thinking of making a custom mask any one tried it yet?

I am tired of being woken by face farts, or a sore nose from a tight mask.
I am thinking of making a life mask (many kits out there) and then using it to put a thin layer of silicone down, then I will glue the custome made flap to the best fitting mask. I should end up with a custome made mask that I hope has less leaks.

Basically I should end up with a custom made thin silicone flap that is added to the existing face mask.

There are several options for this, the one I am looking at is a silicone that is made for the makeup industry, so it is made to go on the skin.

I will use a silicone glue made for the molding industry to glue my new flat to the existing face mask. By having a life mask, I can paint on the thin silicone on the face mask, then put on some thicker silicone glue and put the existing mask on the life mask. The glue will make up for any gaps and still allow a very thin part to meet my face.

Then I am looking at making a cloth liner like pad a cheek sells, to keep that moist silicone feeling away from my skin. I found a moisture wicking material used for moisture wicking cloths and will try that.

Has any one else tries this yet?

I have not but I have met a few patients that have. They are mostly retired engineers that want to improve certain features of a mask. Most will usually just tinker with something they already have (a mask) and go from there..adding or subtracting parts. They are very proud of their work! and it has seemed like it has worked for them. In a few cases I have noticed that whatever they rigged up there was something comparable in the marketplace already. So if you have the time and patience go for it. Let us know how it goes...sounds interesting.

Thanks, I am not trying to inprove the design, just making it a custom fit. I have presures on ASV going from 6 - 17.5. It is frustrating when the machine starts to really work and I get leaks that wake me up.

I may post progress if people are interested.

There are at least a couple of entities that do make custom fitted CPAP masks. One was in Australia.

Go up to the Search line and put in "custom CPAP masks" and then start sifting through about a dozen pages of results.

How much is your time worth?
What happens if you gain or lose weight?
How many currently-available masks have you tried?
Maybe it's just a matter of getting the right adjustment.
Different bed pillows can make a huge difference in mask fit and leakage.

Den

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At this point I am a tinker who is getting frustrated.

I have tried 10 or so masks, and spend a few hundred dollars on them.

I can get them to stop leaking, but I then have bed sores where they press on the bridge of the nose or a large hickie where they press to the whole face.

I will have some time over the christmas break ( I get a week off) to do some tinkering. It will cost me about what I would spend on my next mask.

If there is someone who had done it,I was hoping for some pointers on material selection..... there is a lot of materials available out there.

For example, is a thin liner (more flexible) or a thicker one better (stronger and will last longer)
What material would you use. I am leaning toward a silicone that is used for making the life mask which is silicone based. Ther are litterally dozens of other materials I could look at, but do not want to try them all.

I am not planning on making the whole mask, just a custome fitted liner.

If it works and I gain weight, I will make a new mold.

I have not yet tried the pillows, and I sleep on my back as well as my side, so that may be on the christmas list as well.

so short answer, I like to tinker, but am very very frustrated that I can not find a mask that does not leak without pinching. But I also have pressures ranging 6-17 so it is a tough problem to solve.

I was planning on doing what you plan; BUT!
After 20 masks, I found my mask, this one:
https://www.cpap.com/productpage/sleepw ... -mask.html
They sell it with 30 days free return insurance. Also the Advance:
https://www.cpap.com/productpage/sleepw ... -mask.html
You enjoy your holiday, whatever you do.

I guess I am lucky in that I can use nasal pillows, and my nose size doesn't seem to be changing. I don't have much hope of a full face mask being customized for me, as due to the ever changing shape of my face depending on my sleep position. I think someone whose face hasn't aged or "enlarged" would have a better chance of getting a customized fit. If I were someone who fought the full face battle with seals and had the kind of mind and expertise to self seek solutions, it would seem like a natural next step. My concern would be how to measure the rate of exhaled air, but that problem may be only in my mind. Even if it doesn't apply to me I would be interested in the evolution of your efforts.

I'd like to find a way to modify the elastic strap on my nasal pillows. When I pull down the elastic strap from the normal position, to the position shown in red, I get a much better seal. Problem is, as I sleep, it rides up again. I'd like to find a way to keep it in the low position (other than adding another strap to wrap around my throat ).

JeffL wrote:I'd like to find a way to modify the elastic strap on my nasal pillows. When I pull down the elastic strap from the normal position, to the position shown in red, I get a much better seal. Problem is, as I sleep, it rides up again. I'd like to find a way to keep it in the low position (other than adding another strap to wrap around my throat ).

If you haven't already, do an advanced search on "rested gal" and her "lab rat awards". There might be some ideas in there you could use to make some modifications.

Den

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wilsonintexas wrote:At this point I am a tinker who is getting frustrated.

I have tried 10 or so masks, and spend a few hundred dollars on them.

I can get them to stop leaking, but I then have bed sores where they press on the bridge of the nose or a large hickie where they press to the whole face.

I will have some time over the christmas break ( I get a week off) to do some tinkering. It will cost me about what I would spend on my next mask.

If there is someone who had done it,I was hoping for some pointers on material selection..... there is a lot of materials available out there.

For example, is a thin liner (more flexible) or a thicker one better (stronger and will last longer)
What material would you use. I am leaning toward a silicone that is used for making the life mask which is silicone based. Ther are litterally dozens of other materials I could look at, but do not want to try them all.

I am not planning on making the whole mask, just a custome fitted liner.

If it works and I gain weight, I will make a new mold.

I have not yet tried the pillows, and I sleep on my back as well as my side, so that may be on the christmas list as well.

so short answer, I like to tinker, but am very very frustrated that I can not find a mask that does not leak without pinching. But I also have pressures ranging 6-17 so it is a tough problem to solve.

Have you tried the ResMed Ultra Mirage Full Face?
Properly sized and adjusted, they'll handle high pressures.
I started out at 18 cm., until I discovered I didn't need nearly that much pressure. (12 cm. works fine for me.)
I've never had it "hurt" me. I wear mine with the top straps very loose so it will "float" on the bridge of my nose.
I've also used (and for some years before starting this therapy) the Chiroflow water-based pillow. I found it works very well for XPAP therapy, too. You can adjust the water level to keep the head/neck/back in alignment. Not too hard and not too soft. I've tried periodic experiments going back to a standard fiberfill pillow and the experiences were horrible. I can't sleep worth a darn without my Chiroflow. (It also goes by the name Mediflow.)

Den

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JeffL wrote:I'd like to find a way to modify the elastic strap on my nasal pillows. When I pull down the elastic strap from the normal position, to the position shown in red, I get a much better seal. Problem is, as I sleep, it rides up again. I'd like to find a way to keep it in the low position (other than adding another strap to wrap around my throat ).

Jeff,
What about using a clip to keep the strap clipped to the back of your t-shirt, pj's or whatever you sleep in. Maybe one on each side, close to the bone behind your ear, easy enough to reach with your arm/hand. Now if you sleep in the buff, well this won't work.
Just a thought,
Jen

deleted... double entry.

JeffL: Unless you have a beautiful, unadorned scalp (are bald),
you could put a bit of hook-side velcro to the inside back of that Swift FX strap.
It will cling to your hair and stabilize that strap.

JeffL wrote:I'd like to find a way to modify the elastic strap on my nasal pillows. When I pull down the elastic strap from the normal position, to the position shown in red, I get a much better seal. Problem is, as I sleep, it rides up again. I'd like to find a way to keep it in the low position (other than adding another strap to wrap around my throat ).

Yeah, I say go for it. Especially address the issue of slipping head bands or straps. Man, that drives me crazy and there has got to be a solution out there.

chunkyfrog wrote:JeffL: Unless you have a beautiful, unadorned scalp (are bald),
you could put a bit of hook-side velcro to the inside back of that Swift FX strap.
It will cling to your hair and stabilize that strap.

Sadly, (I guess), I have fairly long very fine/silky hair and the Velcro doesn't do much to help me secure the rear strap... it's a great idea for someone with a different type hair but for me it's a no-go.