We’re in the midst of a public health emergency. A virus that experts know very little about is spreading with reckless abandon, and the responsibility to contain it is falling on the shoulders of the general population. And there are so many small ways for us to help stop the spread. That’s why I’m doing my part and wearing a mask whenever I go out in public: to protect myself and my fellow Americans, and also because I have some pretty unsightly adult acne.
The CDC has reported that COVID-19 is primarily spread through close contact with infected individuals and by touching contaminated surfaces. So while of course I’m staying at home, avoiding unnecessary contact with those not in my immediate household, and washing my hands frequently to prevent myself from catching coronavirus, I’ve taken an extra step by wearing a simple cloth mask whenever I have to leave the house. It stops germs from reaching my face and yours. And additionally, it makes it so I don’t really have to apply concealer every day, which was only adding to the amount of zits forming around my mouth and chin. It’s hormonal and there’s not much I can do about it.
Besides protecting the public from the respiratory droplets that could cause a coronavirus infection, wearing a mask also helps me to remember to stop touching my face, which is another way that the virus spreads. It’s also maybe the way that I’m still getting pimples like I’m in eighth grade hoping that Matt K. doesn’t notice the volcanoes erupting across my forehead because I briefly thought bangs were a good idea. I’m not caught up on that period in my life or anything, especially now that my face is always covered in public.
Wearing a mask makes me feel like I’m doing my duty as a citizen to protect my fellow citizens. And whenever I see someone else also wearing a mask, I think, “Wow, we’re really all in this together.” I then quickly have the follow up thought, “Hm, I wonder if that person’s mask is also doubling as a convenient cover up for the cystic acne that has plagued the corners of their mouth and nose intermittently throughout their adult life, causing a great amount of frustration and embarrassment and holding them back from a fulfilling social and dating life due to crippling insecurity.”
COVID-19 will be a part of our daily lives for the foreseeable future. So we should all get used to wearing masks. I, for one, am already feeling pretty comfy in mine. And so are all the pustules popping up on my cheeks, chin, and nose despite me being in my late twenties and having thought that this was a thing of my past. I’m doing my part, and it’s the least I can do!
