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Fact 4: Hose Heads are normal people; it’s the rest of the world that is abnormal. It takes a very special individual to sleep with a hunk of plastic and a 6 foot hose attached to their head every night!!! And look sexy as hell to our life partners.
Fact 5: Tighter is not always the answer. Just because it leaks do not assume it needs to be tightened. You need to investigate first by adding pressure with your hands to various parts of the mask to determine what straps need to be adjusted.
Fact 6: The air supplied from the machine creates the seal around your face. It also tries to push the cushion out from under the mask which would cause a leak, A certain amount of friction must be maintained between your skin and the mask cushion. You may need to clean your cushion daily and your face just before bedtime to remove oils and maintain this friction.
Fact 7: The head gear holds your mask in place and has very little to do with making a seal and a lot to do with allowing the cushion to maintain the seal.
Fact 8: Your head gear straps need to be even. Uneven straps will cause your mask to shift or twist on your face.
'''Your mask should be filled with air when fitting.'''
Now we can attach and adjust the head gear. The head gear needs to be EVEN. If the head gear is uneven your mask will have a tendency to shift or twist on your face which will break the seal and cause leaks. Most head gear, the ones I’ve looked at, are one piece construction. The easiest way to find center is to completely undo the straps from the Velcro and fold it in half. The fold is the center which you can mark with chalk or tape or some other kind of non-destructive marker. You should now have two marks; one for the center of the top straps and one for the center of the bottom straps. The distance from the top mark to the top anchor points on your mask should be equal. The distance from the bottom mark to the bottom anchor points on your mask should be equal. ALL FOUR DO NOT NECESSARILY HAVE TO BE THE SAME – DON”T EVEN TRY!!! The tops have to be equal to each other and the bottoms have to be equal to each other. Yes; exactly would be best!!! You will need to figure out your own “starting” point. Remember how much pressure you needed to hold the mask on your face with your fingertip? That should be your guide to a starting point. When you put the mask on, with head gear, while in the sitting position, it will feel like it’s going to fall off. This is normal because we don’t sleep in this position. Lie down and check for leaks. Keep in mind that the air pressure from your machine will try to blow (push) the mask off your face. The head gear is there to keep that from happening. Think about what is happening for a moment. The silicone seal inflates with air creating the seal, the air also causes your mask to “float” on your face, and the head gear is the “anchor” so to speak. The mask doesn’t weigh that much, air is trying to push it off your face, so why would you need a lot of strap pressure to hold it down? Because if you need high pressure with a full face mask it creates a lot of force trying to push the mask away from your face which can negate the seal.
Now comes the adjusting part. This is critical in obtaining the “perfect” fit. The one that lets you sleep without realizing you are wearing a mask. Well almost. Adjust it until it stops leaking. Make sure you adjust both sides equal. Try it in every sleeping position; on your back (not recommended) left and right side. If it leaks; make the necessary adjustment. Keeping in mind that if it leaks on the top… Fact 9. Once you have achieved “no leaks” try backing the adjustment off about half of what you did. As ridiculous as this sounds, that 16th or 32nd of an inch can and will make the difference. This is where the “patience” part comes in. You need to leave frustration in the hallway and out of your bedroom. Once you have it exactly as you want it, mark the head gear. (A small stitch, permanent marker, etc, etc.) Washing it will change how it fits and you will need a starting point. Your head gear will stretch over time and you will need to make very minor corrections. If you take the time, you can get this perfect for you. I worked at it for a week before I finally got it. When that night comes, you will be doing cartwheels down the hall. Your family members will think you went off the deep end because they won’t understand. Your Apnea family will understand and chances are we will be doing the cartwheels with you!!! I know I will if I hear of any successes based on what was applied using information from this paper.
Remember: Positive attitude = positive results and small, I mean SMALL adjustments. You can and will achieve the ultimate fit. I know it in my heart. I’m pulling for you. GOOD LUCK!!!
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