homemade Headrest headgear

[Catnapper]

I have been sewing straps for my Headrest mask since the week after I got it.

I soon tired of tying the straps and started sewing them in loops. I have made lots of adjustments over the months. The other day I sewed my newest one of a very stretchy fishnet looking fabric. When my husband arrived home, I showed it to him. With a puzzled look on his face he said, "Is that a thong?"

When I stopped laughing, I decided to show it to you, my friends at cpaptalk, to see if you would recognize it as something to wear with a Headrest Mask. As you may be able to see, it has a stabilizing strip of velcro to hold the mask's hose snuggly at the forehead. It also has a set of gathers just under the nasal pillows to hold the pillows against the bottom of the nose.

The best part is that is weighs practically nothing, has lots of air holes so it does not make me sweaty or hot, is soft against my skin, and most of all it works perfectly!

So, what do you think, headgear from Victoria's Secret or what?





_________________

CPAPopedia Keywords Contained In This Post (Click For Definition): hose, Nasal Pillows

[t-bone]

Hmmm....I've not been on this forum for a month or more, as I've been busy with a change of physical address (a moving experience), and a whole lot of work-related activity, but what do I find when I come back? My mother (MY MOTHER! GASP) showing off her new bedroom outfits...



Knowing her husband (my stepfather), I can just hear him asking her about that.

Mom, if it works, so much the better.

[birdshell]

Wonderful adaptation, Joanie!

My only disagreement with your post:

It is about a year and a quarter too late for the mask decorating contest. However, you would have been competing against yourself in the "sexiest mask" category. Hmmm, wonder which entry would have won?


Great idea and thank you for sharing! This type of contribution is what makes this forum the best on the web!





Karen

[Guest]

Catnapper,

How funny!


And yes, it does look like a thong,

How do you keep it tight enough to keep it from falling off? Do you add velcro?

Can you snap a picture of how it is worn, maybe you could have your (son t-bone) model it in a picture for us!!!

It's a really neat and comfortable idea and I would really appreciate it if you could show (on a model) just how it's worn and explain how you made it, if that's not to much to ask!

I use the Swift 11, the Headrest, & the Comfort Lite 11. The headrest is so heavy, ouch! I also attach my heavy aussie heated hose to it and it makes it even heavier...

Thanks,

SleepyNoMore

[Catnapper]

Instructions are
Step one, put the velcro loop around the hose and the top part of the decapitated Headrest.



Then you pull the bottom loop through the part of the mask that fits around your nose. It looks like this from the inside:



You put your face against the white cotton part and pull the loops over your head. The loops are stretchy and they hold the mask against my face with just enough tightness to keep it from falling off. My leak rates are as expected for the pressure and it stays on just fine. It is very light and comfortable.

My daughter has this same mask and she wears it without any strap at all. She just uses the pillow to hold it against her face. The exhaust of the Headrest makes it possible to put your face right down in the pillow without suffocating.

No model so far. t-bone probably would do it, but the mask fits me, not him. Not to say he has a big head, but .....

I just sewed a double layer of the fishnet to the cotton knit that makes up the stabilizer part for the face. You can see the seams. I measured the stretchy loops to fit my head and sewed them to fit. Not much to it. I think any stretchy fabric could work if it had enough stretch and strength.

[rested gal]

what do I find when I come back? My mother (MY MOTHER! GASP) showing off her new bedroom outfits...

ROTFL!!

And look what your mom just now won... !!




LINKS to Lab Rat Trophy awards
viewtopic.php?t=15104

[Catnapper]

Oh rested gal,

That is such an honor coming from you, the head lab rat! Without your innovation of stretchy straps, I never would have thought of it.

I must also thank you for the stretchy strap idea and sharing it, for without those stretchy straps, I would be an unhappy cpapper. They make all the difference in the world for the Headrest mask, and for feeling comfortable with a mask tied to one's head. You are the bomb! Do you have a lab rat award of your own?

Catnapper - Joanie

[GumbyCT]

I understand hubby's confusion.
A word of warning tho - be careful tonite
oh & better wear that chin strap eh.

[Catnapper]

I wanted to make an update to this thread. Earlier I said that probably any stretchy fabric could work if it had enough stretch and strength. I decided to test my words, using the classic stretchy strap, the leg from a pair of tights.

I bought a pair of white tights of some kind of microfiber of the largest size I could find to be sure I had enough "material". I cut the leg off the tights right where it joined the body of the tights. I cut the leg lengthwise on both sides, making 2 long narrow pieces of stretchy strap. I seamed each of them, making 2 narrow tubes about an inch or so wide, and turned them right side out with the seam to the inside. I sewed them to the cotton knit stabilizer just as I did the headgear above. Then I added the velcro for the hose. Finally I adjusted the straps to fit my head and sewed them into loops. I have used the new headgear for a couple nights, and I like it better than the fishnet one.

So, if anyone cares to experiment, I believe you can be successful. For me it is much better than those rubber straps that come with masks. The headrest only needs to touch your nose, not be mashed onto your face.

[SleepyNoMore]

I wanted to make an update to this thread. Earlier I said that probably any stretchy fabric could work if it had enough stretch and strength. I decided to test my words, using the classic stretchy strap, the leg from a pair of tights.

I bought a pair of white tights of some kind of microfiber of the largest size I could find to be sure I had enough "material". I cut the leg off the tights right where it joined the body of the tights. I cut the leg lengthwise on both sides, making 2 long narrow pieces of stretchy strap. I seamed each of them, making 2 narrow tubes about an inch or so wide, and turned them right side out with the seam to the inside. I sewed them to the cotton knit stabilizer just as I did the headgear above. Then I added the velcro for the hose. Finally I adjusted the straps to fit my head and sewed them into loops. I have used the new headgear for a couple nights, and I like it better than the fishnet one.

So, if anyone cares to experiment, I believe you can be successful. For me it is much better than those rubber straps that come with masks. The headrest only needs to touch your nose, not be mashed onto your face.

_________________

OK kiddo,

Can you post some more pics? We would like to compare it to the first thong you made...

CPAPopedia Keywords Contained In This Post (Click For Definition): hose

[sharon1965]

most importantly, catnapper, when will you be making this available to the
"i heart my headrest" market?

please please please make them and sell them...the amount of stuff on my head at night is really getting ridiculous

so when you do start selling them, i respectfully request the opportunity to be your first customer

[Catnapper]

I don't think I could market this as headgear without a lot of government approval and such. That would be more than I can handle. (I am getting ready to retire from my full-time job this month, and to work only part-time because I just can't do it any longer. You cannot tell from my kittenish avatar, but I am not young, actually somewhat past the normal age of retirement.)

I will try to get some pictures made, maybe over the weekend. I would not know how to fit it to your head anyway unless your head is the same size as mine.

[Gerald]

Catnapper.....

I'm using the same mask.....with the rubber straps....but, I've thought long and hard about ways to get rid of them.

Your design looks like it'll work fine.

After you've experimented for a week or so....using the panty-hose tights....please give us a progress report.

Also, if you could take some pictures of the rig mounted on a "beauty-shop styrofoam mannequin head", that would be very helpful.

The mannequin heads only cost a few bucks at a beauty supply store.....and the pictures of your rig on a "head" would be appreciated by all.

Thanks for taking the time to let us all know about your progress......and we hope you'll keep us advised.

Gerald