CPAP making my eyes very puffy, drying my hair and skin, causing it to itch

[Thanos]

I have been on CPAP for a couple of months and my eyes have become puffier, my hair is very dry and the skin on my head is itching from the dryness. I have a humidifier set on its default setting of 4. Is this normal and can something be done about it? My F30 mask is not leaking much accordingly to sleepyhead.

Thanks.

[Sleeprider]

CPAP and its humidifier will not affect the dryness of your scalp. It's winter time in most parts of the U.S. and our heating systems will dry out the air. The more difference between inside and outside temperatures, the more the relative humidity drops. You may need a room or whole house humidifier for comfort. As the weather warms this Spring, you should start to feel a difference. Be careful not to over-tighten straps as this can cause the puffiness in your eyes and you may want to consider wearing a thin silk head cover. Read the mask primer in my signature links for how to best fit and wear your full face mask.

[Hydrangea]

Could you rotate the hose elbow 180° so the air is blowing down toward your chin? That helps me a lot.

[Mila]

Periorbital Edema Secondary to Positive Airway Pressure Therapy

https://www.hindawi.com/journals/criopm/2015/126501/

[Thanos]

I took a long break from my cpap traitment and my itchy scalp and very dried hair went away. This is not a winter thing as I have never experienced it. I am not sure what I can try to avoid it. I could not prevent myself fro my scratching my head during the day. It was not where the straps were located.

[DeepBreathing]

Hi Thanos. I can imagine several possible mechanisms for your symptoms:

1. Headgear is causing an allergic reaction to your scalp. Try washing it and rinsing very thoroughly to ensure there are no bits of residue from the manufacturing process.

2. Headgear is too tight - this will also present as marks on your face and (probably) a headache

3. Notwithstanding the leak numbers, there might be a slight leak from the top of the mask.

Reading the interesting article which Mila posted above, changing from a full face mask to nasal pillows cured the periorbital edema (swollen eyelids) in some patients. You might like to try a different mask and see if that helps. Also as SleepRider suggested, try wearing some kind of cap under your headgear to avoid it contacting the hair and scalp.