Question for men with facial hair

[danimal71]

Is there anything special you do to keep the hairy areas from getting irritated. When I started CPAP a few months ago I was clean shaven...since than I now have a goatee. Whether I use my nasal mask or my nasal pillows the hair above my lip seems to get pulled up or sideways and really starts to irritate me. The area itself doesn't get irritated it just me getting irritated. Is it just something you learn to live with or is there anything special you do.....other than shaving?

[msla]

I have had a beard since 1981 and on cpap since 2003. I use a nasal mask or nasal pillows. The hair between the upper lip and nose has never been a problem for me.

[jlk]

No irritation here, either. I would guess that in time your skin will get desensitized to longer hair poking out of it, making you less aware of it being there. If the lip hair is real short (like long stubble)it may have more of a tendency to get pulled up or sideways, maybe if/when it gets 1/2 long or more it will lay flatter with skin. My nasal hairs need to be kept fairly short to prevent tickling, is that the sensation? I had my beard 20 years before cpap, so unaware of any other adjustment problems newer facial hair may create. good luck!. john

[chunkyfrog]

Now that I don't need to tape, my 'granny whiskers' are coming back.
Is this likely to be a problem?

[jabman]

I have a goatee as well and use a nasil mask and have no problems with irritation. But I also Have had my goatee since before starting cpap. Maybe it is something you need to get used to.

[DDD]

I had the same problem. I had to trim the mustache and goatee down but that was me.
Good luck.

[Mr Gadget]

I started with just a mustache and tried nasal masks but my pressure at 16 prevented me from going that route, I ended up using a Quattro because of my mouth breathing with a chin strap and it worked pretty well for the last 8 months. I have since grown a goatee and now I'm having sealing problems around my chin - DUH, but I don't want to shave. Biggest problem I'm having is I moved and transitioned to a new Dr. office and getting up to speed (or even an appointment) is proving difficult. I was seen this week and am attempting a Fisher & Paykel 432 because it cups the chin, trying it with and without a chin strap. I have a follow up next week and we will see what info I can bring back.

I have a Autoset II and can't find info on the settings I should be using with the new mask from a different manufacturer, done several searches combining Autoset II and Fisher & Paykel with no results. I got some info from RESMED and Fisher & Paykel's website on the masks. The exhaust flow(L/m)/pressures (cm H20) charts shows me at about 41-44/15-17 with the new mask, and that correlate to a Swift with 40-43/14-16 settings on my Autoset, but the mask fitting setting just says it's leaking and I can't get it to read correctly. I can go back to what RESMED suggests for a full mask 44-48/14-16, which I was using for the Quattro (setting MIR Full) but I'm sure the machine is reading it incorrectly because I get the leak info when I check. It's difficult when you know more about CPAP than the clinic you go to - the VA, but I can't afford to go anywhere else.

[Ughmahedhurtz]

I've found that my moustache whiskers get irritated/painful when they're short/medium as the mask tends to try to flip them up instead of down. Since I've grown out my moustache so it's all longer, it doesn't irritate me nearly as much. I do still take some care to make sure the mask (I use a nasal ComfortGel) doesn't grab the whiskers and push them up. It's basically just something I've learned to adapt to over the last few months since I started CPAP.

[Breathe Jimbo]

Using nasal pillows, I have no issue with my goatee, only my mustache. Keeping it short (S2 comb on Peanut trimmer) prevents any leaks. However, I do seem to itch when my mustache and beard are shorter. Sometimes I need to wend my finger under the headgear of my Swift LT to scratch a little around the outside of a nasal pillow, but I can live with that.

You might try an OTC Zyrtec an hour before bed to raise your itch threshold.

[linagee]

Resmed Quattro FFM and goatee, never had a problem with leak that I couldn't solve by readjusting the mask straps.

[PDH]

I have a full beard and have had no problem with leaks or irritation. I do shave the area under my nose about an 1/8" so my scuba mask has some bare skin to seal on. This may help my nasal pillow seal better, I don't know.