Solarcaine for mask discomfort

[ncgncg]

I finally got my machine on Friday and I had a little trouble with the nasal pillow mask causing skin irritation. The skin irritation per se was easy enough to ignore, but the pressure of the pillow against the sore area caused some actual pain, not just soreness.

I tried various moisturizers, but the really heavy stuff (vaseline, bag balm, etc.) is off limits because it can damage the silicone rubber (or so I've been told), and the wimpy lotion variety of moisturizer didn't seem to help much. Then I looked around the medicine cabinet and my eyes happened upon...

... a bottle of sunburn lotion that I keep around for emergencies. The brand name for this stuff is Solarcaine, though mine was store brand. It's a light, translucent, gel-like skin lotion with a dash of lidocaine (a topical anesthetic). Nothing greasy, and you can easily wait for the rubbing alcohol in it to evaporate before putting the mask on, so there should be nothing to damage the silicone.

I'm not a doctor, so far be it from me to recommend anyone use such a thing in the long term (though I cannot readily find any known serious side-effects). All I can report is that it works. The lidocaine numbs the skin. Of course, it does nothing to actually prevent chafing, but if your only problem is with the sensation of having the mask on, and not with any actual skin damage, it may be worth a try.

[hyperlexis]

I finally got my machine on Friday and I had a little trouble with the nasal pillow mask causing skin irritation. The skin irritation per se was easy enough to ignore, but the pressure of the pillow against the sore area caused some actual pain, not just soreness.

I tried various moisturizers, but the really heavy stuff (vaseline, bag balm, etc.) is off limits because it can damage the silicone rubber (or so I've been told), and the wimpy lotion variety of moisturizer didn't seem to help much. Then I looked around the medicine cabinet and my eyes happened upon...

... a bottle of sunburn lotion that I keep around for emergencies. The brand name for this stuff is Solarcaine, though mine was store brand. It's a light, translucent, gel-like skin lotion with a dash of lidocaine (a topical anesthetic). Nothing greasy, and you can easily wait for the rubbing alcohol in it to evaporate before putting the mask on, so there should be nothing to damage the silicone.

I'm not a doctor, so far be it from me to recommend anyone use such a thing in the long term (though I cannot readily find any known serious side-effects). All I can report is that it works. The lidocaine numbs the skin. Of course, it does nothing to actually prevent chafing, but if your only problem is with the sensation of having the mask on, and not with any actual skin damage, it may be worth a try.

If you need that you're in trouble. The mask is too tight, the cushions are sized wrong, or you are just not tolerating the design well. Some folks just cant wear pillows, because they get pressure sores like this. That's the problem -- the mask pressure is cutting off bloodflow around the pillows and causing the delicate skin under the nostrils to break down (i.e., die).

You should recheck the mask fitting totally. Otherwise, stop wearing the mask, let your nose heal and try again once healed and properly refitted, or try a totally different type of mask, like a nasal mask or a FFM.

[chunkyfrog]

+1
With a nasal or full face mask, you may be able to use a mask liner--excellent for sensitive skin.

[Sir NoddinOff]

You should recheck the mask fitting totally. Otherwise, stop wearing the mask, let your nose heal and try again once healed and properly refitted, or try a totally different type of mask, like a nasal mask or a FFM.

There's a lot to be said for healing things up and coming back at it later... it's true that skin can 'toughen up' over time. Anybody that has had blisters that turn into calluses can testify to that. Just go slow and give it some time. Solarcain sure can't hurt dealing with the soreness.