favorite full face mask?

[zackds]

is there a full face mask that is overall considered the best by most people?
my mask is done for and i would like to know which masks you guys really like
also, how long does a mask generally last?
besides cleaning it with soap and water each day, what do you do to make it last longer?

[raisedfist]

I don't *like* any full face masks, but the one that works best for me in terms of holding a seal, and not hurting my face too much, is the Fischer & Paykel Simplus. The cushion venting does give an annoying whistling sound once in a while for me - it seems all cushions are not created equal in whatever factory they use.

The ResMed AirFit F20 has a great seal, but none of the cushions fit my face right and it really hurts the bridge of my nose area. Otherwise it's a comfortable mask. The top of the cushion slides up and down no matter what when I lay down, causing either a pressure sore or rubs away at my skin.

I would say try the F&P Simplus and maybe the Philips Respironics Amara View since that is sort of a smaller profile mask that doesn't obstruct your vision.

[zackds]

I don't *like* any full face masks, but the one that works best for me in terms of holding a seal, and not hurting my face too much, is the Fischer & Paykel Simplus. The cushion venting does give an annoying whistling sound once in a while for me - it seems all cushions are not created equal in whatever factory they use.

The ResMed AirFit F20 has a great seal, but none of the cushions fit my face right and it really hurts the bridge of my nose area. Otherwise it's a comfortable mask. The top of the cushion slides up and down no matter what when I lay down, causing either a pressure sore or rubs away at my skin.

I would say try the F&P Simplus and maybe the Philips Respironics Amara View since that is sort of a smaller profile mask that doesn't obstruct your vision.

in the time being i have a nasal pillow mask that i have to wear while im waiting to get a full face mask
i like the pillow mask but i always have air blow out of my mouth
getting a chin strap seems to be hit or miss for people but i may try to get one to see if it works for me
it would be nice if i could just do that without getting a full face mask

[LSAT]

The FF mask a person is using is most likely their favorite. Most members list their mask in their profile for all to see. If you go to cpap.com and look at their FF masks, you will see hundreds of responses from users. Since all faces are different, my favorite, the Quattro is hated by many people. My mask lasts forever..it's plastic. The cushion gets replaced at about 8-9 months. I RARELY wash it. Wipe it with baby wipe every night.

[zackds]

The FF mask a person is using is most likely their favorite. Most members list their mask in their profile for all to see. If you go to cpap.com and look at their FF masks, you will see hundreds of responses from users. Since all faces are different, my favorite, the Quattro is hated by many people. My mask lasts forever..it's plastic. The cushion gets replaced at about 8-9 months. I RARELY wash it. Wipe it with baby wipe every night.

true i didnt think to just look at peoples profiles
the ff mask i have is actually the same as yours
it was given to me when i started cpap a few weeks ago
i actually havent minded it much, although it was my first mask so
i dont have anything to compare it to
the sealing seemed to soften very quickly though and now doesnt
hold the air very well
part of it is ive been going up in pressure i think as well
but it was an older mask i think the guy just had lying around

[MurrayNevada]

Over the past month or so I have tried half a dozen different FFMs. Of the "traditional" types the F&P Simplus was easily the best. That said, the Respironics DreamWear FFM is by far the best for me now. Not as it came, but only after substituting the small/medium frame it ships with a large frame. I also changed the medium cushion it came with. First with the large cushion and finally with the medium wide cushion. With the medium wide cushion my numbers are the lowest yet and is so far as comfortable as a FFM can be for me.

[Neicy]

Over the past month or so I have tried half a dozen different FFMs. Of the "traditional" types the F&P Simplus was easily the best. That said, the Respironics DreamWear FFM is by far the best for me now. Not as it came, but only after substituting the small/medium frame it ships with a large frame. I also changed the medium cushion it came with. First with the large cushion and finally with the medium wide cushion. With the medium wide cushion my numbers are the lowest yet and is so far as comfortable as a FFM can be for me.

Did you get terrible strap marks on your cheeks with the small/medium frame on the Dreamwear FFM? I got marks that lasted the entire day. I had to use the smaller headgear to fit it. The cushion material is not as smooth as the regular silicone and I had a LOT of problems with leaks. I wish they made the skin contact surface differently. I really loved the tubing over the head though. Maybe the larger frame would lessen the marks enough to make it wearable with a mask liner. I certainly could NOT go to work with those strap marks. I might try strap pads.... Meanwhile I'm back to the Amara View.

BTW I got the Dreamwear from my DME. He actually took the medium off the dummy head to try it on me and did not offer any other size choices to try on. I guess he didn't want to open any other packages. He was totally clueless so I won't be going to that office again even though it's closer to me than where I got my initial set-up. Too bad I didn't get a survey this time .

[MurrayNevada]

Did you get terrible strap marks on your cheeks with the small/medium frame on the Dreamwear FFM?

No. My problem was the small/medium frame caused the cushion to push up against the bottom of my nose. It was very uncomfortable but the large frame alleviated that problem. I started with the medium cushion and it pinched the sides of my nose. I tried the large and it still pinched my nose but to a lesser degree. I finally tried the medium wide and it was just right. The silicone in the medium feels soft to me. There is no difference in the silicone in any of the cushions but having the medium wide, that fits correctly, makes it seem much softer and friendlier to my nose.

[Okie bipap]

Karen at padacheek is working on the pads for the frame. As far as I know she has not started to sell them yet. I have gone through several full face masks. I am currently using the Dreamwear full face mask. Prior to that, I used the F20 for over a year. Before the F20, I used the Amara View for a year. I can get at least three months use out of a cushion. My wife uses the F20 and her current cushion is over four months old. I clean the mask cushions every Monday and wash the strap pads and water chambers once a month.

[zackds]

how do you know what size is best for you if you dont have the luxury of trying different mask sizes?
measure your face and then see what the measurements of the mask are?

[palerider]

how long does a mask generally last?
besides cleaning it with soap and water each day, what do you do to make it last longer?

Not cleaning it with soap and water every day.
When I was wearing the quattro, I'd wash it every week, (as long as I hadn't sneezed or coughed goo into it), i would give the cushion a quick wipe down every day with a tissue and a squirt of hand sanitizer (not for germs, but because it cleaned the facial oils off the cushion very easily).

I'd bought a spare cushion on ebay, but I never opened the package... the original one lasted me four years, till I switched to a different type of mask.

[zackds]

how long does a mask generally last?
besides cleaning it with soap and water each day, what do you do to make it last longer?

Not cleaning it with soap and water every day.
When I was wearing the quattro, I'd wash it every week, (as long as I hadn't sneezed or coughed goo into it), i would give the cushion a quick wipe down every day with a tissue and a squirt of hand sanitizer (not for germs, but because it cleaned the facial oils off the cushion very easily).

I'd bought a spare cushion on ebay, but I never opened the package... the original one lasted me four years, till I switched to a different type of mask.

its weird that my mask cushion seems to have shit out so fast
maybe i have rancid face oils

[palerider]

its weird that my mask cushion seems to have shit out so fast
maybe i have rancid face oils

I'd be VERY surprised if it affected the silicone.

[zackds]

its weird that my mask cushion seems to have shit out so fast
maybe i have rancid face oils

I'd be VERY surprised if it affected the silicone.

id like to know why so i can prevent it with whatever next mask i get
maybe it was just old to begin with
although it seemed pretty firm when i first got it and that lasted for like a week
for now ill have to see if i can make my pillow mask work
im getting a cervical collar today and sleeping with it and a mouth guard tonight
if that doesnt work i may get a chin strap

[palerider]

its weird that my mask cushion seems to have shit out so fast
maybe i have rancid face oils

I'd be VERY surprised if it affected the silicone.

id like to know why so i can prevent it with whatever next mask i get
maybe it was just old to begin with
although it seemed pretty firm when i first got it and that lasted for like a week
for now ill have to see if i can make my pillow mask work

What is the issue you're having?