Optimizing Do It Your Alginate Rubber Masks to Prevent Skin Lesions: Rheological Tools and Techniques

Healthcare professionals (HCPs) and the General Public (GP) frequently wear Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), a practice more common since the pandemic. However, prolonged mask use can lead to skin lesions. While some HCPs alleviate this with dressings, this option is unavailable to the GP. An emerging trend in the Korean cosmetic market is rubber masks, forming a protective film when powder is mixed with water. This convenient solution could effectively protect against the harsh conditions caused by prolonged mask usage. Yet, the variability in drinking water quality necessitates an examination of its impact on the mask's formation process. This study assessed how pH and hardness content of drinking water affect the rheological properties of an alginate-based rubber mask after reconstitution. One formulation was reconstituted with four different types of drinking water, along with purified water as a control. Parameters such as pH, drying time, and burst strength were evaluated for each variant. Results showed that the rubber formation reaction is time-depended, and not temperature dependent, obtaining around 10 min in all tested waters. Very hard water produced the highest viscoelasticity, indicating a robust gel structure. Formulation composed with very hard water presented the highest burst strength value. Variations in water types were attributed to differences in pH and hardness levels. In conclusion, very hard water, rich in calcium ions, notably enhanced burst strength, suggesting promising efficacy in preventing skin lesions associated with prolonged PPE mask usage, contingent upon water mineralization and pH.