CPAP Masks and Facial Hair

There are steps you can take to make sure you have the right CPAP mask to go with your facial hair.

There are a lot of different kinds of CPAP masks out there. Some cover your whole face, while others leave your mouth uncovered and cover just your nose. The key with any CPAP mask, though, is to create an effective seal so that your CPAP therapy is as effective as it can be.

For men, however, another consideration must be taken into account. Men with facial hair have to be more selective about their CPAP masks. In observance of June as Men’s Health Month, CPAPCentral.com is proud to offer tips on finding the right mask to fit with your beard, mustache, goatee, or any other kind of facial hair, as well as tips for managing your facial hair to work with your current mask.

How Facial Hair Impacts Your CPAP Therapy

The biggest impact your facial hair has on your CPAP therapy is reducing the effectiveness of the seal for your CPAP mask. Facial hair creates a barrier between your mask and your skin, which leads to increased instances of mask leaks. This results in your CPAP therapy being less effective and your sleep apnea not being treated as effectively.

How to Improve Your CPAP Therapy

There are steps you can take to improve your CPAP therapy. First, consider shaving or trimming your facial hair. Completely shaving will be most effective in improving your current mask seal, but trimming down the thickness of your beard or mustache can help.

If you do need to switch masks, nasal pillow CPAP masks will likely bring the best luck because they insert right into your nostrils and have minimal contact with the face. The following nasal pillow masks have been effective for men with facial hair:

If you prefer a different style of mask, don’t worry, there are some other options that may also work well with facial hair. Nasal CPAP masks cover only your nose. Men with facial hair tend to prefer the following nasal masks:

Some men have even found that full face CPAP masks, which cover a larger area of your face including your mouth and nose, provide a comfortable and effective seal, even with facial hair. Full face masks that men with facial hair recommend are:

We hope that you find these tips helpful and that you are able to find the right CPAP mask to go with your facial hair. Nothing makes you look and feel better than being fully rested, and here at CPAPCentral.com it is our goal to help you achieve a good night sleep, no matter what your CPAP needs may be. If you have questions about any of these masks, or anything else related to your CPAP therapy, please contact us or visit our website to live chat with our experts.