nasal mask vs nose pillows

I have a wisp mask that I got in my sleep study I was wondering what are the UPS and downs to each

k_ogre wrote:I have a wisp mask that I got in my sleep study I was wondering what are the UPS and downs to each

There are ups and downs of each....it's just a comfort issue.

LSAT wrote:

k_ogre wrote:I have a wisp mask that I got in my sleep study I was wondering what are the UPS and downs to each

There are ups and downs of each....it's just a comfort issue.

Like?

I have a rather tiny nose, which allows a very small amount of air to leak into my eyes.
After about a year, I had to change to a mask that wouldn't do that.

k_ogre wrote:

LSAT wrote:

k_ogre wrote:I have a wisp mask that I got in my sleep study I was wondering what are the UPS and downs to each

There are ups and downs of each....it's just a comfort issue.

Like?

I use nasal pillows. Hubby prefers a nasal mask.

Pluses of nasal pillows:
1) You can scratch the top of your nose.
2) Very minimal headgear and very minimal "footprint" on your face.
3) Very light weight.

Pluses of nasal masks:
1) Nothing is sitting right on your nostrils; something sitting right on the nostrils is disturbing to some people.
2) Airflow may feel more diffuse than the airflow in nasal pillows. But some people will say the airflow feels less in nasal pillows. You have to try both kinds of masks to sort this one out.
3) Nasal masks are often more stable on the face than nasal pillows masks. But some people (like me) have no trouble keeping a nasal pillows mask firmly attached to their nose without overtightening the straps.

Minuses of nasal pillows:
1) Some people find they slip around way too much, leading to leaks and discomfort and arousals to fix the leaks and discomfort
2) The pillows part of some nasal pillows masks may need to be replaced very frequently and your insurance might not cover the replacement pillows as often as you would like them to.

Minuses of nasal masks:
1) You can't scratch the tip of your nose without breaking the seal.
2) Many nasal masks still have a forehead support and substantial headgear. If headgear is an issue, you may need to look at some of the newer nasal masks, and not all DMEs carry them.

For me: The deal breakers on nasal masks were "can't scratch my nose" and "I sneezed uncontrollably when trying to put one on my nose."

For hubby: The deal breakers on nasal pillows masks were "didn't like the sensation of so much air being blown directly into my nose" and "didn't like something touching my nostrils."

I like the comfort of a nasal mask but I'm getting just enough air in my eyes that I wake up with swollen eyes. I'm going to try a mask liner and also eyeeco goggles. I found the P10 nose pillows quite uncomfortable at my titration study, even the small size. They leaked when I moved and felt painful inside my nostrils. I have not yet found a mask that I can use. The Mirage FX I have now, which is a nasal mask, has started to leak into my eyes.