(tw: cussing/crude language, mention of hospitalization and physical ailments/long covid, death etc)

Hi! i’m 15F and i’ve been masking indoors and around people that haven’t been tested for illness yet, and i have since covid started. you’d think i’d get used to it by now but I always feel so weird like literally everyday. nobody else in my family feels that way. when i asked, they all said it stopped bothering them after 2022 ish when most people stopped masking. i think its just cause im a teenager who very stereotypical cares about what people my age thing of me, and I know logically i shouldn’t give any kind of fucks what they think of me because I know i’m not hurting anyone or myself by wearing a piece of fabric on my face, and that it couldn’t matter less that people are so weird about it, but i say all this then i go out and immediately want to just go back home. people at my school always say “why do you wear a mask, you do know covids over right?” and i always js laugh it off cause i dont want to cause issues cause im not that much of an arguer i guess especially with people im not friends with, but i js rly wanna hit them every single time cause how can people be so insanely insensitive?? like its fine idc if you think its a little weird but going up to people and insinuating that they’re stupid for not wanting to get sick (which i feel most people dont??) is abnormal and makes me less of a person.

the reason i dont is because both my mom and dad are immunocompromised. both my dad and mom almost died in the emergency room due to covid and long covid syptoms, and my dad is basically guaranteed to pass if he gets it again or any other major illness. I mean he’s out sick unable to walk when he gets a common cold let alone covid or strep. my mom went blind in her left eye and is having to get her gallbladder removed. these where all pre-existing issues but would’ve likely never become a real issue if they didnt get inflamed and worsened by covid (this is all what their doctors said)

less importantly but still; i got covid like 4 years ago and i lost the majority of my smell and my sense of taste and lost hearing in both my ears. not by a lot but enough to bother me i guess.

and i always wanna just scream at them “bitch my parents almost fucking died from covid shut your dumb ass up cunt” but obviously i cant do all that. anyways, any tips? i guess this is just about me growing and figuring out how to be confident but i js wish it’d come to me faster :’ )

edit: realized this is kinda just a rant, my main 2 points are that all that shit is happening to me and my family and yet everyone just sees me wearing a mask and says “oh well thats an idiot” like im not even a real person. and second that i care. like why do i care so much?? i have a good steady small group of friends that i love so much so why do i care that some bitch at school doesnt like me?? like i can say this but im still so insecure about it idk why

So apparently I have a small chin. The 3M 8110S fits well but I have migraines and trigeminal neuralgia and its not the most comfy.

I also have pots and never feel like I get enough air…even without a mask

I tried a 3M Aura 9205 years ago - Was too big around chin

Moldex S metal free bought for MRI fits fairly well but Ive read it isnt as good as 3M 8110S. I dont think it seals as well as 8110S on me for everyday US vs mri.

Id love a small valved one too for when Im around non masking people as well as yard work (bad allergies).

Gray or black would be amazing but color is least important.

No ear loops - makes my neuralgia way worse.

Love the adjustable straps on moldex and that they were not cheap rubber like 3m 8110s.

Im Immunocompromised so well fitting and great filtering is really important.

Im in US

Any suggestions?

Hi all! I am planning on using my 3M Aura for a Billy the Puppet (from the Saw movies) costume and am looking for advice on the best way to decorate this without totally destroying the efficacy of the mask. The decoration would need to be in the center of the mask (which of course is where the filter is) and would be: red swirls for the cheeks, a red mouth, and puppet mouth lines.

I found some similar posts in here but haven’t found consistent answers anywhere I search. The options I’m currently looking at are:
1. Water based paint pens
2. Gluing/taping on stickers, beads, or pipe cleaners
3. Painting on micropore tape and then applying that to the mask
4. Creating a cloth cover and painting on that (it seems like this may be the most recommended route but I fear this would trap heat too much and create a lot of resistance making it super uncomfy)
5. Makeup (lipstick/liquid eyeliner probably)

Open to any and all ideas! Mostly hoping to find an option that balances a bold looking design and breathability (and doesn’t totally compromise the filter).

Anyone purchased from Bona Fide lately? Specifically their black Powecom** KN95s? **I ordered a large batch several months ago and unfortunately the expiration date was just a few months from receiving them. I’ve tried reaching out in the past but haven’t ever gotten get an answer on what the latest expiration date is.

I'm looking for a comfortable, effective mask to use on public transport whilst I'm on blood thinners and immunosuppressed. I have a connective tissue disorder and spinal injury so it can't be anything heavy. I've tried 3 types of DIY store style N95 but they're huge. Does such a thing exist?

People are coughing and spluttering all over the place and I can't risk missing my upcoming surgeries this flu season from catching other people spreading their sickness all over the place. Yesterday, someone sneezed into their hand and immediately used it to push the door button on the train, and I realised I'm playing with fire. I have Cambridge masks, but I can smell through them so they're obviously not effective.

my longtime favorite "daily driver" mask is the 3M 9502. I have a bigger nosebridge and a wide face, and those ones are large and fit me very well. They're hard to find-- I stocked up from zopec medical, but they don't have them anymore. Is paying for shipping and import duty from PPEO my best bet for those?

I was intruiged by the Zimi XL, but it looks like it will be too small. has anyone tried that size (it looks like it's newer) and can offer any perspective on it? fwiw, the envo pro XL fits me (but my lower peripheral vision is occluded by the mask, wtf) and the omnimask MOSTLY fits me (but I've never worn it out).

heck, I'd also take any suggestions anyone has for my omnimask because I really wanted to like it-- I got the threaded honeywell adapters and p100 cartridges. I have a speech diaphragm in the bottom center hole. I pulled the blue one-way valves. It's sweaty but it's really comfortable and I think it looks pretty good.... except that when I yawn, the mask pulls away from my face at the nosebridge. It would be okay if I like "covered my mouth" and used my arm to press the mask into my face while yawning. sigh.

I'll take any and all suggestions!

I have some germ guardian, IQ Air Atem, and other filters that I’d like to find a home for, and figured this community might know a good charity. Any suggestions?

I had a mask I bought from a board game shop during covid that was THE MOST COMFORTABLE MASK IVE EVER HAD!!! It was a nice light weight (felt almost like moisture wicking material) and was two sides cut out of fabric sewn together in the middle, no adjustment straps or anything, pretty simple. The specific one I had was black and white striped with no face from spirited away on it randomly. I’ve tried looking up this exact description and can’t find anything even close to what it was 😭😭😭

I'm a woman with smallish head who fits 3M Aura and Can99 well. Was surprised how small and tight the Trident in Regular - Extended straps was. Wondering if worth trying XXL, or at least getting them for someone else ( man with average-sided head). Thanks!

Redditを見てるとZimi airのマスクが人気だよね。でもこのマスクって日本のシゲマツが作ってるN95マスクのコピー品なんじゃないかって最近思った。

もちろんKN95やKN100の認証をしっかりと受けた製品ではあることは間違いないけど、これが本家を差し置いて人気商品になったのはなんか不思議な気分になるな…

←Zimi
→シゲマツ

Hi! I'm looking through the wiki but thought I'd ask for this specifically since it isn't mentioned there. My mom and I have masks that work (I am
disabled, long covid, poor immune system) but my dad can't find a model that works well for him. He works in person every day, my mom and I don't. He has discomfort with the ear loops on both the kf94s and kn95s he's tried, and some fit issues (partially because of his beard which we're working on already, and partially because of him having a high nose bridge with a bump).

His main issue though is itching. His face gets itchy and hot after masking for a while and he can't deal with it. I suspect he may have autism like
me but we don't know for sure, regardless it seems to be a sensory issue for him. He can't work when he's distracted by the feeling.

So what I want to know is what masks are best
for staying cool and dry? Are there any tips anyone has for staying cool and dry behind a mask other than changing the type of mask itself?

I can't keep getting sick from him and he doesn't want me to either, he's a very kind person and willing to help protect me, but also needs to accommodate himself at work.

Thanks for any advice!

I usually wear auras but want something else when I go to the indoor pool in gym cause its so steamy. I wouldn’t be swimming, just aerobics.

I want to know people opinion about them. They are on amazom with good price and i considering.

Are they good? Are they bad?

Thank for the answers

Hi, I'll be visiting Korea (Seoul) for a week in December. What is the best way for me to buy KF94s? What website would provide quick shipping and not require a Korean phone number?

I'm also open to buying it in person if that's easier, but I'm sure about how good the selection will be though. I'm also not sure if I should order the masks before I even get to Korea.

I have a smaller face and am also open to any KF94 recs! Thanks!

Doing a diy mold remediation project soon and wearing swim goggles and a regular respirator is so uncomfortable and inefficient. Can you get a nice mask for cheap or is it 200$ minimum?

Full disclosure: I work on a face-worn device for exercise testing, so comfort and seal are current pain points. I’m not selling anything and won’t link anything; I’m only trying to understand what experienced wearers notice that spec sheets miss.

Elastomeric fans seem to split between the 3M 7500 and the Honeywell 7700, and people often say fit comes down to shape and contour more than size. For those who wear one for long stretches:

1. Where do pressure points or leaks usually show up: nose bridge, cheeks, chin, under the jaw?
2. What makes a harness or strap setup comfortable versus annoying over time?
3. Has anyone worn a mask during exercise or heavy exertion? What changed: breathing resistance, heat, moisture, the seal shifting when your face moves?
4. After how long does comfort usually start to drop off?
5. If you could change one thing about your current mask, what would it be?

Thank you for any input you might have.

Hey everyone, I’m really needing recommendations for full face masks and filter. For context I work in aviation so I need something hefty. I need to filter out things such as vaporized alcohol, acetone, MEK, and molykote. The current equipment I have worked well enough for paints and such. but my projects have changed and now include a variety of aerosols and vaporized chemicals.

Add your local bloc(s)! I have nothing to do with it and dunno if this is "news", but in searching for the old maskbloc[.]org link, I was given worldwide-maskbloc.org and clicked, realising it's actually a different site. According to their About, it's "a community project and a successor in spirit to the original maskbloc.org. Listings are submitted by the public and reviewed by a human before publishing. To suggest an edit or removal, use the form above or get in touch on social media."

Their first IG post is in June (not linking since I don't know if automod will banhammer it) but I only first saw the page a couple weeks ago. Given the OG directory has never posted anything to any of their social media accounts, and hasn't updated its page in over a year now (which was the first update since I sent some for inclusion six months earlier), I think it's safe to say the new kid on the block (ha) is the one to share with people in need.

But as of now it's got less than half the listings as the old site. There may just be fewer blocs running, but likely they haven't got the full picture yet - since listings are user-submitted, if you're in or know of an active bloc that's not up, submit and help this new resource improve.

Heya, sorry to bother, but do you know any good gas masks that I could incorporate into normal day fashion ?

And if so, do you have any recommendations?

Something functional that I can actually wear please

Anyways, I hope you guys have a wonderful day, and thanks in advance !

anyone else struggle with getting masks to seal around their nose? so far no luck with bnx earloop masks, powecom kn95s, 3m aura 9205+, or the vflex 9105. every one leaves a leak up by my nose bridge. gave the kimberly clark n95 duckbill and wellbefore n95 a shot too, neither fit good. starting to think my nose is just shaped weird for these masks. if youve dealt with the same thing, what ended up working for you? wondering if theres one with a nose wire thats easier to adjust.

Hey y'all,

So I wear a new KN95 whenever I go to work (3 times a week, 13-14 hour shifts, animal hospital). It's because a) I'm self conscious about my face and I'm very client facing lol and b) I have asthma and I'm allergic to all animals with fur + feathers, and it helps immensely with that. Seriously, with the mask it's like I don't even have the allergies, it's crazy.

For the past 4 years now I've been dealing with horrible, persistent cystic acne. My doctor has tried everything for me, and the only thing left is Accutane. I just finished doing Cabtreo for 6 months and I didn't even notice a difference with that. But I'm also scared of trying Accutane. I've also tried hormonal medications, and I'm already on birth control.

However... In the last month I've realized that whenever I get a good 4+ days of work and I'm just chilling at home without the mask, that it all goes away. I had a week off recently to intensely study for a licensure exam, which means I was HORRIBLY stressed and sleep deprived. But my skin? Glowing by the end of the week. No cystic pimples, just a few small ones. Insane.

So, I really do think it's because of the mask now. I DO sweat a lot under it. I have hyperhidrosis due to some meds I'm on, so I get drenched in sweat even with minor exertion. It absolutely sucks. And it's all on my face and upper back. I feel like maybe the sweat is part of it?

I've already tried wearing little to no makeup under mask, but I've not noticed much of a difference. I've also tried antibacterial mouthwash before I put it on. Obviously, I already wash my face twice a day.

But I'm just so frustrated, because when I was bedrotting and studying for the week I didn't even take care of myself that well and my cystic acne went away! But I wore a mask to my exam, and literally developed a new giant pimple right under my nose after. I'm so upset and it makes my self consciousness issues way worse.

So does anybody have new advice for this? Any new tips? I'm not sure what to do:( would a less protective mask actually be better because of airflow? Is it the sweat? Am I doomed to cystic acne for as long as I work with a mask on? Would Accutane even fix this?

I'm really desperate to know if there's anything else left to try. It's been a good while now since masking became more common, so I'm kinda hoping someone has figured a treatment out by now. Please let me know if you have any advice at all! Thank you!

I wore a 3M Aura all day today at college (9:30am to 7:20pm) because I'm sick. I took it off a few times for eating and drinking, but when I took it off for the day my nostrils felt like they were massive inside and it hurt a little to breathe.

Is there any way I can avoid this?

Edit: Thank you for the responses. Nasal rinses and a steam diffuser are already part of my night time routine but it did help me once I got home. The aura mostly fits me well but I do want to try something that may be a little easier to breathe through because the aura has been making it hard to catch my breath when dealing with heart issues. If that's an option please give me recommendations.