How often should I replace my nasal mask?

Do mask degrade over time?
I change the cushion every month but my AHI reading are rising?
My reading were in the .75 range before and now in the 2.5 range
I use the "Airfit N10" nasal mask and it is about 7 months old.

Cushions should last longer than a month...I'm not that familiar with your particular mask, but my Quattro mask is about 2 years old and my cushions are replaced at about 10-12 months. I rarely wash my cushions and only wipe them nightly with a baby wipe. Sometimes excessive washing can deteriorate cushions. A slightly higher AHI can be from many things. Are you using Sleepyhead?

I use Sleepyhead every morning to view results.

Have you noticed a big increase in leaks?

As needed IMO. I buy 2 F&P Simplus full face cushions every six months. I wash them each about once a week - mostly because I tend to breathe through my mouth a lot and some "gunk" builds up that I can only describe as nasty.

Golf016 wrote:Do mask degrade over time?
I change the cushion every month but my AHI reading are rising?
My reading were in the .75 range before and now in the 2.5 range
I use the "Airfit N10" nasal mask and it is about 7 months old.

Everything degrades over time.

Cushions tend to last a long time with even reasonable care.

Headgear wears out first for me.

You have provided no useful information about your AHI, like, say, some charts.

But, no, cushions shouldn't have much effect on AHI, unless your leaks are out of control and disturbing your sleep.

Replacing mask is personal preference... i buy a new mask every 6-8 weeks. It does not help or hurt AHI. I think once a month replacement is a lot. Every six months is okay. Once a year is too long. Some people here have the same mask for many years with no issue.

Doublev wrote:Once a year is too long.

Replacing anything *on a schedule* is wasteful.

If your mask is still good after a year, why spend the money on a new one?

Replace parts of the mask *as they wear out*.

I don't have any experience with that mask, I use a Swift FX, but I have found that the silicon pillow part degrades slowly over a few months, and the backstrap loses its strechiness over maybe 9 months. The parts degrade slowly, and you dont really notice. I think its actually effective to replace with fresh on a schedule, but decide for yourself what that schedule should be. In any case, have new parts or a complete mask on hand that you can try if you have doubts about the worn one. If new seems significantly better, you have reason to ditch the old one. At that point, buy another new spare.
Jim

My main question is since the N10 mask ( minus the cushion ) consist of strapping and some hard plastic ( no silicone ) does the strapping lose some of its properties over time and if it does how does show up.

I don't have more leakage than before

palerider wrote: If your mask is still good after a year, why spend the money on a new one?

Replace parts of the mask *as they wear out*.

I dont think a mask that is properly and regularly cleaned is designed to last a hear. And if you dont clean it regularly then you should toss sooner and make them more disposable. As I said it is personal preference. But putting 2500-3000 hours on a mask does some wear to these parts. They do breakdown. Put your mask in the sun for a few days and see what happens.

If you want to breathe through that mask after a year go for it. Personally I prefer use wipes each night, wash once or twice during the mask life, and toss masks every 6-8 weeks. If you actually do have a mask that is a year old I think you will enjoy the experience of a brand new fresh mask. It is all personal preference of course.

Doublev wrote:I dont think a mask that is properly and regularly cleaned is designed to last a hear. And if you dont clean it regularly then you should toss sooner and make them more disposable. As I said it is personal preference. But putting 2500-3000 hours on a mask does some wear to these parts. They do breakdown. Put your mask in the sun for a few days and see what happens.

If you want to breathe through that mask after a year go for it. Personally I prefer use wipes each night, wash once or twice during the mask life, and toss masks every 6-8 weeks. If you actually do have a mask that is a year old I think you will enjoy the experience of a brand new fresh mask. It is all personal preference of course.

Just curious. How long have you been using cpap therapy? I see you joined the forum in June of this year.
Were you new to therapy or a long time cpap veteran when you joined here?

I have some mask products still sealed in factory packaging and those items have yellowed as well. Other than being ugly there is nothing wrong with them.

Putting the equipment in the sun doesn't mimic common sense use and isn't a good rebuttal point.

And while maybe you are using a mask that has points that could break...I am not. Nothing in my mask would break short of an elephant stepping on it and even then I am not so sure it would break.

This is my first year being on cpap therapy. I have replaced my dreamwear nasal mask two (so on my third). I have replaced approx. every 6 weeks. I will not change this regime because it feels correct to me. I might clean the mask 3-4 times during the 6 week period (dawn dish soap) and i wipe it down daily. The masks look pretty beat up after 6 weeks of wear and tear.. particularly the elastic part.

yes, I guess you can use the yellowed masks. Like I said, it is personal preference. Some people buy underwear and keep it until it has holes and is torn up.. and still they will keep wearing it. I buy 50 pairs a year when they are on sale and toss them a year later (so i guess i get 7 uses out of each one). I do the same for socks. My socks are not worn out and do not have holes. Neither approach is better or correct. So like I said it is personal preference. But using a mask every day for a year and keep using it? Why? To me that is like wearing the same two pairs of underwear and washing daily. Yeah, you could.. but why...

Doublev wrote: But using a mask every day for a year and keep using it? Why? To me that is like wearing the same two pairs of underwear and washing daily. Yeah, you could.. but why...

Sometimes it's out of necessity. I had insurance when I first got my Cpap, then I lost my insurance. My income was paycheck to paycheck so shelling out money for even a new cushion when I had a perfectly functional one on hand was very low on my priority list of expenditures. I used the same nasal pillows for 2.5 years, with NO negative impact on my therapy.

I've replaced the pillows 4 months ago to apply that copay to my new insurance deductible, but I see no need in replacing them any time soon since they're still fully functional, very comfortable, and only require a little cleaning now and then. THAT is my personal preference.

Doublev wrote: But using a mask every day for a year and keep using it? Why? To me that is like wearing the same two pairs of underwear and washing daily. Yeah, you could.. but why...

Why....because there's nothing wrong with it.

Not everyone has unlimited pocketbooks and can afford to throw something away just because it has some age to it.

I am just over 12 months on this headgear and one nasal pillow mask. Other than the colors fading a bit on the stretchy part of the headgear...you can't really tell a brand new from a 1 year old. The nasal pillow hasn't even yellowed yet. Still looks exactly like the brand new sealed one I have as a spare.