Philips Dreamwear headgear replacement hack?

[Walla Walla]

The headgear's are designed to last 6 months. They're not suppose to last forever.

Not true.  Masks and headgear should last at least a year and if they are not, it's a defect or a fault.  The pillows or cushions shouldn't be expected to last 6 months, however.  My P10 headgear only lasted 7 months, but when I washed and threw it into the dryer, it is all happy again and easily lasted another 4-5 months. OBVIOUSLY, there are going to be exceptions since everybody uses different cleaning methods and has different quality water and wears things hard or easy depends on how restfully they sleep.  But the design is NOT for lasting 6 months.  You are confusing the 6 months with the Medicare allowance.

Your headgear only lasts 7 months.  But you say Masks and headgear should last a year? The warranty for the Dreamwear mask is only 3 months according to the user manual.

[SideSleeper]

The flexible mask on the Dreamwear and on my current F & P Brevida is VERY flimsy. The Dreamwear was in bad shape quickly and I don't toss and turn, have little hair to rub on it. etc. I think my Wisap mask could last a year or more.

[ozcedric]

spotlight in darwin sell neoprene 60cm x 50cm sheets for about $30.(don't know the thickness)
when mine goes, i'll be trying some inventive sewing, using all my experience of 3 buttons and my son's head.
use the old one as a template.
should get at least 10 headbands off 1 x sheet.
what can go wrong?

[BAZZA]

My Dreamware (and other/previous masks) last a year with constant use, but I'm careful to keep it in the dark under the sink after the morning daily washing. UV light destroys masks so don't leave it on your nightstand or in a place that's not dark. The Dreamwear replaceable nose pillows need to be replaced monthly in my experience - they get hard and start chafing the underside of my nose. I also hand-wash the headgear using Woolite, then hang it up to air-dry every two weeks. It's more gentle than machine washing. The headgear straps do stretch, so if you've marked your initial adjustment on the band, that will change over time. I have yet to find a good way to keep the neoprene "sticky" enough to keep it from slipping up the back of my head when asleep. Saw some suggestions about using a hairpin to hold the Dreamware strap in place but have yet to try that. After 4 years of using only the ResMed Mirage FX, I like the Dreamware mask a lot, but the need to replace the nose pillow every month will get expensive if your insurance doesn't cover it. (they're $35-39 each at the big online CPAP shops). The similarly priced Mirage FX cushions would last me six months with daily washing and proper storage.

[Doza]

Some of those neoprene sunglass holders?

[Sheepish]

Some of those neoprene sunglass holders?

Yes! I just got some at one of those dollar stores. My Deamwear is still pretty new, so no need for them yet, but I just wanted to be prepared, and mostly I just thought of it when I was in the store, whereas I'm sure I'd forget later on. Has anyone actually tried this yet?

[BHappy]

Just a quick update. Spoke to Philips about this and they gave two flying things about a fraying headgear. When inquired about the warranty on a new headgear purchased in Australia (for a whopping 80 bucks) they said its a 45 day (or was it 60) warranty. They gave two hoots about ACL. ACL (Australian Consumer Law) stipulates a product must be fit for purpose for at least a year. So with my charming personality not working on Philips to replace the existing headgear, I got down to business. Thanks to 
@mosquitobait for identifying the material and @ozcedric for identifying the seller - I bought a sheet of Neoprene and made me a headgear. The entire sheet costing a grand AUD $18. 
And some of my invaluable labor. I came up with this : 



Haven't trialed it for an entire night but it fits well. Need to sew in the velcro as the glue isn't reliable. The fabric is a tad bit thicker than I'd hoped for - but I can squeeze it through the mask. I am not a structural engineer but I reckon the additional load of a thick'ish headgear will cause more wear on the mask. So I have to try and peel of some of the fabric on the ends. The missus knows more than a handful of professional tailors in Asia. We are going on a vacation this Feb. So, I reckon, I am taking two Neoprene sheets and a sample headgear and getting me atleast 50 headgears 


So this is how I spent my New years eve.

[Whacked]

can buy a new headgear piece on Amazon for $20
online CPAP shop for $37

My insurance replaces mask/headgear every 6 months
pillows every 2 weeks