Does wearing a mask lessen the blow of springtime allergy symptoms?

Allergy season is in full force across the United States, but this year it looks a bit different, as everyone is masked up to prevent the spread of the coronavirus after the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommended them more than a year ago, which now raises the question: While our masks help to keep the virus at bay, are they also able to keep out seasonal allergens?

According to experts that AccuWeather spoke with, masks can be beneficial for people who experience allergy symptoms in the spring, partially due to the size of pollen particles.

"Masks can prevent pollen from getting in your nose, and therefore can cut down on your pollen allergy symptoms," Melanie Carver, the Chief Mission Officer for the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America (AAFA), said. "Pollen grains are larger than viruses, so anything that can filter a virus can filter pollen."

While N-95 masks are ideal for filtering viruses and pollen from entering the body, a standard cotton mask with double layers will still be effective in cutting down the amount of particles that a person breathes in. (Getty Images/Imgorthand)

N-95 masks, which catch 95% of particles, are the most ideal for filtering things like pollen and other allergens, especially in situations when a lot of exposure is anticipated.

"These masks have different sorts of levels of filtration," Robert Naclerio, an allergy specialist at Johns Hopkins University, said.

However, Naclerio said an N-95 is not always the most practical mask for daily use. "Many people will notice a difference just by wearing a double-layered cotton mask."

"Some pollens are larger than others and you can see them with your naked eye. Even smaller pollens can get trapped in the fabric of your mask instead of getting inhaled up your nose," Carver said.

An N-95 mask. (Photo by Bill Greenblatt/UPI)

Even a standard surgical mask is able to prevent around 80% of the particles from viruses such as COVID-19 from making it through, Naclerio said.

"The typical masks still get a fair amount of particles out, most of that because of what's called a 'cascading effect,'" he said. "A particle comes in and bangs against it and then often sticks to the mask and then it doesn't get carried on through into the nose."

He said one benefit of wearing masks is that they trap water vapor. Because of this, an unintended result of people wearing masks all winter was that medical doctors, like himself, did not see as many patients coming in with nosebleeds this year.

Even before the pandemic hit, Naclerio said, in Chicago, where he was formerly located for 24 years, people would frequently cover their nose and mouth with a thick scarf in the winter to trap water vapor, which is now being done through the use of face masks.

According to Naclerio, mask wearing over the winter was able to prevent a lot of patients seeking care for nosebleeds due to the way they are able to trap water vapor. (Getty Images/Anastasiia Korotkova)

In addition to mask-wearing, HEPA filters, which have become more popular in households amid the coronavirus pandemic, can trap pollen so it does not linger in people's homes. HEPA filters can trap both viruses, such as SARS-CoV-2, which causes COVID-19, and allergens.

Particles, including pollen particles, are measured in microns, equal to one-millionth of a meter. Grass particles may be five microns in size while ragweed can be up to 10 microns. Both substances are common allergy triggers in the U.S. Dust particles can be 20 microns or more.

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"HEPA filters theoretically can trap particles down to 0.3 microns in size -- which can remove 99.97% of pollen, mold, bacteria, and other small particles from the air," Carver explained. "Pollen is much larger than viruses and so these filters effectively trap pollen as well."

Weather can also play a role in particles' ability to breach a mask, as some weather events can actually break the pollen into smaller pieces, allowing for easier infiltration.

"What happens is: Pollen gets broken up by the electrostatic charges related to the weather," Naclerio said. He added that when the particles get broken up into smaller bits they become easier to inhale into the lungs, resulting in "thunderstorm asthma."

In the case of smaller particles related to weather, Naclerio said that masks will still help filter them out to an extent.

"These things are not designed to filter particles out completely but because the air has to go through them, a lot of these particles bang against the ingredients of the mask and get stuck there so then you do not inhale them into your nose," Naclerio said.

According to Carver, wearing additional personal protective equipment (PPE) such as gloves may be beneficial for people with eczema who experience it on their hands. (Getty Images/TwentySeven)

While wearing a mask may be able to stop pollen particles from entering your nose or mouth, Carver warns that it is not a universal solution for all allergy-related irritation or symptoms.

"Masks can reduce how much pollen your body is exposed to; however, pollen can still irritate your eyes and your skin," Carver said, adding that people who have eczema, in particular, could still experience irritation from a pollen allergy.

"People with eczema that gets triggered by pollen allergy may consider wearing clothing to cover their eczema spots," she said.

To avoid irritation to the eyes, she suggests wearing glasses or sunglasses outdoors to shield them, but "be mindful that wearing a mask can cause your glasses to fog up if the mask isn't snug enough against your face."

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