Latex allergy? Masks...

[Jewels109]

So I've had my mask and machine almost a week now and I have an almost permanent red ring around my nose and mouth.... What is it? This morning I woke up to my mask on my nose and up by my eyes.... My mouth was uncovered and my eyes were swollen with red lines going from my eyebrows to my upper cheeks.... (Think the movie the Lion King - scar the way the line was thru his eye) I'm unsure if I now have a latex allergy to my face (I have real sensitive skin on my face) or if I need to tighten my mask because it could be like a wind burn thing? I don't know what to do.... (I'm a nurse and the gloves at work don't bother my hands)

[Wulfman...]

So I've had my mask and machine almost a week now and I have an almost permanent red ring around my nose and mouth.... What is it? This morning I woke up to my mask on my nose and up by my eyes.... My mouth was uncovered and my eyes were swollen with red lines going from my eyebrows to my upper cheeks.... (Think the movie the Lion King - scar the way the line was thru his eye) I'm unsure if I now have a latex allergy to my face (I have real sensitive skin on my face) or if I need to tighten my mask because it could be like a wind burn thing? I don't know what to do.... (I'm a nurse and the gloves at work don't bother my hands)

The mask seals are made of silicone.......not latex. So, that shouldn't be the cause.
Did you thoroughly wash the mask before using it? I can attest from personal experience (first time, first mask) that that can cause what you're experiencing. It's also happened to other new users over the years and has been described in numerous posts on the forum.

Beyond that, I'm not sure, other than it might be over-tightening.

Den

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[Jewels109]

I didn't wash it before using it and its not very tight..... How do I wash the part that touches my face?

[Pugsy]

Use a mask liner...either one you can make out of an old T shirt or some other lightweight material or buy one.
Padacheek makes some high quality multi night liners that can be washed and will last a long time. Like months and months.
http://www.padacheek.com/PAC_Maskliners.html

or Remzzzs which are sort of disposable liners.
https://www.cpap.com/productpage/remzzz ... iners.html

May not be a full blown allergy but a sensitivity to the mask material. You aren't alone. Putting a barrier between the skin and the mask material is usually sufficient to stop the irritation.

[Wulfman...]

I didn't wash it before using it and its not very tight..... How do I wash the part that touches my face?

I've always used Dawn dishwashing liquid. Squirt some in a plastic container (about a gallon size) and fill with hot water. Let soak for awhile, work over the seals with my fingers to help remove "whatever", then soak/rinse with hot water a time or two, and then soak in cold water for a bit. Then I shake out the excess water and dry with a flour sack dish towel.
I've also never felt the need to disassemble a mask before cleaning. I've seen too many posts by people who DID feel the need and then had difficulties reassembling their masks (or had excessive leakage from parts they took apart).


Den

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[archangle]

You might have some sort of residue left from the manufacturing process.

Disassemble the Quattro FX mask and throw everything but the headgear in the dishwasher. Hottest water possible, extra rinse, regular detergent, no rinse aid, no heated dry, no dishes at the same time. Just for grins, run a second cycle with no detergent.

I believe ResMed doesn't recommend dishwashing, but I've done it for years on my Respironics ComfortGel masks and a few times on my Quattro FX. I wouldn't have any qualms about doing it at least once on a new mask. Be sure none of the mask parts can fall down and end up on the heating element.

Take care that you watch how you take the mask apart so you can get it back together later. Even if you don't dishwash, you need to take the mask completely apart to clean it occasionally. Gunk will collect in the crevices if you don't learn to disassemble it.

Even if the mask isn't a problem, it's possible that something on your skin is irritating you when the waterproof mask material holds it against your skin all night long.