"Mask Companion" is all over the Internet! Cool down in 1 second, refreshing and not stuffy? Doctors urgently remind: It may induce disease

Expert of this article: Wang Qian, attending physician, Department of Infectious Diseases, First Hospital of Hebei Medical University

This article was reviewed by Li Jiangtao, Associate Chief Physician, Department of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, Hebei Chest Hospital

recently

The weather is getting hotter and hotter

I believe many people

Wearing a mask has some problems

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Stuffy and stuffy

Soon the mask was soaked with sweat

Bad taste in mouth

…

At this time

A so-called

"Say goodbye to stuffiness", "remove odors", "refresh your mind"

The mask companion quickly became popular online

Weibo screenshot

Is it really as delicious as advertised?

The truth may not be that simple!

What is Mask Mate?

According to the survey, the most popular mask companions on the market are mask fragrance beads and mask aromatherapy patches.

They all advertise that they contain pure plant-extracted herbal ingredients that can remove odors and relieve stuffiness. They are also very easy to use:

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To use the mask fragrance beads, just place them on the wrinkles of the mask and gently squeeze the beads. The liquid containing the fragrance will blend into the mask and emit fragrance.

Mask aromatherapy stickers are simpler, just stick them directly on the mask.

These mask companions come in a variety of flavors, such as watermelon, mint, peach, etc., which can meet the needs of the public, and therefore have attracted countless consumers.

Is Mask Mate really useful?

Whether it is mask fragrance beads or mask aromatherapy patches, their main ingredients are patchouli, mint, gelatin, glycerin and some unknown spices.

Patchouli and mint are two Chinese herbs that do have the function of aromatic dehumidification and can emit aromatic smells, thus achieving the advertised function of removing odors and improving breath. However, Patchouli and mint are generally used to make sachets to be worn on the body, and are not recommended to be used directly in masks. When mixed with other spices, some people may find that they have a pungent smell and cannot relieve stuffiness.

Gelatin is made from waste leather and contains heavy metals (mainly chromium). Long-term exposure can damage human bones and hematopoietic stem cells.

Glycerin is a common moisturizer that is added to many skin care products to help absorb moisture. However, in the hot summer, it is easy to sweat. When the ambient humidity is lower than the skin humidity, it will absorb moisture from the deep layers of the skin, causing dry and peeling skin, and even allergies.

After understanding the ingredients of Mask Mate, is its effect really as magical as advertised?

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The answer is no. On the contrary, if the fragrance beads soak the mask, it will destroy the structure of the mask, causing the mask to lose its own protective effect.

This is because the mask has an electrostatic protective film layer, which absorbs a large amount of dust in the air to protect against bacteria and viruses such as the new coronavirus that are transmitted through the respiratory system. Once the mask is soaked, this electrostatic protective layer will be destroyed, seriously affecting the protective effect.

What problems may arise with long-term use?

Long-term use of these mask companions poses many risks to the body:

The added fragrances themselves can irritate the facial skin, causing facial skin allergies and even urticaria;

Abnormal fragrances may cause recurrence of rhinitis, exacerbation and aggravation of bronchial asthma, etc., which are harmful to health for patients with allergic rhinitis and bronchial asthma who are sensitive to odors.

The gelatin in the mask contains heavy metal chromium. Long-term exposure to children will affect hematopoietic stem cells. Childhood leukemia is a disease caused by abnormal hematopoietic stem cells. Heavy metals are extremely harmful to children.

When the respiratory tract is infected with bacteria or viruses, wearing a mask can reduce the infectiousness to a certain extent and protect people in close contact with you. However, when the mask is soaked with fragrance beads, the protective ability of the mask is reduced, which can cause respiratory bacteria or viral infections to spread among people in close contact.

What are the recommendations for wearing masks in summer?

The weather is hot and humid in the summer. If you wear a mask for a long time, it is inevitable that there will be unpleasant odor in your mouth. We can start with ourselves, change masks frequently, pay attention to oral hygiene, and rinse your mouth after meals.

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It is recommended that you prepare some spare masks and replace them every 1-2 hours. Once they are soaked, they should be replaced promptly. At the same time, try to stay away from crowds when taking off and putting on masks.

Mask companion

It's not as "fragrant" as advertised

Everyone should still wear masks scientifically

Protect yourself

It's also about protecting those around you.

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