Allergy Articles

The investigation, published in The Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology: In Practice, surveyed 215 nurses who suffered from mild, moderate or severe hayfever symptoms and wore either a surgical mask or an N95 mask. Throughout the two week testing period, participants reported an average 41% reduction in hayfever symptoms like itchy nose, sneezing, blocked or runny nose. 

However, none of the participants reported that wearing a mask helped their itchy eyes. This means that mask-wearing is the most beneficial for people with allergic rhinitis (nasal symptoms) and allergic asthma. Masks are not useful for people with allergic conjunctivitis, an allergic reaction that causes your eyes to become inflamed and itchy. 

We know that masks are great for blocking and filtering out viral infections, but how do they protect against allergies too? 

Pollen and fungal spores, two allergens that come to haunt sufferers in Spring, are around two to 100 micrometres in size. Pine tree pollen, the most common cause of hayfever in the UK, is around 800 times larger than coronavirus. This means that surgical masks, which can filter out particles larger than three micrometres, and N95 masks, which filter out particles as small as 0.04 micrometres, can successfully protect you from allergens. 

N95 mask

Surgical mask

Masks might make you feel warm and stuffy, but this change in temperature and humidity of the air around your face also helps to slow nose and mouth responses to allergens. This means that particles not filtered out by your mask will cause milder allergic symptoms. 

If you are finding that your mask is helping your Spring allergies, it’s even more important than usual to make sure that you are using it correctly. You should follow proper mask protocol by ensuring that you wash your face covering after every use to prevent the build-up of pollen. You should also make sure to keep track of which side of the mask has been exposed to the air to ensure that this side never touches your nose and mouth. 

All this said, even if you are only treating seasonal allergies, it is unlikely that a face covering will prevent your symptoms completely. That’s why, when it comes to stopping Spring sneezes, it’s best to think of your mask as an add-on tool. If your allergy medication isn’t doing the full job, you could try using a mask on top of your usual allergy routine. If your allergies are preventing you from completing daily activities, seeing friends or going to work, you should speak to your GP.

For more information on allergies, visit: https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/allergies/ 

If you or someone you know needs support with allergies now, please check out the talkallergy hub for more articles, support programmes and product reviews!