Flexifit HC432 Full Face Mask with Headgear

[junie]

Well I bought it, I'm having a very hard time wearing it, If I tighten it boy does it hurt, If I try loosening it the
leaks are bad, Does anyone have any ideas? last night I just took it off, I've been buying up all type of masks
just to find out I don't like them, I don't know what my problem is, I guess the best mask is the Swift LT, I would
like to own at least one FF. mask,

[SaltLakeJan]

junie,

So would I , , , Own a FF mask that is. IMy DME is starting to carry F&P and they were going to bring in your FF mask. I had high hopes for that or for the new Respironics. I'm sorry you spent the bucks, and it isn't working for you. That's too bad.

After trying all the pillows masks - all of them causes sores to develop in my nares, I finally switched to a F&P Zest. I also hae a similar nasal mask the ResMed Micro. They are both nasal masks. The F&P is so light, after fighting with it for the first 3-5 min - till it gets sealed to my face - It if far better than the pillow masks, or the ResMed. It is light, I can watch T.V. through it. When I awaken in the morning . . it takes a couple of minutes before I realize I have it on.

Masks are so individual . . . until you find the one that fits you just right (one for regular use and add the one FF) you just can't get into your therapy. Good therapy relief on your mask.

Good luck in finding the FF mask that is comfortable, leak free, and fits like a dream. Oh by gosh, is there really such a mask . . if so lead me to it.


The best to you. Jan

[jasminechichi]

I like how the 432 fits on my face, however it does have a flaw in my opinion. The leak in my case is a blowout where the silicone and the plastic metal meet. Usually at the chin area of the mask. At first I thought it was a size issue, but I searched the board and I found where lots of people had the same problem. It doesn't take long at all to do this at all.

Nobody posted how he stopped the blowout using silicone ear plugs. I did it last night and it worked wonderfully. I did have one issue with a blowout, but I just set the mask back into the silicone and went back to sleep. Today I plan on adding a little more silicone.

It looks like the silicone will be easy to remove so I will be able to fully clean my mask and reapply new silicone (I have not tried to do that yet).

Here is the post Nobody did on how to apply the silicone. The earplugs are readily available in Walmart.

viewtopic.php?f=1&t=39671&p=347091#p346870

If it is not a blowout that is your problem, be sure not to tighten the neck straps too tightly. I also find that it will leak if I do. There is a fine line with this mask.

[junie]

Thank you so much, I'm going to give this a try, I hope this works

[shooter]

I was having problems with my mask leaking between the plastic shell and the cushion also. I believe it was due to soap residue on the cushion after cleaning. I have changed my cleaning procedure and by taking care that there is no residue of any kind remaining on the shell or the cushion, I have not had a problem with "blow out" leaks. The interface surface needs to be "squeeky clean" to seal properly.

[cinco777]

I posted the following response a month ago to another user who was having difficulty in adjusting her F&P 432 to get a comfortable fit that also didn't leak. This mask works great for me. I wash the mask w/seal or just the seal itself each morning in Johnson baby shampoo, rinse it thoroughly, and let it air dry. Washing it each morning has really helped lessen the leaks into my eyes that I initially experienced. Once a week, I soak the seal for 15 minutes in a 3 parts H2O and 1 part white vinegar solution. My F&P 431 mask's intentional leak rate is 33 LPM at my pressure of 8 cmH2O. My nightly average leak varies from 32 to 40 so I am pleased with the mask's performance. I like the under chin fitting as I sleep on my sides (mostly left side) and the mask's stability (anchored under my chin) means it stays in place when I move my face on the pillow while asleep.

I posted this last month:
I have a F&P Flexifit FF Mask 431 and also a 432. I bought the 432 with the foam cushion a few weeks ago and wore it a few nights in a row. The foam cushion made the mask "warmer" and my cheeks and chin were moist in the morning leading to more leaks and a drippy face. I am back to wearing my 431 until the weather cools down (usually November here in the Bay Area). I seem to be avoiding the red spot that you described. I have arranged the headgear so that the forehead pressure part of the mask is pulled upward and with a lesser amount of inward pressure against the bridge of my nose. From the top, it must look like I am wearing a hat with a 3" x 3 1/2" oval opening (I just measured the opening so I could put the measurements in this response). I tighten my bottom straps snugly but the forehead pressure straps are not as tight (mainly because they are pulling up and not in). I sometimes tighten the forehead straps if I feel air leaking into my eyes. Before tightening the forehead straps, I will pull the mask down just a little so that it is not as tight fitting under my chin. The mask moves just a little downward on the bridge of my nose but this is often enough to stop the air leaking into my eyes. I wash my silicon seal (and often the plastic mask part) each morning and let it air dry as I have discovered that w/o a thorough washing (I use baby shampoo) it takes me longer to stop my mask leaks and, especially, any air leaking into my eyes.

When I first received my 431 mask, I spent about an hour one afternoon (a non-stressful time), hooked up to my CPAP, trying out different headgear and tightness arrangements. I finally settled on the one described above as it worked best for me. YMMV. I used to shave in the morning. I now shave before going to bed at night. This is just one of the concessions that I have made to get a good night's sleep hooked up to my machine.