cystic acne and scuba diving

Many people are allergic to rubber. So, first you need to eliminate rubber
as the culprit for causing a break out of cystic acne. If anyone is using a rubber facemask,
which is unlikely today but still possible, switch to silicone. Next, a rubber
regulator mouthpiece can cause a reaction if the diver is allergic to rubber.
Usually, this would be around the mouth, but perhaps in some sensitive
individuals could spread to other areas of the face. I said perhaps because I
am guessing that it might be probable since I'm not a dermatologist. If it were
just a matter of skin being placed under pressure, one would think that any out
break of acne would affect other areas of the body which would be prone to acne
such as the back as well. Consulting DAN would be a good idea or at least a
good dermatologist. I would think that perhaps not equalizing a facemask early
and often might aggravate facial acne due to the pressure differential where
the skin is going to be slightly stressed.

I don't know if there are those who are allergic all to silicone. Another
possible culprit would be the sweat and oils retained around the skirt of the
mask. Those who apply sunscreen would still have lotion on their fingers
afterward if they touched their faces, but if you wear sunscreen at other times
with no break outs then you are looking for a problem that is solely diving
related. If it happens only in the tropics, then the heat & sweat might
aggravate a condition. Some people are bothered by wetsuit hoods. Either the
neoprene itself or by pulling the coarse material over the sensitive skin of
their faces can trigger a break out. Also, salt water acts as an astringent
which is why it can help neutralize some stings and draws out pus from some
cuts. When I was diving in England, I had a couple of welts from stinging
nettles I had brushed against while hiking and after diving in the sea they
would pus up and pop.

Some tips that might help reduce the outbreaks would be to clean mask skirts
with a mild facial cleanser that would be natural and contain no harmful
ingredients that could attack the material of the facemask, and wear the mask
as loosely as possible equalizing often during descent. Contact a dermatologist
to determine what might be causing your particular problem and don't forget
that you might be allergic to your commercial mask defogger.