my mask bruises my face

Hi All,
I'm new here, have had my machine for about 6 mo now. Has a humidifier, but I find that if I don't use it, I get less air in my tummy. Level is 14. I have a real problem with my mask. I don't know all the terminalogy, but it fits over my nose only, kind of triangular, and has silicone and gel. I found I am highly alergic to the silicone, and had to get a prescription from my Dr. to get rid of the rash on my face. I now use a piece of fabric between the mask and my face, with a hole cut for my nostrils, which seems to worik. My problem now is that if I have the mask tightly fixed on my face it leaves marks and even a bruise-like spot under my eyes. If I loosen it, air leaks out and annoys me all night. My breathig is definately better, but I do not wake up refreshed or well-rested. I'm thinking I need a different mask, but when I went in to see my health care provider (not the Dr., but the supplier of the masks) I felt like they didnt understand the problem and just pushed another mask on me which wasn't very different than the first one. How do I figure out what I need? Any suggestions would be helpful.

Thanks, Maggie2

Six months of this - you are quite patient! That's an interesting observation about the humidfier and air in the tummy. Having the exact name of your mask would help others who have used the same one give you some tips. Some masks are designed to do better if not too tight. You should not have to choose between bruising or leaking. Either it's the wrong size, on wrong, or just plain the wrong mask for you. Be explicit with what you tell your provider. 1) My mask bruises my face. 2) My mask leaks. I need you to do a formal fitting to see that I get a mask that works for me and that I know how to properly adjust it. Ideally they would fit the mask on you while lying down at your prescribed pressure. Don't just keep using a mask that isn't working. Tell them as soon as you can see it's not gonna work out. Is the material you are putting beneath your mask very thick? Seems others have said a very thin material works best, as in a really thin t-shirt.

Is there any chance you are leaking air out of your mouth during sleep? That's one common thing seen when a person doesn't feel better after a while. Mouth breathing or leaking prevents the therapy from going down the airway and holding it open. If you don't lose air out of your mouth, you may find a nasal pillows style mask more comfortable and less leaky for you. If you do leak it, you'll need to either get a full face mask or take steps to keep your mouth shut.

You probably have a comfort gel. Get on cpap.com and research the different masks that are out there. Most of the manufacturers sites also tell what material their masks are made of. There are several different materials out there other than silicone although it is the most common.