COVID Faces

Nurses COVID

Updated:   Published

people-looking-strange-when-they-remove-their-mask.jpg.7663382ea84df0e046cb2b75060a4833.jpg

Okay, so this has the potential to sound very strange. I have noticed that at work the past couple months when a co-worker slips their mask down for a moment to take a drink, eat, readjust the mask, etc. That from the nose they just look strange almost deformed and it seems to be with all of them even the folks I knew before the pandemic their faces just look off. 

I figures it's just becoming so ingrained to see the masks that seeing a full face is disarming. Is anyone else experiencing this? I really hope someone is that I'm not having a COVID psychotic break ?

Specializes in Psychiatric, Med-Surg.
On 2/16/2021 at 12:22 AM, StrwbryblndRN said:

I have noticed.  Some coworkers were hired during pandemic, so I am not completely sure what they look like otherwise.  But many looked warped to me.  Like I am remembering them wrong or something.  

Yes, when I see people with their masks off for the first time, their faces look warped! Often times I ask to see them with their mask off because it drives me crazy to not know what they look like. I remember people by face rather than name.

3
Up Vote Up Vote ×

Very interesting...So this made me think of this fascinating TEDtalk we were assigned in my neuroscience course, and I'm pretty sure you're not experiencing something quite this vivid, but I think there is some sound information to be gained here!

https://www.ted.com/talks/oliver_sacks_what_hallucination_reveals_about_our_minds?language=en

3
Up Vote Up Vote ×

As a man it's a good change. 

Not having to shave for days on end. Heaven! 

Not getting to look at pretty nurses, hell! 

Sorry guys, I'm young and it's very difficult to give up the greatest experience ever invented ???☹️

Girl watching! I wonder if women know just how much they scramble our brains?

Literally! 

2
Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Mental health, substance abuse, geriatrics, PCU.
35 minutes ago, Curious1997 said:

As a man it's a good change. 

Not having to shave for days on end. Heaven! 

Not getting to look at pretty nurses, hell! 

Sorry guys, I'm young and it's very difficult to give up the greatest experience ever invented ???☹️

Girl watching! I wonder if women know just how much they scramble our brains?

Literally! 

Haha, it's funny you mention that. There is a co-worker I've worked with since before the pandemic that I think is very physically attractive, nothing I would ever act on or coment on of course, but I noticed last week when he lowered his mask that my reaction was "Eww" what is happening to me? ?

2
Up Vote Up Vote ×
On 2/14/2021 at 5:25 AM, Nunya said:

You mean this approach? This Sweden?  Wow, yeah, maybe you do need to retire.

https://www.wsws.org/en/articles/2020/12/14/pers-d14.html

There is a whole lot of misinformation in the linked article (manifesto?).
I think it’s a good idea to be sceptical of sources like this that are overtly political in nature. From the article: ”Workers in Sweden must unite with their class allies in India, Brazil, Mexico, the United States and in every country to stop the senseless and preventable sacrifice of millions of lives and replace the reactionary and murderous capitalist order with socialism.”  Doesn’t sound like an objective and balanced narrative to me and I’m pretty sure that’s not something that workers in Sweden want.

I think that Swedes in general are a lot more supportive of their government’s pandemic response than the World Socialist Web Site appears to be.. 
 

 

1
Up Vote Up Vote ×

I saw a lady coworker take her mask down to sip coffee and she had a goatee that I had never seen before. I seriously thought I was hallucinating. 

2
Up Vote Up Vote ×
1 hour ago, cynical-RN said:

I saw a lady coworker take her mask down to sip coffee and she had a goatee that I had never seen before. I seriously thought I was hallucinating. 

?????

 

20201113_155110.jpg
Up Vote Up Vote ×
On 2/16/2021 at 10:24 AM, 0.9%NormalSarah said:

Oops I think I accidentally started to quote someone? Sausage fingers LOL! But anyway yes, I have noticed that, too! Also I’ve realized there are a few people that I guess I never knew what they looked like, because when their mask comes off for a moment, I don’t recognize them. There are people I work with whose faces I’ve never seen, too, and it’s such a weird thing when you think about it.

LOL! Yes, it is weird to work with people who you have never seen their faces before. One day I had my mask off in the lunch room and one of the managers looked at me with a surprised look and said, "I didn't know who you are. Are you Cyn? I guess I have never seen you without a mask before." I smiled and said, "oh! that's cool. Yeah, I'm Cyn RN, I blend well around here." (we both laugh) She says, "now I know who you are." What's hilarious is I think that she was serious, the fact that I'm the only black guy in this specialty right now withstanding ?

That reminded me of another scenario in the cafeteria. Lady serving food, says I like the color of your stethoscope. It's a fancy purplish color. I said, "I figured, I don't stand out enough around here" LOL. She retorts: "Yeah, not everyone is as tall as you are." The entire cafeteria line bursts in wild laughter. That quick-witted old lady made my day. I'm smiling from molar to molar just thinking about it. Less than a minute interaction that made me deliriously jolly the entire day. 

3
Up Vote Up Vote ×
2 minutes ago, cynical-RN said:

LOL! Yes, it is weird to work with people who you have never seen their faces before. One day I had my mask off in the lunch room and one of the managers looked at me with a surprised look and said, "I didn't know who you are. Are you Cyn? I guess I have never seen you without a mask before." I smiled and said, "oh! that's cool. Yeah, I'm Cyn RN, I blend well around here." (we both laugh) She says, "now I know who you are." What's hilarious is I think that she was serious, the fact that I'm the only black guy in this specialty right now withstanding ?

That reminded me of another scenario in the cafeteria. Lady serving food, says I like the color of your stethoscope. It's a fancy purplish color. I said, "I figured, I don't stand out enough around here" LOL. She retorts: "Yeah, not everyone is as tall as you are." The entire cafeteria line bursts in wild laughter. That quick-witted old lady made my day. I'm smiling from molar to molar just thinking about it. Less than a minute interaction that made me deliriously jolly the entire day. 

 

20210106_183203.jpg
Up Vote Up Vote ×
1 hour ago, Curious1997 said:

?????

 

20201113_155110.jpg

Hahaha! she caught me staring squarely at the goatee. She then said: "I know, this hospital coffee is as good as urine, ugh!" I couldn't hold my laughter and I tried very hard. I nearly spat my coffee. I had to go to the men's locker-room. I laughed for a good minute. 

1
Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Tele RN on the West Coast.
On 2/17/2021 at 12:28 PM, Daisy Joyce said:

My skin was getting irritated under the mask, but now I put on Vaseline and it really helps.

(not a paid endorsement)

I want to try this but I am afraid my face will break out.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
7 hours ago, Schweet said:

I want to try this but I am afraid my face will break out.

Maybe use sparingly to the areas affected  the worst and see what happens?

I had bad cystic acne in my early 20s and had several rounds of accutane, but never had oily skin-more sensitive, irritated, and acne prone. Had worse acne when skin was dry and irritated-now I have lasting side effects from the meds-incredibly dry skin-but Vaseline-spread very thin and only in really irritated areas, has not triggered breakouts. Wearing a mask hasn’t either as it did in the past, but my face hurts when its literally breaking down from the mask so it’s probably worth a try to see if it helps.

1
Up Vote Up Vote ×
+ Add a Comment