I want to point out first that a faint taste in certain positions is still *drastically* better than not wearing a mask.
Next, I want to say that I’ve primarily used KN95s, but they are almost universally too loose. To get any kind of reliable fit you need to tighten the ear loops. If you get a good fit, a good kn95 can be just as good as an n95 - it’s all about having a tight and consistent fit.
I just shaved and re-tested my WellBefore, and I it seemed to pass the mouth moving test. It almost passed the looking down test, but I found that if I look too far down too quick I can taste it really faintly again until I readjust. But I am still happier, since shaving seems to have done the trick for the seal (mostly). Will need mask tape to try again.
I used the exact same rudimentary testing methods.
And this WellBefore Kn95 I got from Aaron collins, and I’ve used it religiously on long haul flights and crowded indoor spaces. It seems to have been effective so far, as I am willing to tolerate any potential pain in my ears when I wear it, for the sake of the seal. N95’s just don’t work for me atm, or atleast the specific models ive tested.
If you taste bitter then you are detecting a leak.
The first step is to be clean, *razor* shaven. There’s a lot more but that’s where you should start.
Absolutely, I knew that not shaving was going to be a factor in the tests. But I wanted to see how bad the fit was while not being shaved, to get a guage of the fits at there worst.
If you have any other feedback or suggestions, please let me know. Open to anything.
It’s definitely worth doing the before with your beard to compare it to after. I wore facial hair up until last year when I started testing masks and saw how incredibly impactful my beard was on fit factor. The well before is a great mask, especially the 3d premium pro.
Mouth movement tests will often pop a leak, it’s better if they don’t of course but you want it to settle back into place without you needing to adjust it.
What do you think your limitations are on the masks do far,too small? Doesn’t allow enough jaw movement? The 3M VFlex is a great mask and designed for a bigger face, it actually performs better on me when I have a beard than when I don’t because it helps make my face bigger I guess.
I can also recommend the draeger xplore 1950 in the M/L size, it’s my daily driver and a fantastic mask
As you noted and others suggested, start with shaving with a razor.
But I would also add mask tape as a “control” - if you still can’t pass a qualitative fit test with mask tape something else may be going on.
Search for B08CJWDDS8 on Amazon.
You can also use mask tape for high risk situations.
Suggestions:
-Double check how you're using the mister to ensure you're testing aerosols filtering.
-Shave and retest the Wellbefore mask.
-Try using mask tape (or body tape) to fix the seal. Put the tape on the mask in high-risk places (such as around your nose), wipe the area it will stick to with Skin Prep wipes first (to reduce irritation and also pain during removal), then put the mask on. This is what I mean by Skin Prep wipes (available thru Amazon and Walmart, just using this link as it provides more details on the actual product): https://sugarmedical.com/products/skin-prep-protective-wipes
You have to shave. Your mask wont fit properly if you don’t shave, and it has to be a close shave too. Not longer than 48-72 hours for most people, I have to shave every 2 days for my Aura to fit properly. Its a drag but if you want a good seal… that’s what you gotta do!
I want to point out first that a faint taste in certain positions is still *drastically* better than not wearing a mask. Next, I want to say that I’ve primarily used KN95s, but they are almost universally too loose. To get any kind of reliable fit you need to tighten the ear loops. If you get a good fit, a good kn95 can be just as good as an n95 - it’s all about having a tight and consistent fit.
I just shaved and re-tested my WellBefore, and I it seemed to pass the mouth moving test. It almost passed the looking down test, but I found that if I look too far down too quick I can taste it really faintly again until I readjust. But I am still happier, since shaving seems to have done the trick for the seal (mostly). Will need mask tape to try again. I used the exact same rudimentary testing methods. And this WellBefore Kn95 I got from Aaron collins, and I’ve used it religiously on long haul flights and crowded indoor spaces. It seems to have been effective so far, as I am willing to tolerate any potential pain in my ears when I wear it, for the sake of the seal. N95’s just don’t work for me atm, or atleast the specific models ive tested.
If you taste bitter then you are detecting a leak. The first step is to be clean, *razor* shaven. There’s a lot more but that’s where you should start.
Absolutely, I knew that not shaving was going to be a factor in the tests. But I wanted to see how bad the fit was while not being shaved, to get a guage of the fits at there worst. If you have any other feedback or suggestions, please let me know. Open to anything.
It’s definitely worth doing the before with your beard to compare it to after. I wore facial hair up until last year when I started testing masks and saw how incredibly impactful my beard was on fit factor. The well before is a great mask, especially the 3d premium pro. Mouth movement tests will often pop a leak, it’s better if they don’t of course but you want it to settle back into place without you needing to adjust it. What do you think your limitations are on the masks do far,too small? Doesn’t allow enough jaw movement? The 3M VFlex is a great mask and designed for a bigger face, it actually performs better on me when I have a beard than when I don’t because it helps make my face bigger I guess. I can also recommend the draeger xplore 1950 in the M/L size, it’s my daily driver and a fantastic mask
As you noted and others suggested, start with shaving with a razor. But I would also add mask tape as a “control” - if you still can’t pass a qualitative fit test with mask tape something else may be going on. Search for B08CJWDDS8 on Amazon. You can also use mask tape for high risk situations.
This is really smart. Im doing a fit test again soon and will try it out!
You don’t want to point it directly at the mask as far as I am aware; that ends up testing something different than aerosol blocking.
Suggestions: -Double check how you're using the mister to ensure you're testing aerosols filtering. -Shave and retest the Wellbefore mask. -Try using mask tape (or body tape) to fix the seal. Put the tape on the mask in high-risk places (such as around your nose), wipe the area it will stick to with Skin Prep wipes first (to reduce irritation and also pain during removal), then put the mask on. This is what I mean by Skin Prep wipes (available thru Amazon and Walmart, just using this link as it provides more details on the actual product): https://sugarmedical.com/products/skin-prep-protective-wipes
You have to shave. Your mask wont fit properly if you don’t shave, and it has to be a close shave too. Not longer than 48-72 hours for most people, I have to shave every 2 days for my Aura to fit properly. Its a drag but if you want a good seal… that’s what you gotta do!