Looking for nose pillow recommendations

My dad says that pillows made his nose bigger, which is a big source of hesitation for me. He uses the Wisp now and is not overly bothered by leaking. He has never had the eye problems that I've had. I saw in an old thread that some people do think they get a bigger nose with a pillow mask. I really don't need that on top of everything else.

Well....I am coming on 6 years in May of using nothing but nasal pillow masks and my nose is the same size and my nostrils are the same size.
All I can say about someone who is seeing larger nostrils...they have those nasal pillows way too tight or stuck up in the nostril which is not proper fit. When properly fitted they rest gently on the nostril rim and will not cause the nostril opening to enlarge. They shouldn't turn the end of the nose up either...what we call piggy nose for a reason.
That's from the straps being too tight.

As for the nose itself getting bigger overall...that can't happen to an adult.

You know, noses do change shape some over time, so at least some of what people see may be due to the normal aging process. Believe it or don't...look it up, I did *smile*.

Seconding everything that Pugsy is saying.

But I want to add: Piggy nose problems are not uncommon with poorly fit nasal pillows masks. Piggy nose is exactly what it sounds like: The headgear is so tight that it pushes the pillows into the nose with enough force to make it feel (and look) like you are shoving your nose up into a piggy nose with your thumb. And piggy nose HURTS (at least it hurts me). And sometimes it does seem like you have to tug and pull on your nose after taking the mask off because the nose "feels" like its been permanently bent into that upturned piggy shape that definitely makes the nostrils look much larger than they are because they've been pulled out of shape. But piggy nose is NOT permanent. Once the nose has a chance to relax, it will relax back to its normal place, shape, and size.

And more important piggy nose should not happen with a well fit nasal pillows mask. If the pillows are the correct size AND the headgear is appropriately loose, the pillows should NOT be pushing against your nose with enough force to create piggy nose. If you put on a nasal pillows mask and your nose is pushed up into a piggy nose, you KNOW you've not got the mask correctly adjusted.

Such good information. My dad didn't have anyone helping him. They were sending him masks in the mail and he was on his own. I can easily imagine him putting the mask too far up his nose. He doesn't live near me so all this was going on during a time I was unaware of any of these sorts of things. I do NOT want piggy nose, not even for one minute when I get up in the morning. However, now that I have a more clear understanding of how the pillows work, I am not totally sure I can use them given how deviated my septum is. But I'll give it a try.

RogerSC wrote:You know, noses do change shape some over time, so at least some of what people see may be due to the normal aging process. Believe it or don't...look it up, I did *smile*.

Well yeah...as we age things change but that is because of the aging process and not nasal pillows and that can happen to anyone.
I will let you know in 20 years if my nose is any bigger (assuming I am around by then ) but I am willing to bet you that the nose itself won't be larger nor will the nostrils be any larger.

Now I will grant you that for some people as they age the end of the nose especially can appear to be slightly larger and more bulbous but that's age and maybe health or weight that does that. Has zero connection to cpap therapy.

Since you tried the P10 for just one night, you can't make any conclusions on whether it will fit you or not. Maybe the sleep tech was in a hurry and tightened it too much OR he didn't care for a correct fit or he didn't have correct sized pillow at hand.

I suggest you try P10 first Before going dOwn the path of swift fx and Bella loops. P10 is the best nasal pillow mask out there. You can trial it using return insurance for 30 days. If it doesn't work, then try all the others.

I've tried the Aloha and didn't like the plastic on the headgear. I'm trying the Swift FX now and the pillow sleeve or whatever it's called rests on my upper lip. If I put the hose over my head it fixes the issue but now the pillows are too deep in my nose.

Whichever nasal pillow you try, take a look at my "Swift FX fitting guide"in my blog. It will help you fit the nasal pillows properly.

I'm surprised to notice that the P10 does not have adjustable headgear.

The P10 headgear adjustments are done with the straps...closer or further apart to alter tension.
For some it is sufficient to make it work but for some it isn't. Also with time the straps lose some elasticity and sort of become looser. When I first used the P10 I complained about it being too tight but think I adjusted a little bit and it loosened up a little bit within just a few nights. Now I have to wash it in hot water after about a month to get it to shrink up a little or it is too loose.
Minor annoyance that for me is offset by the otherwise nothingness to the mask and the pretty much silent vent.

All masks out there are going to have pros and cons to them and my pros might be someone else's cons. That's just the way it is with masks. One man's treasure is another man's trash.
I do think that the mask journey is probably the hardest part of this therapy...gotta find just the right one that suits our own personal preferences and people don't always have the same preferences.
I gladly give up some stability for having less on my face and head but someone else will put up with more "stuff" just to have stability.

OK so the P10 can be adjusted. I'm the opposite, Pugsy...I would rather have more stability. Right now I'm wrapping myself up in that thick white elastic chin strap that cpap.com sells and strapping on a Mirage FX for her over that and an eye mask over that, so having less on my face is a dream I gave up on a while back. Anyway I went crazy and ordered the Swift FX for her, so let the fedex'ing begin!

Given your situation with your eyes I don't blame you for choosing "stability" and that's why I suggested the Swift FX.
It's a nice compromise between not too much crap on the head and face and stability.

If you end up liking it then you can investigate the Bella Loops if you wish but I will warn you ....they take some fine line adjusting to get the stability you are likely going to want. Perhaps something to try later after you are more accustomed to all this stuff and the eyes aren't so problematic.

I really wasn't trying to sway you to trying the P10 again...I was mainly trying to clear up any doubts that someone else reading this thread might have about the P10. In your situation I think that the Swift FX nasal pillows might suit your needs better...at least right now and if I were in your shoes that would be my next experiment.

Janknitz wrote:Whichever nasal pillow you try, take a look at my "Swift FX fitting guide"in my blog. It will help you fit the nasal pillows properly.

Thank you for this, Janknitz. Good to be prepared.

Going to have to order the lanolin from amazon...two stores didn't have it.

I'm going to be really happy if I can use this and be comfortable. I'm actually pretty comfortable with the nose masks, but I need to figure out a way to take my eyes out and put them in a jar at night.

AMK wrote:

Janknitz wrote:Whichever nasal pillow you try, take a look at my "Swift FX fitting guide"in my blog. It will help you fit the nasal pillows properly.

Thank you for this, Janknitz. Good to be prepared.

Going to have to order the lanolin from amazon...two stores didn't have it.

I'm going to be really happy if I can use this and be comfortable. I'm actually pretty comfortable with the nose masks, but I need to figure out a way to take my eyes out and put them in a jar at night.

Target has Medela tender care lanolin in the baby section....it works wonders