Post
by xyz » Thu Nov 17, 2016 4:57 pm
This is a common problem which most FFM wearers have to deal with sooner or later. When I started out I had a real problem with nose itching. It's much better now. I infrequently have a problem any more. It's because I do _all_ of the things mentioned in this thread. Just one of them wouldn't have fixed it.
> Before you put the mask on at night, rub the area under where it will sit.
Yes. And if you have to get up in the middle of the night, do it again.
> I lift the FF face mask body a tiny bit and stick my index finger under the Silicone seal and scratch while the machine is on.
I read in this forum a long time ago a better trick: a small emery board. It's so thin that you barely lose any pressure, and it's rough enough to be effective. You just have to put it where you can find it in the dark.
> Trim your nose hair.
This is really important. If they're long enough to extend past "the hole" (there must be a medical term for that), they will definitely cause your nose to itch.
> I found that using a good moisturizer on my nose before bed helped alot
We're talking FF masks here. I believe if there is a moisturizer under where the mask contacts the skin that it allows the mask to slide, preventing a good seal and causing leaks.
I think that lotion on the lower part of the nose (around "the holes") would help, but not near the bridge. And lotion _all around_ the nose after a shower would help keep the skin from drying out. Before bedtime it's important to wash your face with a warm washcloth to remove all the facial oils that would allow leaks.
> Last night I chose to bear it and the itching eventually stopped.
Emphasis on the word "eventually." My problem is I can't go to sleep when it's itching. So waiting doesn't work.
> I've found that using Ayr gel inside and out helps
I did that for a long time. And itched the whole time. I stopped and I rarely itch any more. I don't know that they're related because I made the mistake of changing more than one thing at a time. At the same time that I stopped using the gel, I started cleaning my gear a) better and b) more often.
My experience leads me to believe that for those of us with allergies (skin red, rough, and itchy; or if you sneeze a lot), that we need to take measures that those with the hide of an alligator do not. Use distilled water. Empty the humidifier every morning to allow it to dry. Clean your gear well using a free and clear detergent, e.g., Seventh Generation. The F&C version, not the lemon/lavender/etc.
I do still use Ayr saline nasal mist. I think it helps to moisturize the inside of the nose. If you get up in the middle of the night, use it again.
> Get ointment with lidocane in it
Maybe not. I never used lidocane, but I used OTC cortisone. My dermatologist didn't like that idea, so I stopped. Itched like crazy until I started doing all the things above. Very much better now.