Why are most medical masks blue?

In recent years, masks have become a must-have for everyone when going out. On the street, you can see people wearing masks, with blue ones being the most common. There are also some pink, white, black masks, and red masks on the Spring Festival Gala, etc. But why are medical masks all blue?

In fact, medical masks in the early years were still white. But later, people gradually found that the combination of the white coats and white masks of medical staff would produce reflections under the light, causing visual fatigue for both medical staff and patients. Changing the mask to a cool-toned blue can not only reduce reflection but also make the color less monotonous and less likely to make people feel irritable. It can also help patients relieve their mood. Moreover, medical staff may come into contact with blood and secretions when dealing with various patients. Unlike white masks, blue masks do not stand out as conspicuously when contaminated with blood and secretions, effectively easing the tense atmosphere in medical treatment.

Perhaps someone else may ask: Then why are surgical gowns also blue or green? Although most people may not have seen or performed surgery, they will know from TV dramas that the surgical gowns of medical staff are blue or green, which is different from the white coats they usually wear.

This is because white is very easy to get dirty, so medical staff need to frequently wash and disinfect their white coats to make them look clean and tidy. However, for surgical medical staff performing operations, they often have to deal with red and glaring blood stains. When these splashes onto their white coats, they will instantly create a strong visual impact and increase psychological tension. Moreover, if one looks at one color for a long time, they will develop a "complementary color afterimage". That is, when medical staff look at red for a long time and shift their gaze, they will see the complementary color of red, and when looking at other places, they will see green. So, medical staff changed the surgical gowns to blue or green. This can relieve visual disturbances, reduce the fatigue of the eyes to red, and help maintain the brain's sensitivity to red.

So, there is a scientific basis for doctors to wear blue or green surgical gowns and blue masks!