@turvanen I haven't tried those yet. But felt like I couldn't breathe with regular masks in 2020. I assumed it would be hard until it got easier. I reminded myself that I did lots of hard things when I was a kid, and that I would learn this new skill this, too. A year later, I was able to wear masks ok.
@bike That's a good attitude in the face of hard things! Many things just take some getting used to.
I remember several people online saying that switching to FFP2/3 or N95 from a cloth mask made breathing easier. Some fabrics such as cotton probably have higher breathing resistance (higher pressure drop) than others, especially compared to materials that are developed with low breathing resistance in mind.
@turvanen Do you know if any n-95 or better masks are designed to reduce humidity? I always mask indoors and avoid non-essential errands, but I don't always mask outdoors in low-density situations, and I would if my face didn't get disgusting almost immediately (and then I get fungal infections on my face).
@bike@turvanen I think breathability will help mitigate moisture build-up. Airgami may be worth trying if you are in the US. Otherwise, as weird as it sounds, sticking something absorbent like a tampon or smaller equivalent absorbent material inside may help? My Flo Mask has a foam insert that helps reduce moisture, but it's not a perfect solution because moisture builds up quickly in a Flo Mask.
@PacificNic@bike@turvanen I wear Airgami; moisture can build up inside it, requiring changeout, but it can be rinsed & dried. 3M Aura is more “fabric feel”, better at wicking face sweat (ew!).
I wonder whether a mask with an exhale valve would be better for preventing moisture build up. Yes, you’re breathing out unfiltered air, but when no one else is masking, you’re just doing the same as everyone else. Haven’t found one that fits yet, so can’t comment from experience.
You know, I've been anti exhalation valve, but I'm realizing that if the alternative is that I'm not always wearing a mask when I'm outside, I should reconsider. Me not being as likely to catch covid still means less likely to spread covid. I'll look into that. Thanks!
@bike I second a valved disposable N95; because they're made of the same fabric as regular N95s, they still filter a majority of what you exhale -- iirc, the CDC study indicated in the neighborhood of 70%. Waaaaay better for others than not wearing a mask and at least as good at protecting you.
@turvanen the first one I tried was a 3M elastomeric with traditional P100 filters. It did seem to increase the effort required to breathe. Now, though, I've worn those same filters for hours at a time without issue. There is a bit of a strengthening/training aspect. However, between then and now, I found easier breathing filters. The GVS Elipse P100 was my go-to when I started regularly wearing respirators; their filters seemed to be much easier to breathe through. I've found Sundstrom to be even more so. 3M also makes 'Advanced' P100 filters that have decreased 'pressure drop'. And of course, every different model of FFR (ie disposable respirator) has different characteristics; some are well known to be super easy breathing -- eg the 3M 9105 VFlex. I think there's been some discussion/testing of pressure drop in the past couple years; if I can find it, I'll send it over. 🙌
There's definitely some breathing resistance. I too have found that GVS Elipse is very easy to breathe. I think it's even easier than the FFP3 masks I have used, also more comfortable and it would be cheaper in the long run.
I've thought part of why some people feel breathless could be caused by CO2 trapped by the mask. The mask effectively makes your airways a bit longer and to ventilate them well you'd need to push the air a bit further than without a mask.
Yep. My only disappointment with the GVS is that the seal seems to be very finicky. Many who like them still fail a DIY (qualitative) fit test -- myself and my partner included. They seem very limited by face shape, moreso than some other brands with more pliable construction, particularly at the chin. Unfortunate for a mask that's relatively svelt, inexpensive, widely available, and has excellent, easy-breathing filtration.
It's my understanding that the molecular size of CO2 et al -- an order of magnitude smaller than the smallest bioaerosols -- makes them impossible to sequester inside of a respirator. So, while there is a bit of temporary resistance which may make exhaling feel different, none of the gases would remain trapped and/or build up. I'm not an expert in this area, though. It makes me wonder if the primary issue is unfamiliarity. It can take a bit of getting used to. And certainly there are a contingent with especially small lung volume / exhale strength who feel the impacts of respiratory protection keenly. My partner is one such person, but she's even been able to find P100/P3 respirators that work for her.
@trendless Correct, gases do penetrate the filter very well. If they didn't, you would suffocate.
But when you exhale without any mask, the CO2 is blown far away from you in a jet of air. When you inhale, the air is pulled from close to your face. Additionally, you don't ever get rid of all the old (high-CO2) air in your airways (otherwise you'd have a vacuum there or you'd get fresh air in when exhaling).
A mask slows down the exhaled jet of air so it doesn't immediately get as far from you as it would without a mask. It's as if you breathed through a short piece of tube: to compensate for the extra CO2 trapped in the tube after exhalation, you must breathe a bit deeper.
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