As school begins again, your school may be requiring kids to wear face masks. Kids getting staph, strep and and other types of infections on their skin, face, in their nostrils, on their lips; difficulty breathing, inducing panic—those are just a few things that could happen to your child if they have to be in a face mask all day. Homeopathy can help skin problems from wearing a mask all day.
A child who looks unhappy in his facemask.
Homeopathy To The Rescue!
Let’s not even talk about the efficacy of masks. One thing we do know for certain is that the bacteria and fungi that the masks keep out, they also keep in. This can cause problems for your children.
One thing that Dr. Hahnemann wrote about in his seminal work The Organon (a kind of bible of sorts for homeopaths) is the concept of Obstacles to Cure. It is difficult to heal anything if there is some maintaining cause, such as a dirty mask. So it is important to send 2-3 cloth masks daily for your child. He or she should be changing them out 2-3 times per day. I know it is hard to remember, but it is worth the effort. Then, of course, they need to be washed at night. Probably best to have a minimum of six masks on hand.
If you have slightly older children, disposable masks may be an option and are probably less likely to cause problems than the cloth masks. And bonus, as I accidentally discovered, disposable masks can go through the wash at least once.
Remedies for Skin Eruptions Caused by a Face Mask
If, in spite of your and your child’s teacher’s best efforts, the masks don’t get changed or sores erupt, here are some remedies to consider:
Graphites (Graph)
Think about Graphites when there are yellow crusts that form on the sores. One often thinks of Impetigo with this, but other infections can have this symptom too, including yeast. Also consider Graphites when there are crusts in the nostrils. You probably won’t be able to see the color of them. Mentally, people who need Graphites are generally agreeable people, hard workers and tend to be a little over weight.
Calcarea Sulphuricum (Calc Sulph)
Calc Sulph is a great remedy for infections that have open sores. Expect to see some pus oozing for example, or maybe blood. Because it has sulphur in it, it will definitely be itchy. Crusts inside the nostrils could also be helped by Calc Sulph.
Hepar Sulphuris Calcareum (Hepar Sulph)
Hepar Sulph has the same “ingredients” as Calc Sulph, but it is combined under pressure before it is potentized. So this is a great remedy for infections, but choose infections that do not have a opening or a “vent”. The remedy may create a vent—in which case, switch to Calc Sulph—or it may just heal the infection without a vent. Hepar Sulph also covers crusts in the nostrils, which may not be an infection, but just a sore. People who need Hepar Sulph are often chilly and there sometimes is a pain which feels like being pricked with a pin.
Silica (Sil)
Silica is a great skin remedy, just don’t look below the surface. People who need it might actually enjoy wearing a mask because they can hide behind the mask. Consider Silica if your mask-related skin problems case the skin to peel. Moist, itchy discharge that could be white or yellow would be another indicator. Moist, itchy spots in general could indicate Silica, and these can be quite common with mask wearing. Vesicles (blister like eruptions) could also be present. Pimples in the nostrils could also be helped by Silica.
Sulphur (Sulph)
Sulphur is all about itchiness and heat. I would consider Sulphur if the biggest problem is itchiness, but not necessarily eruptions (although there could be). It could just be itchy redness, worse when the mask is one, due to the heat that is generated. Crusts in the nostrils are also helped by Sulphur. Mentally, people who need Sulphur tend to be curious, intelligent and like attention.
Natrum Muriaticum (Nat-M)
Many of the symptoms of Silica (above) also apply to Natrum Muriaticum. In order to make a distinction, you might have to try one of them first and then the other. One distinction that might help is that Silica would probably be more helpful in a person who is concerned about image and what other people think of them. Nat-mur will be more helpful for a person who has a closed personality. The person might be craving salty food. Nat-Mur does not have vesicles. Consider Nat Mur if one of the problems you are trying to solve is pimples in the nostrils.
Borax
Borax is a remedy that is well known for helping with thrush, also known as candida. Some of the skin problems that result from having to wear a mask is due to a yeasty outbreak on the skin. If you think your child’s skin problems related to mask wearing are from candida, consider homeopathic Borax. Borax will also help with crusts in the nostrils. Along with it, you could put coconut oil on the skin, assuming no allergies. Also, give your child the pro-biotic Saccharomyces Boulardii 1-2x per day. It is a specific for Candida.
If none of these remedies help you or your child with mask related skin issues, please schedule an acute consult and I will find a better matching remedy. Rest assured, homeopathy can help skin problems from wearing masks.
Potency
I would recommend you not use more than 30c for these problems as aggravations on skin symptoms ca be problematic. 6c or 12c or anything less than 30c would be helpful as well, but you might have to dose more frequently.
Homeopathy for Respiratory or Panic Responses to Masks
Because these are not really acute situations, but rather a chronic problem aggravated by an acute situation (mask wearing), you would need to work with a homeopath if you or your child experiences problems of this sort. Please schedule a complementary consult and we can chat about how homeopathy can help your family.
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