Beard

[sewerwork]

I have a beard and will not cut it off. I've tried 3 types of masks and I have to keep it very tight which irritates me. It even resulted in a raw spot on the bridge of my nose. Does anyone have any solutions?

[Pugsy]

Have you tried a nasal pillow mask? If so, which one and why did it not work?

[Julie]

And have you tried a Forma (a friend with a mustache/beard wore one).

[SleepyToo2]

Search on this forum for beards and you will find lots of stories/advice. One question, though - which do you value more: your beard or your life? Stating that you will not shave your beard may end up contributing to costing you your life if you do not use the CPAP.

[chunkyfrog]

Hubby has a total face mask. He parks the bottom edge just under his chin.
It seals really well and makes the most adorable wave in his beard.
The Sleepweaver (fabric) mask was invented by a guy with a furry face.
Others have found fabric masks work well with facial hair.

[msla]

The Nano works well for me and the Opus 360. Both seal well with minimal moustache contact.

[RogerSC]

Been using a Swift FX nasal pillow mask for a couple of years now. No problem with my beard, and works fine for me. My sleep doctor said that he prescribed this particular mask because of my beard...however, if you don't adjust it properly you can have problems (pain, leaks, etc.). So if you do go this way, be sure to check out at some of the videos on fitting the mask that are on youtube.

[Apneanderthal]

I have a Swift FX nasal pillows mask and it works well with my beard. When I first started I had the sore nose, and realized I had it cranked down way too tight. Looser is better. Plus I found that my skin toughened up a bit, kind of like those fingertips toughen up after several weeks of guitar playing. The mask and head gear stays in place great now that I have a flannel homemade chinstrap that the head gear goes over.