Beard Club Members

[antikmotorcycle]

Have not been able to get a good seal with the new ResMed AirTouch F20 (memory foam). Only 3 nights under my belt.

My beard is short (< 1/2 in) but I usually have it 3-4 in long.

Yes, I got carried away with the clippers.

Advice from other beardy folks about getting a better fit ?

[Bookbear]

I have a full beard (think Santa) and I have problems with a full face mask. I've been on cpap since 2006, and originally I was prescribed a full face mask. After two nights, I took some advice to heart and ditched that and went to the Breeze nasal pillow mask. For the past three years, I have been using the AirFit P10 nasal pillow mask. You might want to consider a nasal pillow mask (there are a number to choose from) as they avoid problems with beards. One thing to keep in mind... you do not need to have a perfect seal all night. Nearly all machines can deliver good therapy even with some minor leaks spread over the night. If your machine records full data, look at the leaks it is reporting (you will need to know the built-in leak/exhaust rate for your mask... it will be in the information packed with the mask, it varies with pressure, and is necessary to clear your exhaled CO2)... subtract that built in rate from your total leak to get the actual leak rate. Some machines even have a setting for particular masks that allows them to compensate automatically for those masks' built-in exhaust rate.

Good luck!

[djams]

What a wonderful daughter you are! <3

I have a full beard, but it is trimmed short definitely not biker length. I use a #2 clipper(head and beard), and I let the Sleepyhead leak line tell me when it's time for a trim.

Really want to help you help your dad. But the memory foam cushion is my go to recommendation for a full face mask. It works for me.

The recommendation above of nasal pillows is great if he's able to keep his mouth shut while sleeping. There are add-ons to help with this. Foam cervical collars, chin straps- even scuncis.

Good luck making the old guy comfy!

[Okie bipap]

I'm afraid I can't be much help. When I first started treatment, I went ahead and shaved my beard I had worn for over 30 years. I need high pressure and that makes it a little harder to get a good seal with a beard. I am a dedicated mouth breather when sleeping, so I have been unable to use nasal pillows.

[Stom]

Have not been able to get a good seal with the new ResMed AirTouch F20 (memory foam). Only 3 nights under my belt.

My beard is short (< 1/2 in) but I usually have it 3-4 in long.

Yes, I got carried away with the clippers.

Advice from other beardy folks about getting a better fit ?

A number of people here manage to get good seals with beards, but it can really depend on how each individual mask fits on your face specifically, and you can't know for sure until you try them yourself. I can't get the Dreamwear Full Face mask to seal under my lip at all, which is a real disappointment, but I can get the silicone version of the F20 cushion to seal, and the new F30, which is also silicone.

[D.H.]

I find it's not an issue with a nasal mask. I don't use an FF mask, so I can't comment about that.

[ecstiles]

Hi! How did you the new masks treat you? I am new to this (DIY'ing it) . I bought the Dreamwear Full Face Mask and the part of the mask that goes under my bottom lip grinds into my beard and makes my skin so raw that I'm not going to be able to stick with it. I started out with a Mirage Nasal Mask which I had much better luck with but I am a pretty consistent mouth breather when I sleep so Full Face would be much better if I can find the right one. Thanks for sharing!

[RogerSC]

Kind of a general reply to this issue...you can always try a mask liner from padacheek.com. They have a liner for the AirTouch F20. It may or may not help, since mask fit is individual, but I've heard of it helping. I'm a bearded person as well, but have been lucky enough to be able to use nasal pillow masks. I wish all of us bearded folk good luck with finding a mask with a good seal. It can mean trying a lot of masks, and working on the ones that come close enough.

[djams]

I started out with a Mirage Nasal Mask which I had much better luck with but I am a pretty consistent mouth breather when I sleep so Full Face would be much better if I can find the right one. Thanks for sharing!

My mouth drops open while sleeping also. And I have a beard. I've found that I can tape my mouth if I trim my moustache up above my lip a bit, and shave the soul patch area. This gives me enough surface area that the tape will stay in place all night.

I'm using this tape: Micropore Tape with Dispenser /1 in. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B003XCPAYI/re ... xCb7440QMW

Using a nasal mask has improved my therapy so much that it's worth a little extra beard maintenance - keeping these areas trimmed and shaved.