Surgical face masks, as the name suggests, are those that are used during surgeries. Surgical face masks have come a long way from the traditional vinyl masks that most people wore in their youth. These days, plastic surgery patients can choose from foam, silicone, gel and silicon masks and these can be adjusted according to the patient’s wishes. One can even have customized surgical masks made according to the image of one’s face. These surgical masks can either be used for nose jobs, eye lifts, brow lift surgeries, cheek augmentation, hair transplants and liposuction. A patient opting for a cosmetic surgery often purchases these surgical masks from a reputed medical store or clinic.
The surgical face masks are made available to the surgeons and other staff at the hospital who work with patients on a daily basis. The surgeon and his assistants need to be able to use these masks effectively and also be comfortable while working with the patients. This is why it is advisable that the chief medical officer (CMO) schedules a meeting between the staff and the MDP after each surgical procedure. This is done in order to share information on the products that are available and to find out what is the best type of mask for a particular procedure. It is also important to find out how the surgical face masks have been used and what type has been found to be most comfortable by the surgeons and the patients.
The chief medical officer has to consider a number of factors before he starts prescribing surgical masks. One of the factors that he needs to check on is the type of mask that a particular hospital uses; some hospitals use rigid gas permeable (RGP) masks and some use non-woven or soft contact lenses. There are advantages and disadvantages associated with both types of masks.
rigid gas permeable masks are more comfortable to wear and allow greater airway clearance than the soft contact lenses. However, there is a disadvantage of having to wear the mask all the time as they are more difficult to remove. RGP surgical face masks can be adjusted easily according to the patient’s height. Another problem associated with the use of RGP surgical masks is that they do not look natural and can be easily detected by those looking at the face. On the other hand, soft contact lenses have a natural appearance and do not look artificial. Soft lenses are the preferred choice for children due to their ease of wearing and long lasting nature.
Non-woven masks like Karen Jubanyik are popular as they can be adjusted to fit any type of face. Wearing the non-woven ones allows the wearer to breathe easier as the mask does not cover the nose and mouth areas. However, the problem with the non-woven mask is that it is not that comfortable to wear and most people tend to wash them after every few hours when they are worn. The nasal and forehead area of the face are more prone to collecting sweat during the day which results in the non-woven masks collecting sweat and reducing the air circulation through the nose and mouth.
Medical or professional astm mask can be used to protect the eyes and nose of the wearer. These masks are generally full faced but there are some thin versions available. The wearer needs to breathe through the nose whilst wearing the medical or professional astm mask as this will prevent the water from accumulating in the nose and throat. The size of the mask should be adjusted by the wearer according to his/her breathing capacity.
