CPAP silicone allergy: Anyone know of other options? Solutions?

Hi,@macjane,@mamacita
here. I commend you, first off, for so thoroughly detailing your situation with the sleep mask. I have sleep apnea myself, and have been without a C-Pap mask for a long time now.

Now we all know that is not a good thing, as sleep apnea has many side effects that are quite worrisome. But then, neither are vicious skin eruptions that bother you to no end. I cannot diagnose your condition, as I am not in any way whatsoever qualified to act in place of a Board Certified Physician.

What I can do, as someone who has developed many, many allergies over the years, is suggest contacting the CEO of the company from where you made your purchase. My PHD mother in law made it her life's work after she retired! You cannot imagine the responses she received.

She made phone calls, sent emails, but always followed up with a letter, thus leaving a paper trail of her actions. She also researched to death the side effects of certain medications. She didn't have allergies, but I certainly did. And still do. Latex and silicone happen to be two of the ones that make me break out

Please let me know how your search turns out. I wonder if a sleep specialist could order a new study for you, since the old one is too big anyway? And Congratulations on the weight loss! Don't give up. We are here for you.

The company has quite a bad reputation. I think I also left out how physically sick I have been since February. The company has such poor ratings but our Medicare and Tricare for Life medical coverage provides the worst medical equipment suppliers. They have pages of horrific ratings and lost a huge lawsuit against them in another state. I am trying to see if I should leave my Pulmonary/Critical Care doctor and seek help at the Mayo Clinic for MAC.

Hi,@macjane, oh my goodness, isn't insurance one of worst/best two edged swords of the century?

May I ask, did your PCP order from this company for you? And this is the only company insurance will deal with?

I'm with you. Mayo Clinic all the way. Good luck and Godspeed!

Mamacita

Hi. I am new to using a CPAP machine and I came across this site when googling how to tell if you have a skin allergy to your CPAP mask. I just started using a ResMed Air Fit F20 mask about a month ago. I have noticed that I wake up with strap marks each morning. That is annoying, but not as bad as the other problem I've started noticing. I keep waking up with tiny bumps in the general vicinity of the air mask. I thought they were pimples, but this morning I have a bump on my right cheek that itches like the Dickens and appears to be fluid filled, but not a pimple. I don't think it is a matter of keeping the mask clean as I have been pretty diligent in cleaning it. I do have extremely sensitive skin. What can I do?

Hello, @larkspur725. Welcome to Mayo Clinic Connect. May I suggest that if you click on VIEW & REPLY in your email notification, you will see the whole discussion and can join in, meet, and participate with other members talking about their or their loved ones' experiences.

Sounds like the tiny bumps and their itching are challenging.

Hoping that members like @mamacita @macjane @tinybeads2004 @rooster53 @steventomer @techi and others in this discussion on CPAP and allergy may have some input for you on these bumps developing in the vicinity of the mask. I'd also like to invite @johnbishop and @thankful to join in for their thoughts.

Has you doctor who prescribed the CPAP about these bumps weighed in about what may be causing this problem, @larkspur725?

My wife somewhat continuously had perioral dermatitis (literally inflammation of skin around the mouth) until she changed her mask to a cloth mask. This appeared as raised bumps. Hers wasn't itchy, but any allergic response certainly could be.

Hello @larkspur725, With all of my previous masks I had the CPAP nose - big sore spot on the bridge. It wasn't an allergy which I know some people have. I recently switched to the ResMed AirTouch F20 mask which has memory foam edges and is quite comfortable and took care of my sore nose. When I switched the medical store gave me a sample AirFit F20 mask because they use the same frame and headgear and I wasn't sure about the memory foam mask because I've read they only last about a month. The lady at the store said she wipes hers every day with a CPAP wipe since you cannot wash the memory foam mask with soap and water as it destroys the foam. So I faithfully wiped mine with a non alcohol CPAP wipe each morning and put it in the SoClean machine to sanitize it. That was a little over a month ago. The AirTouch mask was pretty awesome for about 3 weeks and I noticed my AHI number getting a little higher so I decided to test my AirFit F20. I had purchased a CPAP full face mask comfort cover which keeps the silicon off of my face and nose and it has been as good if not better than the AirTouch F20 mask. It has been a week wearing it so I washed it in cold water this morning and dried it off and will use the backup comfort cover this evening and for the next week and keep rotating it that way. They sell 2 to a package for $35 - spendy but not bad if they last for 6 months or so by hand washing. They are made of a soft knitted material in the USA. Here's a link to the company that sells them:

-- https://cpapcomfortcover.com/

So I would try a mask cover to see if it helps. The memory foam is also a good choice but I was just not sure about how long they last.

I am also having a terrible time with the nose piece. The inside of my nose is raw, they told me to put hemmororid cream in my nose but I don’t know how much longer I can take it. Is there anyone who makes them out of something else?...

Do you sleep on your side with 2 pillows?

Hi @goldendoodle, welcome to Mayo Clinic Connect. What type of mask are you using that causes the inside of your nose to get raw? Is it a nose pillow type? I use a full face mask with silicone cushion but I also have a CPAP Comfort Cover that fits over it between my face and the mask and really helps. I had tried another version of the mask I use a ResMed Air Touch F20 which uses a memory foam mask instead of silicone and it is pretty comfortable and doesn't rub the bridge of my nose.

John