Rainout and Face Redness Questions

[tormund]

So I was having issues previously with full face and nasal pillow masks. I finally saw a respiratory therapist, and she recommend I try a nasal mask. It's working ok, but I'm having a few issues.

The first is I'm experiencing rainout and my nose gets wet. I'm thinking it's because the tube that connects to my climateline heated tube is like a foot long and not insulated. I've tried auto for both climate temperature and heated tube temperature. I changed the heated tube temperature to 82F with no change. We usually have our house HVAC set to around 76F.

Should I play with the settings some more. Or should I try to insulate the small length of hose on my mask?

Second question is all these masks make my face red for days where the outside of the mask touches my face. No matter how I adjust them. Would something with memory foam like the Airtouch N20 be worth trying?

Thank you!

[Big Guy]

Rainout can be avoided by using a longer hose and making sure it runs uphill then back down to your mask. Do some research on CPAP hose holders / hangers. One of the best improvements that you can do. I also use a hose cover as well. It makes the hose silent if it should rub against something. 

As far as marks on your face from wearing a mask, give it some time for your skin / face to adjust. As long as you aren't getting any sores and such, the red marks should subside within a couple of weeks. 

I had marks on my face when I first started CPAP therapy. They did go away eventually.

[fizbinn2021]

If your skin is reacting just to one part of the mask and not the other try making a custom cover. Cut up on old cotton t-shirt or bandana so that it fits around the nasal holes but covers the part of the mask that is causing irritation. Make sure not to cover any of the holes that are part of the cpap machine. If you find this helps make a few more so that you can wash them and use a fresh one every night. Also, make sure you are washing your cpap mask once a week. Germs can build up on it and cause irritation too. Good luck with everything!

[Sleeprider]

I use a Snuggle Skins CPAP tube cover that is long enough to cover the entire tube and the mask tube. You may want to turn down your humidity setting. I find using manual mode at 4 with tube temperature at 78 or 80 works pretty well. Keep the mask fit relatively loose. I find closed cell foams are more irritating than the silicone. Let's solve the moisture first, then deal with the marks if needed.