WHO mentions several negative aspects of frequent / long-term use of facemasks, fuelling the debate as to whether the benefits outweigh the drawbacks.
Many people report claustrophobic experiences and difficulty getting sufficient oxygen due to the increased resistance to inhaling and exhaling. This can lead to an increased heart rate, nausea, dizziness and headaches and several other symptoms. Students wearing masks for one week, 16 % reported skin problems and 7 % sinusitis, Also problems with eyes and headaches and fatigue were frequently mentioned. Furthermore, face masking can provoke an increase in stress hormones with a negative impact on immune resilience in the long term. Facemasks prevent the mirroring of facial expressions, a process that facilitates empathetic connections and trust between pupills and teachers. This potentially leads to a significant increase in socio-psychological stress. During childhood and puberty the brain undergoes sexual and mental maturation through hormonal epigenetic reprogramming. Several studies show that long-term exposure to socio-psychological stress leaves neuro-epigenetic scars that are difficult to cure in young people and often escalate into mental behavioural problems and a weakened immune system. Young adults (18-24 years), the level of anxiety and depression has increased by 63%  since the corona crisis. A quarter of them think about suicide. As a result, the use of antidepressants has increased by 25%. Several researchers have shown a relationship between the increase in stress experiences and the risk of upper respiratory tract infections and mortality.