Guys with Beards

[ghostman]

Hi all New Member here and I am sure you have had this topic before. I am new to the CPAP experience. Its been two months now. I have tried two different mask. Being a nose and mouth beather I have used the Liberty and the Resmed Quatro full Face mask. Because of severe dry mouth I have also added a chin Strap. My new problem is that I can never get a good seal because of my full beard. I have shaved it down hoping that would help but it doesn't. I am still leaking air. I have the headgear straps so tight that it borders on uncomfortable. Can anyone offer some suggestions on getting a good seal with beards short of shaving it off which is not an option. Is there a mask you might recommend?

[harry33]

welcome
you need the right size mask and the services of a mask fitter, costs a bit more but worth it
chinstrap helps to prevent open mouth breaking mask airseal
humidifier is needed with full face mask, the water level should drop when used

[Sheriff Buford]

Look at my mask below. It is intimidating, but the advertisement says it's for beards. It is the Fitlife Total Face Mask from Respironics. I have use the mask over a year, and have gone maybe a week at a time without shaving and had no problem with leaks (I can grow a beard real quick). I am a severe mouth breather and I had problems with full face masks leaking under my eye-lids and causing severe sores on the bridge of my nose. I would also recogmend a nasal mask with a chinstrap (to keep your mouth closed at night).

Sheriff

[McLiam]

Look at my mask below. It is intimidating, but the advertisement says it's for beards. It is the Fitlife Total Face Mask from Respironics. I have use the mask over a year, and have gone maybe a week at a time without shaving and had no problem with leaks (I can grow a beard real quick). I am a severe mouth breather and I had problems with full face masks leaking under my eye-lids and causing severe sores on the bridge of my nose. I would also recogmend a nasal mask with a chinstrap (to keep your mouth closed at night).

Sheriff

Sheriff,
Are you able to sleep on your side with that big mask? Just to look at it, I'd think it would be hard.
Thanks,
Mac

[jamiswolf]

Hi Ghostman,
I have a full beard and have used a variety of masks. Currently I'm having great sucess wearing a Quattro with a gasket made from an old T shirt.

Rather then caution you on adjustment...I'm going to refer you to a blog by member janknitz

http://maskarrayed.wordpress.com/taming ... e-quattro/

Good luck,
Jamis

[Sheriff Buford]

Sheriff,
Are you able to sleep on your side with that big mask? Just to look at it, I'd think it would be hard.
Thanks,
Mac

I bought one of the contour pillows. It has a side cut-out. The biggest trouble I have with small leaks are on my side (I always get a zero on my leak-report). I know you probably can't sleep on your stomach with my mask. I am not a stomach-sleeper, so I haven't tried. Lots of folks here have stated they are a stomach-sleepers, but I often wonder how they can accomplish that with any mask.

Sheriff

[cpaptex]

I don't have alot of experience just yet, but I do have a beard and it is causing leak issues. I can resolve them by making the mask fit tight. But that's NOT a good idea. The Nasal Pillow was the best to use in the case of a beard. But my nose is too sensitive, in fact the reason that I have a beard is because my skin has always been sensitive.

Yesterday, I started using a Respironics Easy Life Nasal Mask, it has a double seal and it worked well last night. Too soon to say that it's going to be the one. But I'm hopeful.

[mars]

Hi Ghostman

I found it best to have a mask that fitted underneath the chin, with a full set at a 1 or 2, with leaks starting at 3 or 4. Not too tight, not too slack.

http://www.cpapxchange.com/forma-cpap-bipap-mask.html

together with a feather pillow sleeping on my left side.

cheers

Mars

PS Are you going to register, giving the details of your equipment, which will help you to get help.

[Perrybucsdad]

I have a beard as well and tried the Quattro FX FFM, but because my AHI never seemed to get low enough and the high pressures I was needing, I switched over to nasal pillows. Best decision I ever made.

The DME told me that I could not use nasal pillows because I was a mouth breather. Well, Hello, of course I was a mouth breather because I was suffocating... heck, I would have been an "eyeball breather" if I could have made that work. I've had some challenges keeping my mouth shut, but for the most part, my AHI has been so low, I really haven't done much about it other than prop a small pillow up against my chin effectively wedging my jaw closed.

I kept my beard always fairly short (my beautiful wife didn't like the Grizzly Adams look anyhow) but I too would have issues with the seal. I have a feeling from reading other posts, that even if I had shaved my beard completely off, I would still have had seal issues.

Anyhow, I don't know if this will help you any, but best of luck with your treatment.

John