Why do Japanese people wear surgical masks outside of hospitals?

-or that you're much more likely to suffer serious problems from vitamin D deficiency than contract skin cancer much less die from it.

 

I think in Japan, people commute mostly in packed trains. So the mask is suppose to prevent them from catching over air sickness. They do that in China too, well because the air quality is really BAD.

 

Everyone needs some level of sun. My mother, a late stage 2 survivor, was told by her oncologist to get 15 minutes of unprotected sunlight a day. This is also a culture that celebrates being ghostly pale.

 

It's also believed that when you're sick and wear a mask (especially when sleeping), it prevents your throat from getting too dry and making your cold worse.

Source: Japanese mother in law

 

I'd love to wear one in Australia when I have to go out while sick. Not only would it stop me coughing and sneezing my germs everywhere, it would hide the fact that I'm mouth-breathing.

Mouth-breathing just looks so dopey!

 

My mum wears one when she has a cold to prevent spreading it to others, when the pollen count is high or when she fears catching something as a simple cough puts her in ER.

During the SARs crisis, face masks were common in asian cities due to dense populated cities and ease of spread of germs. People tried to avoid going out unnecessarily and mastered the art of eye signals to communicate to friends when they saw each other. There was a shortage of masks and people made them out of bras cups which was rather amusing.

 

what? Which country are you referring to? Surly not Japan. I never saw anything like that.

 

Taiwan & China. I found it rather hilarious when i was there and men would have lacy lingerie cups on their face.