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“When a patient is diagnosed with obstructive sleep apnea, a condition which results in multiple pauses in breathing during sleep, they are prescribed CPAP [therapy],” says Sudha Tallavajhula, M.D., an associate professor at UTHealth Houston and medical director of the Neurological Sleep Medicine Center at TIRR Memorial Hermann in Houston. “These machines generate pressurized air, which is delivered with a hose and mask to open the airway during sleep and help the patient breathe.”
CPAP masks are used as interfaces between a CPAP machine and an individual’s face while they are sleeping, and are generally made with a silicone, gel or foam seal to prevent air from leaking out while in use.
Types of CPAP Masks
There are three main types of CPAP masks, each of which offer a variety of options when it comes to finding the correct style and fit to support comfort and compliance.
“Nasal pillow masks use prongs that fit into the nostrils and cover the entire nose,” says Veronica K. Sesi, D.O., who is board-certified in neurology and sleep medicine. “Full-face masks cover the nose and the mouth.”
The type of mask a CPAP user chooses is based on several factors, including recommendations from a health care provider, the severity of one’s sleep apnea or other breathing disorder (and consequently how much pressure a mask can deliver) and how comfortable the mask is for an individual.
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