full mask leaving redness on cheeks

[hegel]

Hi all: well, Iv'e become a mouth breather and my beloved P10 nasal mask won't work anymore. I started on a new full face mask and I'm sleeping far better and feel much better. In fact I was having to take afternoon naps and often had that spacey feeling from lack of good sleep over the last many months using the nasal pillows---even tho my machine reported I was having almost no apnea events. (In fact it showed both that I had horrible leaks AND that the mask was working.)

So I keep the new mask clean, and I'm now wearing it as loose as possible without losing the seal. Any tips on losing the slight redness around my cheeks? Maybe a mask liner?

Thanks,
--Jeff

[Dormeo]

Definitely try a mask liner. And if the marks are partly or wholly caused by the straps, then look for strap covers. Pad-a-Cheek makes excellent ones.

Don't forget to update your profile to show your new mask!

[geauxdbl]

Lanolin cream, found in the breastfeeding mothers section of the local drugstore, has helped this a lot for me.

[Big Guy]

When I first started SA Therapy, I had my fair share of red marks on my face due to my AirFit F20 FFM. 

I just thought of the marks as the cost of doing SA business. It took me a while to adjust, but I rarely see any, any more. My face has adjusted. 

[Osiris357]

As BigGuy has said your face will adjust eventually. You just have to keep at it. One thing you can try is soaking the cushion in hot soapy water for about an hour. It’ll soften it up some for you and may help with the red marks even more. 

I do that before I wear a mask after I get a new cushion and once a week usually on a Sunday when I clean all of my equipment. The hot water will also help with any bends in your hose from being in the package for a long time. That worked on my heated hose that had a sharp bend that wouldn’t go away.

Just a couple things you can try. Hope it helps. If there’s one thing I realized about sleep apnea and having to wear a mask every night and for naps. The more you do it the faster you adjust and what works for one person may be a disaster for you. Like my profile says “patience is the KEY to PAP success”. Good luck to you.