Pain caused by my mask

[swimmer_spe]

My mask, a Genesis that has side windows fits great above water. I have good suction and there is no issue.

Under the water, a whole different situation.

I find that regardless of how much air I breath into it, it presses on the area above my upper lip and my nose. After 2 dives of about 40 minutes each it becomes almost unbearable.

Any ideas as to why this is happening and suggestions on remediation?

 

[buddhasummer]

My mask, a Genesis that has side windows fits great above water. I have good suction and there is no issue.

Under the water, a whole different situation.

I find that regardless of how much air I breath into it, it presses on the area above my upper lip and my nose. After 2 dives of about 40 minutes each it becomes almost unbearable.

Any ideas as to why this is happening and suggestions on remediation?

Try loosening the strap and position the mask strap lower down on he back of your heard. If the mask strap is too tight and or sitting too high it will pull the mask up against the base of your nose and will cause pain. Let us know how you get on trying as I've suggested in most cases fixes the problem. Good luck.

 

[chillyinCanada]

something similar occasionally happens to me and as was expressed in the prior post, it is because I have not seated my mask properly.

 

[swimmer_spe]

Try loosening the strap and position the mask strap lower down on he back of your heard. If the mask strap is too tight and or sitting too high it will pull the mask up against the base of your nose and will cause pain. Let us know how you get on trying as I've suggested in most cases fixes the problem. Good luck.

I do not have one exact spot on my head that the strap goes, however, much lower and it will be around my neck.

Strap position does not change how my face feels after the dive.

 

[buddhasummer]

It has certainly been my experience and of various buddies over the years that this can cause the exact position of pain you describe. I sometimes get the same pain but have found 100% of the time moving the mask strap lower down fixes the issue. If loosening the mask, ensuring the strap is lower, equalising the mask and ensuring it is positioned properly on you face i.e not to high, does not solve your issue then I'm all out of ideas, sorry. Of course it is possible that its as simple as the mask does not fit your face shape. Are you able to try another mask?

 

[swimmer_spe]

It has certainly been my experience and of various buddies over the years that this can cause the exact position of pain you describe. I sometimes get the same pain but have found 100% of the time moving the mask strap lower down fixes the issue. If loosening the mask, ensuring the strap is lower, equalising the mask and ensuring it is positioned properly on you face i.e not to high, does not solve your issue then I'm all out of ideas, sorry. Of course it is possible that its as simple as the mask does not fit your face shape. Are you able to try another mask?

Try another mask to dive with? No, but, it might be time for me to start truly look for a mask that fits well. Even though this one has the good suction on my face, I will mess with it when I try it on to see if it does the same thing.

Next time I dive, I will bring the strap as low as I can. Hopefully that will work.

 

[CapnDan]

When you tested the mask on dry land, did you try it with a regulator or a snorkel in your mouth? The presence of a regulator or snorkel usually creates a small bulge near your upper lip, and this of course will change the fit of the mask. A lot of divers don't think of that when they're testing masks in the shop.

Another consideration is that many large-volume masks tend to pull up a bit more while your body is positioned vertically due to their greater buoyancy and leverage. Maybe you should try swimming upside down to see if there is any improvement! OK, just joking there.

I have a friend who had a somewhat related problem. Her mask was a perfect fit as long as she kept a straight face, but whenever she smiled underwater (which was often) her mask would start to pinch and leak. We decided to replace her mask rather than trying to stop her from smiling.

 

[Quero]

I'm betting that it's the shape of the mask skirt that is covering too much of the skin above your upper lip so that when you've got your reg in your mouth, it rides/gets pushed up into the curve where your nose meets your lip. High volume masks like the ones with windows in the sides tend to have somewhat wider skirts, which of course is a problem if you don't have enough space above your upper lip to accommodate it. You could try trimming that bit of the skirt, but it would likely make the mask leak. A better solution is to get a different mask, preferably a low volume one with a narrow mask skirt. I've had good luck with the Aqualung Micro Mask for my divers who have had this kind of fit problem.

 

[ntmainstrm]

Swimmer,
I too have a problem in that area. Quero's answer may be good for you but I couldn't get my schnoz in that AL mask. I was at a dive show in Denver last year chatting with a woman in the booth of a CA. company that does custom prescription lens replacements. I mentioned the problem finding a comfy mask and she asked if the painful area was on the bottom side of my nose. She had observed that some people of German descent (which I am) have a more pronounced columella (area between the nostrils). The two masks I use have both been discontinued or redesigned so I am always looking for replacements. If you find a mask that fits or anyone else has suggestions, would love to hear from you.

 

[swimmer_spe]

So, Time for me to look silly in my home and put my reg in my mouth with my mask on in front of a mirror.