red marks on the nose...use a tiny bandage?

Hi,

I have the ResMed AirTouch F20 because I didn't want a strap on my forehead (the first mask they tried on me in the Titration study was the F-S Simplus and I HATED it. I think I am in the Sleep Study Hall of Shame -- the very patient tech went thru four masks on me.)

I am 9 nights into my Cpap adventure and every morning I do have red marks on the bridge of my nose...and a little on the cheekbones where the 'hard' part of the headgear rests on them. My mask is a medium and I am expecting soon the shipment of a Small to try (same mask style) and maybe that will help, don't know yet.

Anyway, it takes hours for the marks to go away... would using a tiny bandage on my nose bridge, like one of those circular dot bandaids, be a possible solution, or would it affect the fit too much? I don't want those big pad-a-cheek thingies...is there something else just for the nose?

One other thing I do feel bad about is that I can't use my eye creams and night creams on my face; I was told it would affect the mask and fit. I'm trying to dab a bit around the outside corner of the eyes where the mask headgear does not touch
but I can't do the undereye cream that I really want to do. Don't suppose there are suggestions from other ladies in that realm?

OH, just washed my tube and headgear for the first time today ... all are hanging on the shower rod! I toweled them off a bit, hope they are dry by tonite!

Thanks!

Sure..Clean them to prevent germs and then hang them in the most germ filled room in the house to dry.

Check out pad-a-cheek.com for strap covers and mask liners.
Band aids work OK as long as you always remove them slowly.

My simplus put a sore on my nose after only a few nights. I just put some tissue there and it healed up and the skin got a bit thicker.

I got some remzzzzs liners and it helped a lot. I now make my own from t shirt material.

Only possible cures are to try increased PAP pressure to help lift the mask somewhat (not advised unless it actually improves results), different fit size, different style mask altogether, different strap/headgear retentive effort, different strap/headgear adjustment for position, or a diffusing appliance such as a pillow or terrycloth wrap of some kind...or a combination thereof. Most often some intuitive and minor adjustments work.

If you are loath to make substantial changes, and develop sores where the pressure is applied, you might benefit from the use of a cream called Barriere Cream available at most drug stores. Worked for me. But I would look to make some minor adjustments in the retentive gear's bearing on the mask, ideally to reduce pressure in the affected spots.

Bandaid or Moleskin will protect until it heals over. The area will toughen up over time. You probably have the mask too tight, you might try looser, and since you washed it that may make it different too. Moleskin can be found in foot supplies at drug stores, don't go out and get fresh moles on your own, they don't like to be skined. Jim

LSAT wrote: ↑

Sat Mar 17, 2018 12:04 pm

Sure..Clean them to prevent germs and then hang them in the most germ filled room in the house to dry.

Not sure if you're being funny or not...that's what the respiratory tech told me to do. Where do you hang yours?

A lot of the people here will tell you the dirtiest place in your house is your bathroom and you should not put your equipment there to dry. Obviously, they have never seen the studies done of the kitchen sink and garbage disposal immediately beneath it. If they had, they would never use the kitchen sink to clean anything. I hang my hose in the bathroom to dry when I wash it which is not very often. The only time I wash the hose is when I am getting over an infection. I normally have bronchitis every winter and will wash my hose after I recover. The chances of getting any germs in the hose is very slight, but after coughing into the mask and hose for several nights, I feel better if I wash out the hose. Everything else I just lay out on a clean tea towel on the kitchen cabinet to dry.

When I first started I found these very useful - over time my nose toughened up and I did not need them

https://www.resmed.com/us/en/consumer/p ... l-pad.html

With the nasal mask Wisp, I was getting a pressure sore on the bridge of my nose. I will be ordering some nasal gel pads next week. Brands include Gecko and Boomerang.