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A surgical mask, also known as a procedural mask, medical mask, or simply a face mask, is intended to be worn by healthcare professionals during surgery and during nursing to catch bacteria spread in liquid droplets and aerosols in the wearer’s mouth and nose. They are not designed to protect the user from inhalation of airborne bacteria or viral particles and are less effective than respiratory masks, such as N95 or FFP masks, which provide better protection due to their material, their shape, and their seal.

Surgical masks are generally worn by the general public all year round in East Asian countries such as China, Japan, South Korea, and Taiwan to reduce the risk of spreading airborne disease and to prevent inhalation of airborne dust particles created by air pollution. In addition, surgical masks have become a fashion statement, especially in contemporary East Asian culture, enhanced by its popularity in Japanese and Korean pop culture, which have a great impact on culture. More recently, due to the increasing smog problem in South and Southeast Asia, surgical masks and filter masks are now frequently used in major cities in India, Nepal, and Thailand when air quality deteriorates to toxic levels. In addition, face masks are used in Indonesia, Malaysia and Singapore during the haze season in Southeast Asia. Surgical air-filtering masks are very popular in Asia, and, therefore, many companies have released masks that not only prevent the inhalation of airborne dust particles but are also in fashion.

A surgical mask, or procedural mask, is intended to be worn by healthcare professionals during surgery and certain healthcare procedures to catch microorganisms shed in liquid droplets and aerosols from the mouth and the wearer’s nose. Its first recorded use was by French surgeon Paul Berger during an operation in Paris in 1897. Modern surgical masks are made from paper or another non-woven material and must be thrown away after each use.

A surgical mask should not be confused with a respirator and is not certified as such. Surgical masks are not designed to protect the user from inhalation of airborne bacteria or viral particles and are less effective than respirators, which are designed for this purpose.

Simple surgical masks protect wearers from splashing into the mouth with bodily fluids and prevent transmission of bodily fluids from the wearer to others, e.g., the patient. They also remind wearers not to touch their mouth or nose, which could otherwise transfer viruses and bacteria after touching a contaminated surface (fomite). They can also reduce the spread of infectious liquid droplets (carrying of bacteria or viruses) that are created when the user coughs or sneezes.

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