health trajectories-changes in daily habits, hygiene and self-care being among the more prominent ones. For many, issues like mask acne flare-ups, made them implement changes in their skin-care routine to control issues related to wearing facemasks. The purpose of this study is to look for connections between the imposition of lockdown measure, changes in skin-care routines of individuals, and the effects of those, respectively. Utilising an unfunded cross-sectional study conducted online, participants were asked a series of questions about their individual skin-care routines before and during the pandemic. 34.1% (n=85) of participants stated that they did make changes in their skin-care routine. Additionally, the study found that among the individuals that did make changes (p=0.002) to their routines, 28.9 %(n=72) claimed that the changes were beneficial. The most common skin-care products discontinued from the routine were found to be moisturizers, cleansers and sunscreen, and the skin-care products most commonly added were toners, exfoliants, actives like retinols and azelaic acids. Some participants also felt (p=0.007) that their skin felt different from before the pandemic, and 23.3% (n=58) found their skin to be better overall. The study, therefore, establishes grounds for a strong correlation between the pandemic, changes in skin-care, and their effects on the skin.