Mask ideas?

Hi folks,

Have had a CPAP for about 6 months with some tweaking, numbers look great, feel better, good compliance...but... Initially I used a N20 mask and found it rubbed on my face/pressure on a skin bump I have at the side of my nose, so I switched to P10 for her, XS size, which has been okay. Now I am getting irritation just at the bottom of my nose, mostly on the side I sleep on. I have a small mid face and nose, and I think the XS pillows are just a bit too big. Debating trying a nasal cannula style, but need something very very small likely. I have played with how it sits on my face, the headgear holds it well in position, but my skin really is trying to break down. I do have fragile skin generally.

Thoughts and suggestions?

I'm just at the stage of trying new masks. I really like the P10 best so far. I find with the P10 that how you handle the hose makes a big difference in pressure points. Depending on my left or right side I'll have the hose in front or running under my arm, but the angle of the hose to my nose can be adjusted by lowing the angle by bringing it closer to my lower body or moving the hose higher more level with my face and I can greatly reduce pressure on the bottom of my nose and keep the seal. Also with the P10 the head straps put less presser on the nose the wider apart the straps are, so try it with one strap at near top of your head and one farther down close to your neck.

I also really liked DREAMWEAR GEL Mask. I found the hose connection at the top of the head to be fantastic compared to the front connection of the P10. The strap mount of the DREAMWEAR GEL made for more control of the mask fitment and wearing pressure against the nose. Also with the GEL head set you can swap out the nasal gel pillows for the NASAL CUSHION. It fits just under your nose and dosen't put pressure on the nose side wall. Both worked very well, but I stayed with the P10, for me the easy on and off of the P10 and my breathing didn't seem as loud won the night for me. But those differences could be related to my head/nose shape.

Northbynorthern wrote: ↑

Wed Jan 23, 2019 1:56 pm

Hi folks,

Have had a CPAP for about 6 months with some tweaking, numbers look great, feel better, good compliance...but... Initially I used a N20 mask and found it rubbed on my face/pressure on a skin bump I have at the side of my nose, so I switched to P10 for her, XS size, which has been okay. Now I am getting irritation just at the bottom of my nose, mostly on the side I sleep on. I have a small mid face and nose, and I think the XS pillows are just a bit too big. Debating trying a nasal cannula style, but need something very very small likely. I have played with how it sits on my face, the headgear holds it well in position, but my skin really is trying to break down. I do have fragile skin generally.

Thoughts and suggestions?

I alternate between the N20 and the dreamwear ff mask. Mostly I like the N20 but if I start getting a sore spot I switch masks for a few nights.

Northbynorthern wrote: ↑

Wed Jan 23, 2019 1:56 pm

Hi folks,
<snip>
Thoughts and suggestions?

welcome to the zoo! if i may make a suggestion regarding the p10? you may want to try Lansinoh? it's lanolin and you can use it on your mask to tame those sore spots.

it's meant for nursing mothers to soothe their sore nipples. it works very well for sore noses, too!

you can find it in the infant care section of your grocery store.

good luck!

The sleep tech where I work said that if I started to have soreness with the p10 to go up a size in the nasal pillows. I started out with small and started getting terrible sores on the inside of my nose, switched to medium and it fixed the problem for me. It seems that with mask issues there isn't a "one size fits all solution" so what works for me may not work for you. Good luck.