Masks for sensitive skin

I have very sensitive skin & am allergic to latex & whatever bandaids are made of. Does anyone else here have a skin sensitivity & what masks are best for this? I have the Respironics Gel Mask & had a hard time adjusting to it at first. I had the mask for a year before it broke last week. I had another identical one & it's been bothering me since i started using it. Just wondering if there are any better masks out there for extreme skin sensitivity. It's interesting that I eventually adjusted to the first mask, but now the same identical one is giving me trouble. Makes me wonder if there is some substance on the mask that has to be worn off. I wouldn't think I'd be having this problem with an identical mask.
Thanks

There have been similar posts regarding this issue. Basically, they have said to soak your mask in water for a period of time (I think a week or so) to rid the mask of the chemicals that are causing the irritation.

Thanks for the information. I haven't seen any posts pertaining to this & don't have the time to wade through hundreds of posts, so I appreciate you taking the time to answer. People sure are touchy here if anyone asks a repeat question!

Hi Again - here is some more info - I pasted and copied it from Cpap.com - I knoew that I saw it somewhere. Jen





Have you had any experiences with either cpap masks or pillows made from standard materials, like latex, causing an allergic reaction to the face or nose skin?
Latex is rarely used to make CPAP items because many people are either allergic to latex or develop an allergy to it after constant exposure. All of the top masks, Respironics Gel and Comfort Classic, Resmed Ultra Mirage and Mirage, the Fisher & Paykel Acclaim, as well as nasal pillows are all made of the silicone rubber.

The problem is that silicone rubber has some components that a few people out of a hundred are allergic to.

We have found that patients sensitive to these chemicals can use CPAP but must do one or both of the following.

1. A weeks washing of the mask will much reduce or eliminate its ability to cause a reaction. Over time the chemicals that are causing the reactions degrade and disperse, usually in a gaseous form. This process can be accelerated by long soaks in warm soapy water. This is true with all mask, nasal pillow and headgears. Some patients will need to soak these items even longer. This process works!

2. There are some cloth only headgears available for nasal pillows. These are often called into service for the most difficult cases. The metal and hard plastic Breeze system can also be used to good effect in this application.

3. New items should be bought before they are needed and soaked as above. Unlike normal CPAP masks, for people with rubber related allergies, the older the equipment, the better.

Thanks SOOOO much! This explains why I'm having trouble with the identical "new" mask & I appreciate the information on how to alleviate the problem! Thanks again!

My child had a reaction to a gel mask. We covered the mask with Mole skin. Within a few days the rash was gone. We have not had a problem since.