Skin discoloration

[tricatz]

I am new to the CPAP and have the mask that covers both nose and mouth. The strap marks are fine, they just go away like pillow marks, but the skin that is covered by the mask, but not in contact with it, stays discolored. It almost looks like I have been tanning just the center of my face or have wind-burn there. It won't go away. I am familiar with allergic reactions and this isn't one. Could it maybe be because the part of my face under the mask is getting hydrated by built in humidifier?

Can someone tell me what this is and, hopefully, how to prevent or get rid of it.

Thank you

[nanwilson]

You need to use a barrier between your face and the mask. Do a search at padacheek.com, Karen is a member here and works hard to make our life with the machine much more comfortable. You can also make a temporary liner by taking an old, well washed cotton t-shirt, place your mask on it and trace around it - adding about 3/4 inch all round. Now take the mask off and cut out the pattern you have just drawn, cut a small hole for nose and mouth.......voila you have a mask liner. Silicone does not touch my face as I (and many others) have the same problem you do, don't know if its an allergy or just the silicone rubbing on the skin. If you do a search for mask liners in the above search field you will get a ton of good info.

[tricatz]

I think I may be confused. The discoloration is where the silicone is NOT touching my face. Kind of like the mark a vacuum cleaner would make if you sucked it to your skin. The mark from the silicone disapears about a 1/2 hour just like the strap marks. But the area under the mask, where there is NO contact is slightly discolored and that lasts all day. I will try the liner though for both the mask and the straps. No sense in having to wait for those "pillow marks" to go away.

[Pugsy]

Please add your equipment to your profile so we can see at a glance what you are using. Please use text format because the images don't show model name and are small and everything all looks alike.
Here's how..wiki/index.php/Registering_Equipment_in_User_Profile
What you are describing does sound like a form of "wind burn" from the air going onto the skin. Unusual for sure. Normally we would suggest some form of moisturizer to protect the skin but added moisturizer will sure make the leaks worse.

Adding some good liners might deflect some of the air off the skin. If this persists...you might want to investigate a different mask type that doesn't blow air on the skin so much. Like a nasal or nasal pillow mask but then you have the problem of potential mouth breathing which is probably why you have the full face mask anyway. Perhaps your skin is super sensitive to the air. Only other thing I can think of is increase the humidifier setting on the off chance that added moisture in the air might help.

[tricatz]

I will get my equiment in my profile. May take me about a day. Thanks for the replies. I've been reading some things on this website that will be very helpful.

[chunkyfrog]

The discoloration may be blood pooled under the skin.
Maybe you need to loosen the headgear a bit.
It's kind of a Goldilocks thing--easy to go too far one way or the other.
Once you get it down, it will be easier.

[archangle]

Pale, red, puffy, itchy, dry, bumps, etc.? Any problems other than appearance?

Does your mouth feel dry afterwards?

Try different humidity settings.

[robysue]

I am new to the CPAP and have the mask that covers both nose and mouth. The strap marks are fine, they just go away like pillow marks, but the skin that is covered by the mask, but not in contact with it, stays discolored. It almost looks like I have been tanning just the center of my face or have wind-burn there.

I suspect you've correctly identified your problem as wind-burn. After all, the skin that is covered by the mask, but is not in contact with the mask, is indeed being subjected to the airflow from the CPAP blowing on it all night long. And if, by chance, you have some significant leaking going on (which is not uncommon with a FFM), then the rate of that airflow may wind up being great enough during parts of the night to cause your skin to get chapped or wind-burned---particularly if you're sensitive to getting wind-burn or chapping in the first place.

The fix? Well, I'd suggest doing pretty much what you do when you get wind-burn or chapping from being outside in windy, cold weather.

1) During the day, keep the skin protected so that it doesn't get further damaged. Moisturizing lotion of some sort or even plain old vasoline during the daytime is in order.

2) Be gentle with washing the face and be sure to pat it dry rather than rub it dry. In the evening, make sure you wash your face well before bedtime so that it can dry thoroughly after being patted dry with a soft towel. Putting the mask on when your face still has a bit of residual moisture on it will just let the CPAP airflow continue to wind-burn the skin. And don't feel like you absolutely have to wash that face every single night either. Backing off a bit on the frequency of face washing will help give your face time to heal.

3) Before masking up for the night protect that skin from the airflow. Some mask liners cover more of your face than just the area where the mask cushion rests again your skin; those mask liners might help shield the skin from the CPAP wind. You probably shouldn't slather your face with vasoline at night since vasoline will harm the mask cushion. But a petroleum-free moisturizing skin cream or lotion of some sort might help. Lasinoh (lanolin cream for nursing mothers' nipples) would be ok to use and can be as protective as vasoline. Shea butter or cocoa butter might also help.

4) Keeping yourself well hydrated both during the daytime and during the night will also help.