Skip to content
Table of Contents
Is the Respironics Dreamwear Full Face Mask Worth Buying?
One of the major complaints about using a CPAP device is how uncomfortable wearing a mask can be or how claustrophobic the mask makes you feel — none of which helps you in your attempt at a good night’s rest.
The newer models of CPAP masks have attempted to remove the discomfort traditional masks can cause. Many nasal pillow systems have no gear that crosses the front of the bridge of your nose like a traditional mask.
Instead, pillow masks employ two soft silicone shaped “pillows” that you insert into each nostril. Pillow masks can help you attain a better seal, which means you get a better airflow quality — because there is less material for you to have to adjust and less surface area that needs to hold a seal.
Philips Respironics new mask, the DreamWear, builds on the idea of pillow masks by eliminating the requirement to insert anything into your nose. You get the advantages of a nasal and a pillow mask, all while having anything barely touch your face. Actually, you may feel like you are not even wearing a mask.
Innovative Design
Some of the biggest complaints regarding CPAP masks are that they are bulky, leak air, are irritating, and make it hard to move around at night.
The DreamWear full-face mask is intended to combat the top complaints of full-face masks. To begin, the DreamWear mask is intended to be less bulky so that you can sleep more comfortably.
Respironics dreamWear is intended to be a minimal contact mask just like a pillow mask. That shows the mask touches the least amount of your face compared to other masks.
Minimal contact lowers the irritation your skin feels while giving you the freedom to move around as you sleep. The Respironics DreamWear masks feature a cushion that rests under your nose and seals both nostrils without covering the whole nose or inserting anything into your nostrils.
Are you concerned about dryness and irritation? The under-the-nose cushion helps to remove the irritation and dryness that is caused by the most nasal pillow, nasal, and full-face masks.
How about the distress of a mask sitting on your face? The mask is intended to sit on your checks as gently as possible. DreamWear’s soft silicone frame and fabric wraps help to ensure you are comfortable so you can sleep soundly while utilizing your CPAP device.
Why It Might Not Be for Everybody
The Respironics DreamWear mask and other pillow masks might not be for you. Pillow masks are often not best for patients who require high pressure.
The airflow to a pillow mask is direct and may result in discomfort with higher-pressure settings. The direct flow of high-pressure air could result in your nose feeling dry, and you might even experience nosebleeds.
The pillow mask is not for you if you breathe via your mouth. Pillow masks only work if you are continually breathing through your nose as you sleep.
If you’re a mouth breather, you may feel like breathing through your nose is unusual and uncomfortable.
The other selections for CPAP masks are nasal masks and full-face CPAP masks. Nasal masks deliver a more natural airflow than the pillow mask because the pressure isn’t as direct. So, if you are utilizing high pressure, you might consider wearing a nasal mask.
Nasal masks and pillow masks are the best choices if you move around a lot in your sleep or sleep on your side.
If you breathe through your mouth, nasal masks are also not for you. Nasal masks are not ideal if you suffer from allergies or regular colds that deter you from breathing through your nose. Nasal masks also present an issue if you can’t breathe through your nose because of a nasal blockage like a deviated septum.
So, what are you to do if you can’t wear a pillow or nasal masks? Full-face masks are best suitable for you if you sleep on your back, are a mouth breather, or have nasal obstruction or regular congestion.
If you’re claustrophobic, you might not tolerate the additional material and weight of the full mask. Full masks also come with a higher chance of air leaking, and with air leakage, your eyes might become dry and irritated.
Full-face masks can make it more problematic to move around in your sleep. The Respironics DreamWear mask may be perfect for you if you can breathe through your nose and don’t use high pressure.
Shop
