The Beat February 2003

I've noticed that many Koreans wear cotton surgical-type masks during the winter. How did this trend begin and what, if any, are the health benefits of doing so?

Now you can see many people wearing the masks on the streets on chilly mornings. And those who hike on nearby hillsides for their physical fitness often wear them in winter. They put on them with a view to preventing heat loss by avoiding directly breathing in cold air and covering the skin around the mouth and nose.

I think the cheap price of the masks may have contributed to their wide use among Koreans. I have no idea when Koreans first started using them, but I would guess it may have been around the time of Japanese colonial rule (1910-1945) when modern industrialization of Korea had just begun, or a little later.

Use of the masks by healthy people during flu season may be of some value in physically protecting the respiratory tract against the spread of the influenza virus. Patients with respiratory infections and diseases like the common cold or bronchitis also may well wear masks when they go outdoors, because the cold, dry winter air irritates and dries up the bronchial mucosa (lining membrane), causing cough or aggravating symptoms. As long as masks are kept clean and dry properly, I would encourage their use in flu season.

Have a question for the doctor? Send your questions to [email protected] with the heading “Ask the Doctor”.
*Or visit Dr. Choi's Basquiat Clinic for Obesity and Skin Diseases. Phone: 553-3800