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Beards and full face masks...
For whatever reason today this popped into my mind. I do not have a beard and do not plan on growing one in the near future (can't with my job anyway).
But it hit me that when I was in the Air Force that I was told that the reason that military men (And some women, I'm kidding) are not allowed to grow beards and even their mustaches are to be kept at a certain size and shape is due to the fact that we all are trained in the use of gas masks in the event of a biological or chemical attack and if you have a beard the rubber of the mask simply cannot conform to the contours of your face and therefore will not get a proper seal (In other words you would die).
So it stands to reason that if you are on a CPAP / BiPAP machine with a full face mask that it probably is not a good idea to have a beard. Especially since a full face mask has considerably less surface then even the skimpiest gas mask.
Just a bit of advice from someone that is in no way the authority in such things but is still capable of putting two and two together. And I know that I have seen on here in a little piece from last year about the advice of using the nasal pillows with a beard. But I am sure that I am not the only one here with a deviated septum and can only comfortably use the full face mask.
Take care of yourselves...
But it hit me that when I was in the Air Force that I was told that the reason that military men (And some women, I'm kidding) are not allowed to grow beards and even their mustaches are to be kept at a certain size and shape is due to the fact that we all are trained in the use of gas masks in the event of a biological or chemical attack and if you have a beard the rubber of the mask simply cannot conform to the contours of your face and therefore will not get a proper seal (In other words you would die).
So it stands to reason that if you are on a CPAP / BiPAP machine with a full face mask that it probably is not a good idea to have a beard. Especially since a full face mask has considerably less surface then even the skimpiest gas mask.
Just a bit of advice from someone that is in no way the authority in such things but is still capable of putting two and two together. And I know that I have seen on here in a little piece from last year about the advice of using the nasal pillows with a beard. But I am sure that I am not the only one here with a deviated septum and can only comfortably use the full face mask.
Take care of yourselves...
Views: 1515
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Mike on
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Thanks for sharing your insights into this. I know a gentleman with a beard who has a terrible time with his full face mask. Best recommendation for anyone with a beard using CPAP is to shave it off. CPAP is hard enough without stacking the deck against yourself.
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Permalink Reply by BeeAsleep on
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My husband has a full beard, always has, and is using a full face mask. He does have some leak problems but is working with a "mask specialist" (not a doc or a tech) to get the mask fitting just right. I do think every face is different and every beard hair texture is different. I am hoping he will get a fit that works without shaving his beard. :>(
Cuz I like a fuzzy face. :>)
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Permalink Reply by Randal on
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My beard is more then 40 years old. My wife and kids have never seen me without it. This beard covers a lot of uglyness. With all that said, My DME sent me home from hospital with full face mask. It was not till a week later when I went for a tritation session that the Sleep Tech told me I had a quiet machine. I said "what?" all I hear is the wind thru my ears. When she saw my FFM, and stoped laughing, she fitted me with Nasal Pillows. What a difference in noise and treatment. DME gave me a hard time trading out mask (I had it for more then a month and less then 3 months)
All ends happy... the beard stays..the leaks stopped...and the uglyness is still hiding
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Permalink Reply by Mike B on
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I have a beard and as long as I keep it short it doesn't effect my mask much.
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Permalink Reply by RockRpsgt on
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It's not so much the mask I fear. Chin leads do not like to stay on with beards.
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Permalink Reply by Tim on
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I have a large, full beard and have no problems with leakage with a nasal mask. My problem is that the mask crushes my mustache and makes part of it stick straight out, and I have to use very stiff mustache wax to hold it down..
Unlike a gas mask, a slight amount of air leakage through a beard or mustache isn't really a problem.
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Permalink Reply by D. W. Conn on
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Rock try beard buster.. it holds great! I use it with ECG, Leg leads, and of course beards.
Rock Hinkle said:It's not so much the mask I fear. Chin leads do not like to stay on with beards.
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