mask causing pimples and baggy eyes!

[Precie]

I just re-started CPAP therapy after a 7 year vacation. I LOVE my Airsense 11 and am sleeping really well. I use the Airsense N20 nose pillow mask. I’m not getting any leaks which is great! I am having issues with really puffy eye bags and a big pimple on the left side of my nose. How can I acid pimples and eye bags, HELP!

[Lucid]

Hi, Precie

1.  Make sure the mask is adjusted as loose as it can be without leaking.

2.  Try a minimalist mask such as the Airfit P30i or the Airfit N30i.

3.  Some people keep two or three different types of mask on hand and switch between them.

There are also similar ones to the Airfit masks with the hose coming out of the nose piece itself instead of from overhead.  There must be a lot of new masks that came out during your vacation, and it's worth checking them out.  Some sellers and DMEs have a 30-day return or exchange policy that makes it possible to try different masks for free, but check on that carefully first.

I use the Airfit P30i and find it very comfortable.  It's never given me pimples.  I don't think it gave me baggy eyes, either.

The only challenge I had with it was the lower edge of the prongs resting against my upper lip.  I needed to pad that area for a while until it toughened up -- basically, I cut a narrow strip of microterry fabric from an athletic sock with minimal padding and used strips of cover roll stretch tape to fasten it on my upper lip under my nose.  But I haven't heard of anyone else having to do that.  Probably won't happen to you.

Good luck!

[Precie]

Thank you so much, I’ll look into other options!

[PeaceLoveAndPizza]

Those are not unusual issues for quite a few of us.

Typically eye bags come from having a mask too tight such that the normal flow of fluids in the face is disturbed. One way to help adjusting the mask is to hold it against your face, turn on the machine and get it situated so it is not leaking, then adjust the headgear to achieve the same result. If you have it so tight that it leaves marks on your face, then it is too tight or it is the wrong size/mask for you. The mask should just rest on the skin and be held in place by the headgear, so that when you turn on the machine it inflates the silicone to seal against the skin.

Pimples may come from not cleaning the mask daily as the oils from the skin transfer to the mask, which then irritates the skin from regular use. I get it as well when I skive off from my regular cleaning routine of wiping the mask with a baby wipe every morning. They sell cleaning wipes specific to CPAP, but for me baby bum wipes work as well.

[Big Guy]

I don't think I have any issues with puffy eye bags. And, it's not the cushions that bother me in regards to pimples. 

For me, it's the mask straps that rest against my skin and cause irritations. After a while, my skin seems to adjust and they're not quite the problem they once were. 

I have three masks, AirFit F20, F30, and F40. I change them out when I feel the need for something different. 

[Precie]

Thank you so much for the fitting advice, I’ll definitely try that! I wipe the mask down daily with CPAP wipes and wash it all weekly.