If your mask straps irritate your ears. If your glasses fog up - short video

[progree]

Beginning at 1:40: If the straps bothers the back of your ears after awhile -- Use 2 rubber bands and a paper clip to extend your mask straps so that the extended strap is around the head rather than attaching behind your ears :

"Tie" a rubber band around each strap (just loop a rubber band around each strap). Then unbend a paperclip so that have a hook on each end (so it's kind of an "S" shape). My variation is to just use a large paperclip as-is (not bent or reshaped), so that the thing doesn't come apart as easily when you aren't wearing it.

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Beginning at 2:15 - fogged up glasses: pull the mask up to near the top of your nose and have your glasses in front of the top of the mask).

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The first part of the video is "macne" or mask acne.

[hlthe2b]

1. Glasses fogging... Use medical tape (a strip from across the nose extending 1/3 across cheek bones

Best kept secret of HCWs when using surgical masks (N95 don't cause fogging because they create a seal)

What is medical tape? Nexcare is one popular brand. And, yes, it is safe for sensitive skin.

[Sherman A1]

2. I have trouble with the straps

Tangling with my hearing aids. Wearing both glasses and the hearing aids I always make sure I am back in the car and seated before taking off the mask. If it does pull one out I know they have not gotten too far and I will be able to find them.

[progree]

4. Here's an article about hearing aids with face masks FWIW

https://www.starkey.com/blog/articles/2020/06/hearing-aids-and-face-masks

[Sherman A1]

5. Thanks for the link

[RobinA]

11. Gosh, That's The Worst

Glasses are bad enough. With hearing aids I don't think I'd ever leave the house. Unfortunately, I'm essential. It's bad enough having your glasses fall off on a public rest room floor because of the mask, worrying about falling down steps because the mask causes you to view steps through the reading part of your glasses, not recognizing people when the mask not only fogs up but forces you to look through the reading part at what would normally be seen through the distance part, the sweat running down your face, etc. But to have to worry about losing a pricey hearing aid. I've lost several earrings due to this mess, but they only had sentimental value. I'm already resigned to having to fork over another $800 when my glasses get smashed

[Sherman A1]

14. There are folks in far worse circumstances than me

and I just need to be very careful as I take off the mask and make sure I am seated in my car. I have found a work around for now and there are certainly others as described at the link in the post replying to my initial comment.

Sorry about your glasses, I fully understand. If I wasn't retired, I would be an essential grocery worker.

[tanyev]

3. Amazon has many styles of mask extenders available. I went with this type:

My ears have been much happier since I started using them.

[Iggo]

10. Well goddam.

[RobinA]

12. This Seems To Me

like it would encourage one to wear the mask around your neck when you don't need it on just due to the hassle of taking it on and off. When I walk out of a store, that mask is off before the door closes behind me. With this set up I wouldn't be able to unstrap it soon enough, so I'd just pull it down.

I'm thinking of going with the scarf around the neck, pulled up when a mask is needed. That wouldn't do a damn thing, but neither do any of the non-N95s people wear. AND I could still say I had a mask on. I wear an N95 when I actually think a mask is a good idea.

[tanyev]

13. My experience with them has been that those hooks hold the loops securely

when the mask is on, but the loops pop in and out easily for putting the mask on and taking it off. I have to wear a mask for the whole day at work, so easing the pressure on my ears is well worth an extra couple of seconds to put it on or take it off.

[Flaleftist]

6. You can buy the nose bridge strips on Amazon to use on cloth masks.

https://www.amazon.com/Pieces-Plastic-Bridge-Projects-Jewelry/dp/B088RJ34YF/ref=sr_1_3_sspa?crid=2GZZEDATZBMIU&dchild=1&keywords=mask+wire+nose+piece&qid=1595595733&refinements=p_85%3A2470955011&rnid=2470954011&rps=1&sprefix=mask+wire%2Caps%2C189&sr=8-3-spons&psc=1&spLa=ZW5jcnlwdGVkUXVhbGlmaWVyPUExNUhBSjNXQ1EyS1lRJmVuY3J5cHRlZElkPUEwODc4MzU3Wk1SSFg5WUExV0wwJmVuY3J5cHRlZEFkSWQ9QTAwMjUxMjgzQ1A2VlpPVjZZMERZJndpZGdldE5hbWU9c3BfYXRmJmFjdGlvbj1jbGlja1JlZGlyZWN0JmRvTm90TG9nQ2xpY2s9dHJ1ZQ==

[tanyev]

8. You can also get them with adhesive to stick on the outside of your mask.

These have been working great for me. One shot use, though. I try to remember to take it off before I toss the mask in the washing machine. If not, they come off in the wash but don't get stuck to anything else. Just startle me when I start taking the clothes out and see something curled up in the bottom of the washer.



https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01NAO56KH/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

[Flaleftist]

9. cool. thanks

[Hortensis]

7. What a valuable post, Pogree. Thanks. Htlhe2b's info on fogging's

an answer I can use. Mercifully, we don't wear them long enough for these other problems to develop, but enlightening to hear about them also.