Mask for prominent forehead?

Hi there,

This is my first post on this forum so please be kind . I have only been diving a short while but I can't really enjoy it. I did my PADI and have only dived once in the maldives since but couldn't go on due to pain in my face.

Every mask I have ever tried on my face always digs into my forehead. The plastic rim at the top of the mask digs into my forehead. And as you can imagine, combined with the pressure at 30m this is very painful. During my PADI course I had a continuous bruise on my forehead and I have always had to swim along with my hands on my mask pulling it away from my face to release the pressure on my forehead.

I went to a few diving stores and tried many goggles (even tried this one the owner thought would work which had no no plastic down the middle separating it into two lenses) but none fit properly. Does anyone know of a particular mask that would suit someone with a face like mine??

P.S My head doesn't look weird or very prominent it just seems that my forehead is unsuitable for any mask.

Thanks for any help guys and gals

It may be the tightness of the mask strap that may be causing this problem. Head to the pool with the mask you have and loosen the mask strap to the point where you can barely feel it. Then give it a whirl. A lot of divers pull tighter when they get leakage and in many cases doing the opposite works better and eliminates/reduces the impressions on their face from the mask.

Buy a silicone bucket. Put some air into your mask with your nose. Ask, where did, your instructor, go?

It might have nothing to do with your fivehead. As knowone suggests in his inimitable cryptic style, perhaps you are not equalizing properly. Just as you have to add air to your middle ear to balance the external pressure, you have to add air to your mask (not goggles) to balance the increasing vascular pressure in your face. Your mask strap should be just tight enough to hold your mask against your face comfortably. Tighter doesn't seal it better. Consider spending time with a different (better?) instructor than the one that certified you.

Thirty meters is too deep for somebody who is still sorting out basic equipment or technique issues and has only one dive since certification.

This thread may be useful:

http://www.scubaboard.com/forums/fins-masks-snorkels/324381-mask-suggestion-big-forehead.html