CDC Sales of medical face masks are spiking around the world amid an outbreak of a new type of coronavirus, although experts say they're not the most effective form of protection. A graphic from the CDC helps explains which facial hairstyle allows the masks to be more effective — and it's very thorough. For the latest updates on the coronavirus outbreak, see here. Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories. The demand for face masks is skyrocketing amid the global coronavirus outbreak. But according to health experts, most members of the public use their medical masks wrong.