I'm finally ready to try a full face mask

[Croweater]

Up 'til now I have been using nasal pillows, and then taping my mouth shut to eliminate mouth leaks. I'm tired of doing that and want to finally try a full face mask.

Leaking is my major concern with a full face mask. Too much surface area to keep a good seal I guess. Fortunately there have been some advancements in full face mask designs to minimalize the surface area. Two examples of this are:

Philips Respironics Dreamwear Full face mask
ResMed AirFit F30i

Both of these designs keep the sealed area around the mouth, and off the bridge of the nose.

Has anyone found this to be an effective approach?

[Osiris357]

I have the F30 and love it! It takes some time to get the straps tensioned correctly but once I did it’s been leak free for the most part. Just small leaks that have no impact on therapy. I tried the Dreamwear full face also but found that I couldn’t stop the leaks. The F30 is a much better design imo. 

One of the most important things is making sure you don’t have any excess facial oils before putting it on. A quick wipe with witch hazel does the trick for me. Good luck

[Croweater]

I have the F30 and love it! It takes some time to get the straps tensioned correctly but once I did it’s been leak free for the most part. Just small leaks that have no impact on therapy. I tried the Dreamwear full face also but found that I couldn’t stop the leaks. The F30 is a much better design imo. 

One of the most important things is making sure you don’t have any excess facial oils before putting it on. A quick wipe with witch hazel does the trick for me. Good luck

Many people like the F30. Have you considered trying the F30i? That would move the hose off of your face.

[Big Guy]

I have both the AirFit F20 and F30. I rotate them back & forth. Both seem to work well for me, although I do tend to prefer the F30. 

I intend to get an F30i the next time I'm due a mask.

[ApneaQuestions]

I use the Fisher & Paykel - Simplus and am happy with it.

I also was provided with the ResMed Airfit F20 but never opened the package.
I got rid of it when I realized that the F&P Simplus was working fine.

[ragtopcircus]

I also had MUCH better results with the F30 compared to the Dreamwear FFM. The Dreamwear leaked badly at my chin.

I do prefer the P30i pillows mask now, but the F20 or F30 are still my backup choices.

My skin is very oily though, and wiping with alcohol or witch hazel only helps briefly.

[Osiris357]

I plan on buying it today croweater

[goodn]

I must be an outlier- I have not had success with either the F30 or F30i- too much of a leak especially around the nose. I sill use the full face conventional mask with either silicone or foam and have minimal leaks. Nasal pillow and taping your maputo or strapping you mouths shut has never made a lot of sense to me but what do I know?

[70sSanO]

Since you already use pillows, a hybrid (F30/DreamWear) would probably be a good choice.

It really comes down to personal preference between the two, or three with the F30i. Unfortunately you just need to try one and see how it works.

If you can get one from a DME that will allow a trial period and then return it, that would be a good approach.

John

[ragtopcircus]

I must be an outlier- I have not had success with either the F30 or F30i- too much of a leak especially around the nose. I sill use the full face conventional mask with either silicone or foam and have minimal leaks. Nasal pillow and taping your maputo or strapping you mouths shut has never made a lot of sense to me but what do I know?

I totally agree about strapping or taping your mouth, for a variety of reasons, and taping is absolutely out of the question for me.

The F30 helped me transition from mouth breathing at night to exclusively breathing through my nose with a pillow mask. During the day, I diligently practiced the "tongue tuck" technique to the point that I can now open my mouth (while using pillows at bilevel 14.4/10) without losing air, and even talk or sing (badly) with minimal, controlled air loss. I did wear a Snore Eliminator collar at night for a while, but now I don't need a collar, tape, or straps.

The F20 leaks badly for me. My skin is oily, and just as I get to sleep I'm awakened by mask farts. Repeat all night, no matter how I clean my face or adjust the straps. The F30 was better, but I still struggled with leaks. The P30i isn't perfect (I really need an Extra Large cushion, which isn't available), but it's what I get the best sleep and fewest leaks with. Admittedly, i never tried mask liners.

Also, with the F20, I must breathe through my mouth because my sinuses close up within a few minutes when using it. With the F30, I breathe primarily through my nose, but do struggle with congestion. The P30i does the best job of keeping my sinuses open.

We're all different. I do think many would benefit from practicing the tongue tuck or other exercises to improve muscle tone, regardless of mask type.