Best way to fit metal nose piece on masks?

July 19, 2020 9:29 PM

When I put on a mask with a metal nose fitting piece (like these or my homemade variation), and just press down on either side of the metal strip with my fingers, I get a tiny gap in the middle of the nose piece - the bend is sharper than the actual curve on the bridge of my nose. Is there a better technique for fitting these metal nose pieces?

I don't have a particularly sharp nose, which might be a factor, but I imagine that medical professionals have some special fitting techniques that might help. Thanks!

posted by amtho to Health & Fitness (6 answers total)

I wear a surgical mask daily. In front of a mirror I shape/fold the metal bit to exactly fit the bit of my nose in line with the bottom of my eyelids (from above, I guess it would look like: __/\__), then adjust the mask so the earloop straps attached to the lower bit of the mask are pulling the rather narrow fitting I’ve made toward a wider/lower part of my nose, sealing it pretty tightly. There’s still a tiny amount of air that comes out the top but it’s quite tight.
posted by mdonley at 9:49 PM on July 19, 2020

Try using both hands and three fingers of each hand on each side of the nose piece. Press slowly and gradually conform the metal strip to the shape of your nose.

This is my best off the cuff recollection of the directions of fitting a 3M n-95 mask to one's face.

You can look online to see the actual directions contained in the 3M package for a description of the fitting process. Most of it only applies if you are fitting their mask, but the metal strip part should be pretty universal.
posted by mygoditsbob at 9:57 PM on July 19, 2020

The important thing is to use both hands to mold, not pinch with thumb and forefinger.
posted by ocherdraco at 11:33 PM on July 19, 2020 [1 favorite]

Push the middle of the strip onto the bridge of your nose, and hold that while you squeeze the sides. It should then match the profile of your nose. I do not find it necessary to use two hands.
posted by Kirth Gerson at 6:20 AM on July 20, 2020 [3 favorites]

My thumb on one flat side of the nose piece and the index finger of the same hand on the other, I use the fingers of my other hand on first one side and then the other to bend the center of the nose piece into a curve around my finger that approximates the width of the bridge of my nose.
posted by chromium at 10:37 AM on July 20, 2020

I use homemade fabric masks with removable nose wires -- they're made of heavy gauge florist wire, so they're too stiff for me to mould on my nose. I shaped them separately, with both hands and without the mask, until I had a good fit (once I made one, I could use it as a template for the others). They keep their shape because they're so rigid, so I don't have to keep bending them. They're just a bit tricky to get in and out of the channel in the mask.

This whole process may not transfer well to non-removable and/or softer wire, but I think the important part is to shape the curve more deliberately to fit your nose, bending the wire in the middle and working outwards, rather than just pressing the sides in.
posted by confluency at 3:30 AM on July 21, 2020